“Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God.” (2 Corinthians 3:4-5 ESV)
Do you remember the story about the little engine that was trying to get up a hill? He overcame the overwhelming challenges that were inhibiting him from reaching the top of the hill How did he do it? He kept repeating, “I think I can! I think I can!” I think I can!” To be honest, I don’t remember reading or listening to the story read to us any further as young kids after the little engine made it to the top. I don’t remember the engine going any further. I don’t recall him coming down the hill with an exuberating attitude or disposition and I don’t know how the little engine faced just as many challenges going down the hill as he did when he was going up the hill. Perhaps it was just me who missed that part if it was in fact a part of the story. Maybe I was just satisfied that the little engine had made it to the top of the hill. Possibly I got the message about how we all will face a variety of hills in our lives, hills that are hard to climb, and the only way we would climb higher was to have the attitude of the little engine. No doubt I was encouraged to put forth the effort to reach the pinnacle of success, overcoming various hills in my life.
But as I grow older and face changes in life; changes in employment status, changes in physical fitness, or changes in the type of opposition Satan will throw at me; I must deal with a new variety of hills. Take this morning for example. I got up at 1:30 a.m. not knowing what I would write today. I needed more sleep. Nothing was sinking it as to what to say to you. At 72 ½ , there are challenges on what I call the downside of the hills of life that I still have to face. And regardless of your age, you will have some hills you must conquer, to make it to the top, but what happens next? Will your story end and the travel down the downside of the hill be easy? I don’t think so! I’m sure the little engine had to deal with a plethora of challenges on his was down. I’m sure he had to manage the speed of the train, face the impact of the blowing winds, look for obstacles on the track, manage inertia, and most importantly maintain his “I can” attitude. Guess what? We will have a multitude of things that will try to keep us from safely maneuvering on the downsides of life. But we will have to be like the untold part of the story about the little engine. We will have to keep the “I can” attitude. We cannot think that there will be no difficulties or nothing that we shall face that will attempt to derail our motivation to navigate through the other side of our hills. Oh, I hope this is making sense to you. I hope you see how applicable this is to you as you deal with changes in life and when you get to the place where you can identify with the reality of the words in the church song we sing or used to sing, “Sometime up and sometimes down, almost leveled to the ground.” But notice the determination revealed in the lyrics, “But I’m going to see the King!” That ought to be your way of thinking on both the upside and the downside of the hills of life. Now, are you ready to face this new day with your “I can” attitude? Maybe you should say the closing verse more than once, frequently, through this Thursday morning. I’m about ready to go back to bed, but I pray you got a thought. Be blessed!
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4: 13 NKJV)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King