If you think about the thing that troubles you most, you may discover that you have a little pet. And every pet comes with its counterpart, the pet peeve.

For example, let’s say your little pet is quiet. So, it only follows that your pet peeve will be noise. Or if your little pet is a tidy house, then your pet peeve will be messes, spills, and dirt. If sunshine is your pet, then your pet peeve will be rain, hail, sleet, snow, and fog.

If you realize that you have a little pet, and you see that God is pointing out to you that He wants you to let that little pet go, and you do, then you will find that it is much easier to deal with all life’s little provocations.

You can still prefer peace and quiet or a tidy, clean house or sunny days. No problem with that. But if it is only a preference, and not a pet, then you won’t get bent out of shape when it’s raining and your kids invite the neighborhood over for ice cream sundaes, and they all come in wearing muddy boots and make a big mess in the kitchen.

But these little pets are hard to get rid of.  Letting go is the hard part, especially if it is a long-time pet. And especially if you’re willing to continue to be mastered by your pet peeves. But to really come out from under the peevishness,  you’ve got to deal with the pet. It’s got to go.

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