Gimli was named after the Dwarf warrior in the Lord of the Rings books. Let's just say that the name fits. The dwarf Gimli is a proud, stubborn man who makes up for his small frame with bravery and gall. He is not discouraged by his short stature. He truly believes he can overtake any foe, win any battle, and lead the charge for any army. The truth is, he can't because he is so small and must often ask for help from his comrades. But he does so only in moments of sheer necessity and even then with extreme pride. My pup Gimli is a lot like this. He is not a snuggle bug like my sweet pea Virginia. I have to force him to cuddle with me- unless he is tired. I envision him saying to me, "MOM! It's play time, not cuddle time!" Before we had Virginia, he was exhausting to have as a solo puppy. He always wants to play and is not satisfied to fetch a ball. He wants us up chasing him, wrestling with him, interacting with him directly. He thinks he is a much bigger dog than he is. He loves playing with toys that are much too big for him. We frequently buy him the toys at the store that are made for the labs and golden retrievers. He tries to pick up my hand weights, our big flashlights, our pillows, nerf guns, stuff like that. All of these things he can barely pick up, let alone play with. But he is not deterred. He will jump off a high ledge to chase a squirrel. He's not worried how far off the ground he might be. He is not afraid to try and fail. He's not worried about other people or dogs looking at him and saying, "What are you doing? That toy isn't made for you!" He just wants to have fun.
As someone who is frequently paralyzed by fear, I am amazed by this quality in him. I often do not try things for fear of failure. I'm always concerned about how I appear to others. I am intimidated by things that seem too big for me. I'm afraid to try things if I think it might be hard or difficult to achieve. Gimli truly cannot do some of the things he wants to. But unlike Gimili, there is so much I can achieve, so many victories already promised to me in scripture, guaranteed to me by God in His word. In Philippians, we are told, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Yet I don't believe this in my heart. I'm afraid I can't share the gospel effectively, that I can't do the things God has called me to do in ministry, that I can't handle situations He has allowed to come into my life. I am praying that God will give me the kind of faith in His character, will, strength, & power that is at work in me through the Holy Spirit, to take risks and leaps of faith that can only be achieved through the intervention of the living God. Me taking a risk like that would in itself be explainable only through the power of the Almighty God! I pray as the father asking Jesus to heal his demon possessed son in Mark 9 said: "I do believe! Help me overcome my unbelief!"
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