4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, “Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.”
-Luke 18:4-5, KJV
A while back, I remember a mentor, Pastor Gary Gilbertson, teaching on this parable. He related it to our love of dogs.
We love our dogs (or other pets) because they want us. There is something in us that likes being “pursued” as this widow pursued justice.I love being wanted.
This makes divorce following the adulterous discard so hard. That said, we have other relationships God gives us to fill this “hole.” One that did that for me was my relationship to my cat.
Our pets can communicate love and acceptance in a time when we desperately need that communication. God gave me my cat for that time. I am convinced his presence and greeting me each day after work helped preserve my life.
These days I have parrots for pets. The picture below has one of those parrots who is my special buddy.
He greets me at the top of the stairs when I spend a “long time” in the basement alone. My parrot is the cutest of “stalkers” as he will fly to me once he hears my voice hoping to the banister then taking off flying to my chest.
My parrot wants to be close to me, and that makes me love him all that more.
I didn’t have any pets. I couldn’t afford to care for a pet, or even know where I would end up living that would allow pets.
But, I certainly agree that pets can be a huge comfort. If not possible, find a focus outside that you can afford. In my case I focused on my job, and going the extra mile to help any military personnel through my job that I could. If they couldn’t find the right person to help them, it became my job to guide them to that person.
Honestly anything we can make our focus while going through that hell, will help us so much. We have to take care of yourself first in those times, but for extra help in healing, find a focus that helps another person or a pet. It doesn’t have to be huge, just a focus.