Keep your head down

"What are you all head up about?"  It was a common phrase I heard frequently growing up out West.  I knew it meant that someone was all excited about something, but the origin of the phrase escaped me.  Then, a few weeks ago, during the sermon, it hit me.  When a horse has its head up, it's in flight mode.  It's running on instinct, there's no functioning brain.  When a horse's head is below it's whithers, it's relaxed, the brain can engage and it can learn. When a horse doesn't trust it's leader, it may try to take control of the situation and literally run on instinct.  When a horse trusts its leader, it can relax, put it's head down and obey, even when that leader asks it to do something that doesn't make sense to the horse. 

I don't recall the scripture that day, or what the sermon was about, I only know that God very clearly let me know that I was "all head up".  Things were happening in my life and family that I didn't know how to handle, but I was trying to handle them.  Like a horse who doesn't trust her leader, I had decided that I was going to take control, but I was running on instinct and fear, not trusting Him.  God, as usual, spoke in a way that I could understand, and gently, but clearly told me I needed to lower my head, to bow before Him, to trust Him for His timing, and His will.  Because, after all, it's for His glory.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, because He cares for you.                                              1 Peter 5:6,7