A Hero's Heart

Photo by Michael Dziedzic on Unsplash

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice! – Philippians 4:4 (NKJV)

Our heart posture does not have to mirror the chaos around us.

Are you walking through a tough season? Does the scale of difficulty seem to outweigh the joy in your life? Take heart, my friend, God’s Word tells us that there will be suffering in this world. His Word also tells us that this world is not our home.

The strongest man I ever knew had extreme difficulty merely lifting a pencil. He was in the prime of his life; tall and handsome, thriving as a pre-med major college student, beloved by family and friends, and a respected aquatic facility manager. The once competitive swimmer dove into an Olympic-sized pool, like he had done thousands of times before, only to surface as a quadriplegic. In a blink, life as he knew it ceased to exist.

I watched this young man endure decades of never-ending struggle. Never again would he be able to drive or dance, let alone bathe himself.

I was privileged to share a unique bond with this mighty warrior. The roots of our relationship dug even deeper after my accident. The faithful Christ follower soon became my hero as he showed me how to walk through horrific adversity with grit and grace. We spoke almost daily.

I was battling a hard season of recurring setbacks. Frustration was winning as I grew weary of trying, failing, and trying again. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be complaining, especially to you. You’ve got it way worse than I do.” I said in one of our many memorable conversations. He took that opportunity to teach and admonish me about the meaning of genuine joy. “It could always be worse,” he said. “Dude! You’re a quad. How much worse can it get?” I asked. I will never forget his response, “I still breathe on my own.” The words he spoke were powerful in themselves, but the posture of his heart branded a lesson on my heart that day.

Joy is a choice. It is a posture of one’s attitude of the heart. Hardship and heartache are real. They are a part of everyone’s life. God’s Word tells us to “Rejoice in the Lord always.” It does not say to rejoice when things are hunky-dory, or only when life is going our way. Nope. Always means always regardless of circumstances.

You might be thinking, how does one choose joy? I suggest the three P’s: prayer, practice, and patience. Ask God to give you a heart posture of joy by patiently practicing what you read in Scripture. My quadriplegic hero was an avid student of the Bible. It was his anchor, his rock, his foundation. He understood and knew that his suffering was temporary. He kept his eyes on things eternal—eternity without pain or suffering—and that is the hope that filled him with genuine joy.

My hero, my beloved younger brother, after shining the light of Jesus through his suffering, now radiates in the presence of Jesus, more alive than ever. Praise God! “Again I will say, rejoice!”

Questions for Reflection:

1. What does it mean, to you, to rejoice?

2. Who do you know who exemplifies genuine joy?

3. How can you have a heart posture of joy?