The Little Engine That Could
I think I can! I think I can! I think I can!
This child’s story has a good grown up lesson! It begins with a toy-filled train pulled by a small red engine on its way to a town on the other side of a mountain, but the engine shortly breaks down upon reaching the mountain. Two engines both refuse to help them, and the rusty old engine is too tired and must rest. Finally, a little blue engine arrives. Although she is simply a switcher engine and has never been over the mountain, she agrees to help pull the train. In the end, she was able to successfully reach the top of the mountain before slowly heading down towards the town.
Philippians 4:4-13, encourages us to rejoice, (repeating the joy you once had), followed by what things is good to meditate on, and finally what this kind of meditation will produce! Confidence and motivation!
Whatever your problem, it’s not the end of the world! Believe! God is the one cheering you on, believing in you and encouraging you not to quit! Don’t give in! To trust Him! God is the one helping you by also sending others to be a blessing to you! Often, we do not recognize when God sends help! God wants you to have faith in His ability and willingness, not in your inability! If you will trust Him and not fear, He will eventually change your I think I can’s to “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13. NKJV.
Life can kick you in the gut! Loss of jobs, businesses, poor health, loneliness! Particularly these days with our ever-changing world! Suicide rate is extremely high, and depression and fear fill the hearts of so many! The persistent feeling of sadness or loss of interest that characterizes major depression can make you feel like a failure. No one wants to help and others are not in position to. Ask yourself, what am I focusing on? Your life reflects your most predominate thoughts. “Your mind is a garden. Your thoughts are seed. You can grow flowers, or you can grow weeds.”
Put another way, what foods we put into our bodies affect us physically and mentally! Junk food contains very little nutritional value and therefore if eaten over long periods lead to health issues. Healthy eating gives you the nutrients you need to maintain your health, feel good, and have energy. What you feed your body or mind, will affect you in other areas of your life!
Don’t worry, your brain won’t overload! Unlike computers or robots, we cannot overload the human brain and can retain everything. But the difficulty does not come with the input of information but getting it out. In other words, it is easier to gain knowledge than it is to forget! If you feed your brain junk, it is tough (but not impossible) to train your mind to think another way. Develop your brain to think positive! You have to actually exercise your mind in order to get it to be active and to get it to be creative.
Ben Carson wrote, “To THINK BIG doesn’t mean we won’t have difficulties along the way. We will–we all do. If we choose to see the obstacles in our path as barriers, we stop trying.”
God created human beings and therefore He knows about every aspect of the human body. So, if I want to fix it, I just need to stay in harmony with Him through fellowship. The most important thing for me is having a relationship with God. To know that the Owner, the Creator of the universe loves us, sent His Son to die for our sins; that’s very empowering! Knowing Him and knowing that He loves me gives me encouragement and confidence to move forward! Do your best and let God do the rest. God cares about every area of our lives, and God wants us to ask for help.
Don’t give up! “Thomas Edison said he knew 999 ways that a light bulb did not work. He didn’t give up, and along with his right-hand man, Lewis Lattimer, they eventually came up with a successful light bulb.”
President Bush once said while in office: “You know, all my opponents think that I’m stupid, but here’s the funny thing: They’re out there, and I’m in the White House.”
Abraham Lincoln endured a steady stream of failure and defeat before becoming President of the United States. He said, “Failure is not the opposite of success it is part of success!”
Until I began to change my thinking and receive God’s wisdom with knowledge, I struggled unnecessarily in many areas! Choosing to meditate on God’s word, praying for His wisdom with understanding, cooperating with God and participating by renewing my thinking, surrounding myself with positive peoples and forgiving myself and others. I am being changed day by day by the love of the Father! That same love of the Father sent His Son Jesus Christ for you!
John 16:33, Jesus has overcome all your problems! Your problems were/are defeated at the Cross. All sins you have done, and injustices done to you, Jesus paid for! Everything that would hinder you from God’s Best! He died to take your place, your punishment! Proof of God’s acceptance of Jesus sacrifice is the Resurrection!
Jesus did not promise to deliver us from the present world but said in John 17:15: “I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but that You keep them and protect them from the evil one.” Amp
Jesus Himself is praying for all who have received Him! What is He praying? Based on the scriptures, He is praying for you to remain in faith (Luke 22: 31, 32); He is praying for your protection from the enemy (John 17:15), and “that they may experience His joy made full and complete and perfect within us filling our hearts with His delight (John 17:13).”. Amp
Jesus joy is full and complete and perfect, and He wants this same joy to fill the heart of the Believer!
Feed your heart and mind with these things!
Marguerite Wafula