Just like the constant beating of your heart, we must learn to live as coronary Christians. Day in. Day out. Constantly beating, constantly believing. 

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Living as a Coronary Christian 

Krista Hengesh

“Stand firm, and you will win life.” – Luke 21:19

100,000 times a day on average the heartbeats. Day in. Day out. It beats.

Each day we wake up, it means it is beating. There are some times when we mentally recognize and feel our heartbeat, for instance after a workout, or when we are nervous, scared or anxious, or when we slow down enough to hear the constant, rhythmic pulse as we are going to bed or when we wake up in the morning. There are also days when we don’t notice our heartbeat; however, whether we feel it or not it will still be beating.

That consistency, is what I want our walks with the Lord to be like.

I want us to be coronary Christians.

I want us to live lives where our faith is what keeps us alive. Whether we “feel” our heartbeat or not, we know that it’s keeping us alive.

Day in. Day out. Constantly beating. Constantly believing. 

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More Than a Feeling

In some seasons, we “feel” our faith. We can see God moving in our lives and in the lives of our friends. When we open the Bible or we pray we can sense His nearness. We find ourselves eager to tell others about the Lord with no hesitation or shame. We are able to trust God with excitement, willing to go where ever He calls us. We wake up with enthusiasm to see what He has in store.

We feel the beating pulse of our faith.

THEN… there are other seasons where we just don’t feel it. We pray but don’t feel like we are getting a response. We go to church, and don’t feel like we got anything out of it. We don’t feel like we can trust or rely on God because of what is happening in our lives. This could be right after a relationship ended that you thought was going to last forever, or after your parents told you they were getting a divorce. It could be right after you lost your job, or one of your best friends let you down. It could also just be a season of waiting, a season of transition, where you don’t feel much of anything even though you are asking and praying about it.

But you know what will still be there during those seasons as well as the good ones? Your heartbeat.

Regardless of what is happening on the outside of your body, your heart will still beat.

Day in. Day out. Constantly beating.

Faith is not based on a feeling. It is based on belief. A belief we need to stand firm on regardless of our circumstances. 

“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy…” – 1 Peter 1:8

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Coronary Christians = Standing Firm In All Circumstances = Winning Life 

“Stand firm, and you will win life…” – Luke 21:19

 

To be a coronary Christian is to stand firm on your faith regardless of circumstances. Just as your heart will continue to beat and keep you alive through every season in your life, your faith in Christ will do the same.

This takes practice, and it takes strength, but the people who fight to stand firm and persevere under trials, hard seasons, and life’s ups and downs will be the ones to “win life,” like Jesus says in Luke 21:19. They will also be the ones to “receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” – James 1:12

This type of stance is not easy.

You will have to mentally tell yourself that you believe in the Lord more than you believe in the circumstances around you, and that each season you go through whether it be suffering, joy, trials, or triumphs will be used to mature you into the woman.

God created you to be.

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” – Romans 5:3-5

The most important part to remember is to KEEP standing firm.

Don’t give up the fight early and don’t grow weary in doing good. That is where the true display of faith to kick in, and you start to live out being a coronary Christian.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:9

 

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Desmond Doss – An Example of a Coronary Christian 

 

Desmond Doss was a true war hero both for the American Army AND for the Kingdom of God. He served as a combat medic for an infantry during WWII and never ONCE touched a gun because of His conviction of “thou shall not kill,” (one of the Ten Commandments) and his relentless faith in the Lord. Despite experiencing immense persecution and rejection from people high up in military rankings as well as the men in his infantry he never once compromised his beliefs, relying on God through it all. During the battle of Okinawa, Doss saved 75 injured men under fire with which he was awarded the Medal of Honor, the first conscientious objector to receive a medal. The night he saved all those men upon Hacksaw Ridge, he kept calling out to God saying,

“Just one more, God just give me one more.”

Doss lived his life to serve the Lord and the people around him. Despite the persecution from his peers early on in his training and the horrific happenings of war- Doss never gave up his faith, it was what kept him alive. Just as his heart kept beating throughout the war, he kept believing in the Lord the entire time.

(Desmond Doss’ story was turned into the movie – Hacksaw Ridge– and I encourage you all to watch it. It is a war movie, so at times it is hard to watch, but it is one of the most moving films I have ever seen. Inspiring to say the least. Above is a clip from the end of the movie highlighting Dos’ passion for the Lord to “give me one more.”)

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” – John 15:7

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The Call to Be Coronary

Desmond Doss listened to the call on his life and was persistent to follow through until the end. He lived by his belief in the Lord, and because of that single handily saved the lives of at least 75 men and inspired millions after by the way He lived.

Ladies, we too have the ability to live lives like Doss. We have been called and created for a purpose, and now we need to live it out. We need to hold on to our faith and walk in the conviction of its truth each and every day, just like the beating of our hearts, especially in the face of trials and persecution.

God never told us life would be easy, nor did he say it would always be fun, but he did say he came to give us “life and life to the full” and that comes from living on dependence and reliance on him every day.

Day in. Day out. Constantly beating. Constantly believing.