Five Faith Lessons My Corgi Taught Me

by Kelly Goshorn

by Levi Goshorn

by Kelly & Levi Goshorn

A heartfelt thank you to my friend and mentor, Dani Pettrey, for inviting me back to Inspired by Life and Fiction today. During a previous visit, I shared a few lessons my dog, Levi, taught me about the writing life (find that post here).

Last month, we had to say good-bye to our sweet corgi, and my heart is still a bit tender. So today, in honor of our precious boy, I thought I’d share five faith lessons Levi taught us during the thirteen years we were blessed to have him.

God Welcomes and Rejoices Over Me 

Whether we’d been gone for hours or just a quick grocery store run, Levi exploded into frenzied jumping and welcoming tail wagging sessions as soon as soon as he spied us returning home. His greeting provided such pleasure, affirmation, fun, and laughter. And the more we responded, the more exuberance Levi displayed.

Like Levi waiting at the door, our heavenly Father waits with anticipation for us to join Him in quiet meditation, to seek His counsel, and to receive our praise. How He rejoices over us when we set aside time for Him alone, setting aside all of our other responsibilities. Levi’s characteristic reception was a beautiful reminder of God’s steadfast love and boundless joy in our unique relationship.

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing” ~ Zephaniah 3:17

Unconditional Love

Levi loved and accepted us just as we were. He didn’t care how intelligent we were, what we wore, or how much money was is in our bank account. He just looked at us adoringly and plopped down contentedly by our side.

Levi was steadfast.

The Word tells us God’s love for us is also steadfast—meaning sure, dependable, reliable, constant, and unwavering. His love is sacrificial and unconditional. It is both overwhelming and welcoming. Because He first loved us, we are free to truly love others unrestricted by our own doubts and agendas, just as He has shown to us.       

“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him.” ~Psalm 103:11

Forgive and Forget

Although we loved Levi with all our hearts, sometimes we let him down. Whether it was being left alone during a thunderstorm and we came home to find him curled up between the toilet and tub, or the time he delightedly discovered a stale pizza crust on the sidewalk and carted it around the neighborhood only to be forbidden from bringing it inside, a few strokes behind the ears usually mended any grievance he had with us.

Levi was quick to forgive us when we disappointed him, and our relationship was easily restored. He bore no grudges. Levi reminded us that forgiveness is a choice we as believers are called to make and that harboring unforgiveness is a bitter root that drives you away from people and ultimately, from God.

“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12 

Be Present

If there was one thing Levi loved, it was a good belly rub. He had no shame in rolling onto his back anytime he thought he could persuade you to bend down and scratch the soft white fur lining his undercarriage. However, the older I became, the harder it was for me to bend over for any length of time. That’s when we discovered that the step at the top of the landing was the perfect spot for me to sit and give him belly-lovin’.

It’s difficult for me to appreciate how much my sweet pup looked forward to his “Mama-Puppy” time every morning when nothing else distracted me. When those feelings that I should be doing something else and not wasting time were at bay.

In those moments, Levi taught me the value of simply spending time with the people (and animals) that were important in my life—of being present with those God had brought alongside me to shepherd, and the ones that are to shepherd me. He reminded me to never underestimate the value of being fully present with the people we love and to embrace the right time for relationships and activities, ensuring our focus is on the moment.

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” ~Ecc. 3:1

Dependence on God

Levi, like all pets, depended on us for food, exercise, and companionship. Even though he fought it, he relied on us to keep him healthy by bathing him, trimming his nails, and getting vaccinations to prevent disease. He trusted us to keep him safe when thunder rocked the house or fireworks whirred and whistled in the cul-de-sac cattycorner from our house.

Our lives became entwined with his in a way that led to his complete and total dependence on us, yet he trotted around the neighborhood as if he didn’t have a care in the world. His mind and spirit were at rest because he’d only known our faithfulness in taking care of his needs. In return, we became the sole focus of his love, faith, and trust, and his dependence on us was complete. 

It’s the type of trust we should have in God, who truly never fails us. Such a beautiful reminder to put our earthly burdens aside and trust in the God of the universe who loves us way more than we are able to love our pets or they can love us in return. He finds joy in our provision. Levi’s example encourages me to release my worries and anxieties into God’s capable hands.

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” ~Matthew 6:26

God tells us to love one another as He loves us. I think a close second would be to love one another as our dogs love us. And maybe that’s why He has gifted us with dogs, a heavenly memorandum of our Father’s unconditional love and delight in us. And a daily reminder to seek Him whole-heartedly, to forgive others, and to trust Him with reckless abandon.

Kelly Goshorn weaves her affinity for history and her passion for God into inspiring stories of love, faith, and family set in America’s vibrant past. When she is not writing, Kelly enjoys, binge-watching BBC period dramas, exploring historical sights, and board-gaming with her family and friends.