Squirrels on the bird feeders has always been a constant source of irritation to my wife. I invented a device that keeps them out while preserving the looks and the function of the bird feeders on the shepherd hooks. On one, the inside barrier wires I used were of a light, 14 guage copper and after about three years of keeping squirrels out, one of the smaller, more persistent squirrels was able to push its way through and get to the top. He thought he was hot stuff. Now he could just shimmy his way right up that pole and get through and eat away. We watched the show for a couple of days, then I used some other type wire and he could no longer get through. Was he miffed! Up and down the pole, up and down, he was doing all he could, but now he could not get through. Then, he went to another pole that had a device that was a shorter design, and eventually he figured out a way to jump from the bottom of it to the feeders. I made a couple of slight adjustments on that one, and now all the feeders remain squirrel free.
Sometimes there are persistent forces coming against us to rob us of what is rightfully ours. Peace, joy, health, healing, power to live victoriously and abundantly in this life – these are just a few things that can be gnawed away from us. We can just sit back and watch the show, or, we can do something about it. If we are going to effectively deal with issues, we need to approach it in three ways. There is a spiritual dimension that needs to be addressed, there is an emotional/mental dimension of it, and there is a physical dimension of it. The first thing we must assess is what does God’s Word say about it? What is God’s way in the matter? Prayer and declaring the Word into the situation is the first step. Next, we make whatever personal mental/emotional adjustments needed. Sometimes this requires a choice for forgiveness of self or of others. Third, what physical adjustments need to be made? Is a change of diet and lifestyle needed? Are there meds that should be taken or left off? If a physical check up is needed, why delay? Why just sit there and watch the show of physical health or spiritual health being taken from you? The good news of Jesus is that he came to give abundant life for our spirit, our soul, and our body, but it requires some cooperation of our part. It requires for us to make some adjustments in the way we believe, and in what we do, or in what we don’t do. It requires choice. We either choose to watch the squirrels get through and eat away at our life, or we take a three-fold stance to make adjustments in our life and win. God will always help us to win.
