One Sabbath evening my wife and I had the opportunity to visit with Debbie,* a friend of mine from academy days, who is afflicted with multiple sclerosis. I had not seen her for many years, but now Debbie is confined to a wheelchair and lives in a room in a care center in Philadelphia, where she is alone in her faith and far from her family. She has difficulty in speech, but her mind is very sharp. The worldly influences around her are enormous, especially on Sabbath.
Debbie doesn’t have many visitors. No one in the Philadelphia area ministers to this precious Seventh-day Adventist child of God on a regular basis. Yet when we saw Debbie, we were surprised at her resilient spirit, her joy and contentment, and her faith in God. We sang with her, read her favorite Scriptures, told her conversion stories, prayed with her, and had a most encouraging fellowship with her. We went there to encourage her, but she encouraged us! We went there to minister to her spiritually, but she also ministered to us! Betsy and I are immensely grateful for the fellowship we had with Debbie. Her bright spirit was a strong testimony of the gospel in her life. Here is a woman who is content in the most difficult circumstances and most trying experiences. More than that, we met a woman who is happy even though she has many things she could complain about.
On the wall in the hall was this profound statement: “You need to learn to be happy by nature, because you’ll seldom have the chance to be happy by circumstance.” I suppose Debbie would be happy if she weren’t in this difficult set of circumstances. But then, would she have as much reason to be happy in the Lord? Often we forget what true happiness is when everything is going well. And then we grumble when we have a little trouble. Perhaps it is her circumstances that give Debbie the opportunity to let God make her truly happy.
Joseph was happy as sunshine in prison. Paul and Silas sang behind prison bars. Paul said, “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.“1 And again he said, “Rejoice in the Lord alway,“2 no matter what the problems are, no matter what the difficulties are.
The true Christian is happy by nature because Jesus has made him that way. Please pray for Debbie, but also pray that God will make you happy by nature. That is the best stewardship of your emotional resources. It is also the best way to be a blessing to others. That’s the gospel according to Debbie.
*name has been changed
1. Philippians 4:11
2. Philippians 4:4
