The Round Penn

There is a curious method used among horse trainers that I have witnessed many years ago. When a trainer has a horse that runs away from him every time he approaches it, this makes training near impossible since the horse is refusing to even allow the man to come near to him (lets call this general submission in our metaphor).

If the horse continues to run away, the trainer will erect a circular fence just large enough for the horse to run inside the circumference for a few seconds away from the trainer just to come around full circle and encounter the trainer standing there waiting for his return. The horse does not realize that he is running in circles, but only that he continues to run away from the trainer only to come face to face with him in a matter of seconds. Eventually, the trainer will remove the round penn and the horse will stay in place and learn to accept, then trust, then receive training, instruction, and even comfort from the trainer.

The tool of the Round Penn gives the perspective to the horse that there is no escaping the trainer (that the trainer is omnipresent) and may as well be accepted since there is no other option.

I pray that we, as humans, would recognize this same, inescapable fact, that we are created by an omnipresent God who designed us with purpose and intent. To run away or deny this purpose (in an attempt to create our own) is as intelligent as the horse running away from his trainer in the round penn. When we choose this style of life, God will often round penn us to teach the same compassionate lesson. The sooner we turn to him for trust, training, instruction, and even comfort, the sooner the better.

What I see scripturally is that God brings us through the trials for our benefit and his glory. The trials teach us dependance on His power, rather than our own and to trust Him.

• Rom 5:3-5
• 2 Pet 2:9
• 1 Pet 6-7
• Eph 6:16
• Phil 4:13

Are you being round penn’ed by the loving arms of God ? You can bring about the complete removal of the fence by accepting whatever trial (that keeps reoccuring), by submitting to His desire for your response to the trial and overtake the fortress of the enemy sitting defiantly against God within your own mind (see 2 Cor 10:3-5)

The Round Penn is proof of His love, don’t you agree ?

in His service, Dave Cadieux