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When the Plains tribes first acquired horses in the early West, they occasionally had to capture and tame a wild horse. According to Western artist George Catlin’s 1832 account, to capture a wild horse, a tribesman with a lasso rode alongside and threw the loop around its neck.

The tribesman pulled the noose tighter and jumped off his horse to run alongside the stallion. The tightened noose served to cut off the horse’s breathing. As the horse faltered, the tribesman fastened restraints on its front legs and used the loop to form a halter. The horse naturally tried to buck, but the man was close enough to touch the horse’s nose, cover his eyes, and breathe into his nose. At that point, the horse reportedly became calm. The tribesman removed the restraints, and the horse was ready to be trained.

After this brief struggle, the horse learned to subdue his powerful strength and place his abilities under the control and service of his captor. In short, he had been gentled. Today, we use other methods with horses, but when trained and subdued, they become trustworthy servants. 

This process sometimes happens to me. God must subdue me, typically when I wander from Him and go my own way. Then, I experience a problem or struggle and must abandon my plans and become dependent on God.

We consider a horse “gentle” when it centers its attention on the trainer and forgets its desires. Likewise, we are gentle when we focus on God, not ourselves. Doing this is a work in progress that requires momentary and daily awareness and close attention to God’s leading. But when we do, we can succeed and become a trustworthy servant.

Think of ways to subdue your strength and put it to use in God’s kingdom.