Brutus was the character name for the Great Dane that starred in the 1966 movie “The Ugly Dachshund”. In this fictional comedy Brutus is raised with a family of Dachshunds and grows up believing he himself is a Dachshund. He attempts some difficult feats the much smaller bred Dachshunds find easy to manage – fitting under a living room end table, navigating an outdoor party, nimbly maneuvering through their master’s paint studio – all of which culminate in messes when the larger bred Brutus attempts to be a Dachshund. These are very funny moments to watch because the filmmakers do a great job portraying a dog with an identity crisis!
Do you ever struggle with confusion? Ever wonder why?
I think sometimes we Christians have identity crises. Especially when faced with life’s problems. (Jn 16:33) We often let problems consume our thoughts instead of rightly allowing Jesus to be our central focus. And we end up confused if, in our pride, we identify more with our problems than with Jesus. (1 Cor 14:33) God in His mercy sometimes allows us to stumble into a confused mindset in order to reveal to us that our focus is off. Thankfully, He always wants to draw us back to center. (Heb 12:6)
Once we accept Jesus as Lord of our lives we assume a new identity. (2 Cor 5:17-18) We gain access to all the power and authority He has. (Mat 28:18-20, Phil 4:13) We are able to run the race of life to the fullest! (Heb 12:1) We are immediately transformed from a slow, less agile Dachshund to a faster, more athletic Great Dane! (No offense intended to Dachshund owners!) We can run our race with conviction and confidence, even with all of life’s problems. We just have to believe and keep believing! (Mk 9:23, 1 Tim 6:12)
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you if there is a problem in your life that has become too much of a focus for you – too much to handle. Choose to let go and give Him control over the problem. (2 Cor 10:4-5) Sometimes it helps to have a fellow Christian with you. (Ja 5:16)
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what He wants you to focus on. Keep asking, listening, and obeying until you have the sound mind and peace He promises (2 Tim 1:7, Phil 4:6-7).
– Pastor Josh