“What’s wrong with you??? You’re a mess!”

Those words came out of my mouth in frustration this past Tuesday morning. No, I wasn’t speaking to a child or to myself. I was talking to my sweet cat Hobson. In the midst of trying to have some quiet time with the Lord that morning, Hobson was a definite distraction.

He was chewing the cord on the lamp. I unplugged the lamp.

He tried to put his paw into the electric socket. I put a book on top of the socket in the floor to keep him from electrocuting himself.

He pushed the book aside and proceeded to stick his paw in the socket again. I put a heavier book on top, and finally he gave up and tried chewing the cord again. I wrapped the cord up.

Now, maybe I’ll get some quiet time, or so I thought.

He decided to move to the side table by my chair and began pushing everything off the table onto the floor. I finally stopped, looked at him, and said, “HOBSON! What is wrong with you??? You are a MESS!”

And then it hit me: I’m a mess, too. And God watches me make a mess, and He tries to protect me and redirect me, for my good. I’m sure there must be times He looks at me and says, “Crickett, what’s wrong with you? You’re a mess!” And yet, He loves me unconditionally.

To be honest, we’re all a mess without Jesus. And God sent His Son to die for us and to clean up our messes. I can’t really do anything to change Hobson except scold him or put him in “time-out.” But God can change us and clean up our messes through the Holy Spirit who indwells us.

I am so thankful that He is working on me and in me daily.

As Paul said in Romans 7:24-25: “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”