Escargot

I Think I Can...

Charles Spurgeon once said, "By perseverance the snail reached the ark."

This may quote conjures a humorous thought in my mind of a snail with beads of sweat on its brow and a contorted look on its face as it slowly pushed towards his goal.  It is reminiscent of perhaps an episode of Loony Tunes or something of the sort.  Whatever the case, this quote also makes me ask myself, "Why have I left so much unfinished?"

For our grandfather's the phrase, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going," was apt.  To my current generation the phrase has had a few changes and now reads something along the lines of, "When the going gets tough, stop because you probably weren't going to finish anyway and as long as you can justify it, quitting is ok."

There was a time in the history of our species when a person could give his word and it meant something.  There was a time when once committed, a promise or task would be completed.  It has been quite some time since modernity has allowed a "yes" to mean "yes" and a "no" to mean "no".  What is the reason for this?

While I am no sociologist or psychologist, I think that I understand some things about my peers.  One such thing, is our complete aversion to submit to anyone or anything, including ourselves.  Our hearts are so rebellious that it looks at all things as potential shackles, enemies desiring to subjugate us into an existence of slavery.

When we question ourselves on the basis of why or why not our behavior falls in certain parameters, if we answer honestly, we can usually come up with a single word, pride.  We want to be in control of everything.  We demand with every ounce of our humanity the omniscience and omnipotence of God.  We are a living internal conflict.  Spirit and flesh in a battle to the death.

The flesh has already lost but in the throes of death it wants to destroy that which it can.  The strength of its fight should not be underestimated.  It is crafty, it is deceitful, and it serves none but itself.  But, it can be disciplined.  It can be brought to submission, but it takes a lifetime of skirmishes with a bitter adversary.

If we commit ourselves to God, it is one step at a time.  Day after day, and year after year it is one step at a time.  To persevere is our calling.  One day we shall hear the death rattle of our flesh and be free of its influence.  One day we will exist and have no desire to ever rebel against God.  One day we will reach the ark.