Ok. Hate maybe a strong word. And... who could really hate Thomas the Train. After all, he's a cute train.
Fine. Maybe I don't really hate Thomas. But, I'm not a fan of his message... "I think I can. I think I can. I think I ca..." The message, "If you put your mind to it you can do anything" sucks. Right now, I'm putting my mind into being a 2nd baseman for the Chicago Cubs. But it ain't gonna happen, no matter how hard I try. The, "I think I can" method just won't work here.
There's another place where it won't work either... my spiritual life. I try to be patient. I try to be loving. I try to be gentle. I try to be kind. I try and I try because I think I can. But I can't.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." Galatians 5:22 and 23
There's a reason why it's not called, "The fruit of Todd Ruth." Because I can't... not apart from the power of the Holy Spirit. If I'm simply trying to be these things by myself, it's not gonna happen. There's a reason why Jesus asked God to send a Helper (John 14:16)... because we can't live life how it's designed to be lived without help!
So, instead of being so frustrated with trying so hard and failing, I'm resting in the fact that Jesus sent me a Helper. And you should too.
P.S. Thomas the Train, no hard feelings, ok?
*Check out Forgotten God by Francis Chan.
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