Tune in to hear Joni Eareckson Tada reflect on the anniversary of her accident. Whatever hardship is troubling you today, stay in the fight against your feelings, because your fight is always a good one.
Tune in to hear Joni Eareckson Tada reflect on the anniversary of her accident. Whatever hardship is troubling you today, stay in the fight against your feelings, because your fight is always a good one.
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I’m all about sharing hope in hardship. Even my own hardship!
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and, you know, I’m pretty good at swallowing my own prescription. When it comes to hardship, you wouldn’t believe how often I take my own advice. Like recently [and this is funny] someone said to me, “But you’re Joni Eareckson Tada. I can’t imagine that you get depressed!” These people should see me when my paralysis feels suffocating. Add to that, a caregiver who calls and cancels. Sometimes that’s all it takes to make me tumble into a dark well of even darker feelings. And I know better. Of course, I know better. But when our emotions get involved, it’s hard to think straight. It’s hard to remember all the blessings that God’s showered on me.
Well, over the decades I guess I have become very familiar with the insidious ways of discouragement. When I was first paralyzed and in the hospital, I wanted so badly to weep all day long – but there was no one around to wipe my eyes or blow my nose. I wanted to sit there and stare out the hospital window, detached from life – but occupational and physical therapists wouldn’t let me skip rehab. I even wanted to kill myself – but I knew if I drove my power wheelchair off of a high curb, I might only end up brain injured [which, for me, seemed worse than death].
Well, I eventually got tired of looking at life this way, yet I knew it was going to require mental effort to rise up out of it. I would have to put up a fight. You know what, but most of the Christian life is just that isn’t it? It’s a fight to trust God and not your feelings. But I decided to win that fight. It was a matter of survival. I had to learn how to live by the Word of God rather than my feelings. And it started with asking myself, “Do I want to change?” Well of course, yes, yes. I wanted to change. I couldn’t stand to always live in a somber mood. So, I began to shape my thoughts with Scripture – like, don’t complain; in everything give thanks; be patient in affliction and faithful in prayer. Be joyful in hope. Trust in the Lord at all times like it says in Psalm 62. You know, this is the way that I fought the downward spiral of my emotions. Through Jesus, I could gain victory. 2 Corinthians 10:5 assured me that I could “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Jesus.”
Well, that was then. And now, decades later, I’ll be celebrating the anniversary of my diving accident in a day or two. And I use that word celebrate lightly, because with each year that passes, things get harder. But, hey, I’ve fought so many battles, I’m not going to give up or turn back or cave in, especially after all this time. Jesus has granted me way too many victories as I’ve held fast to his Word and dissipated discouragement. So, on July 30th, I’m looking at this anniversary of my diving accident as a fresh commitment. When discouragement looms in the future? I’m committed to still have Scripture shape my thoughts. I’m making the mental effort to take captive my thinking. I’m staying in the good fight. This is the way I’m marking the anniversary of breaking my neck. To trust God through decades of hardship? It’s an anniversary worth celebrating. So, whatever hardship is troubling you today, stay in the fight against your feelings. Because your fight is always a good one. So, stay in the fight. And hey, if you’d like to drop me a note about the anniversary of my accident, post a comment on my Facebook page. I’d love to hear from you!
© Joni and Friends