The pain must have been excruciating.  It was obviously difficult for him to move, to walk...never mind to actually perform. 

The anticipation of what it would feel like to do one of those long, high, hands-in-the-air, twisting jumps surely made his knees go weak.  Yet, amazingly, he never said a word about his injury as he went through his final preparations.  Reportedly, he didn’t want it to be perceived as an excuse for failure.

The secret to the amazing composure of Canadian figure skater Elvis Stoyko on the ice was revealed in an interview following his Silver Medal performance in the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.  

Stoyko, who has since been called “the best technical skater in the world today,” was asked how he could skate through the pain. His answer was simple, yet profound:  “It’s a matter,” he said, “of dealing with what you have, rather than what you want.”

In other words, it’s attitude.  It’s learning to focus beyond yourself, to depend on something or someone other than yourself.  It’s the willingness to “learn to be content whatever the circumstances.”  (Philippians 4:11)  

Both Elvis and the apostle Paul were able to survive, to win, because they accepted the fact that we can’t always have what we want, but we can find fulfillment with what we have.  This doesn’t mean that we never seek to improve or better our circumstances, but that we learn that personal value is not defined by, nor dependent upon, our physical environment or resources.

I don’t know if Elvis Stokyo is a Christian or not, but he certainly has demonstrated in this instance the validity of the divine virtues of contentment and patience. Paul wants us to understand that this attitude is perfected through the knowledge of Jesus, who gives us strength (Philippians 4:13). Generally speaking, God has given men and women the blessing of good mental health. 

Faith in Christ directs that blessing in the direction God wants it to go, and allows us to accomplish the most important goals in life.

In the final analysis, it is up to us as to whether or not we will be thankful for God’s blessings. Gratitude is one of the foundational principles of godly living. Without it, we will accomplish very little that is worthwhile. 

Gratitude comes from the recognition of God’s existence, his goodness and his love for us – indeed for everyone. 

He wants us to share his love for us with others in every way possible. But it requires a positive attitude that it will make a difference.

Let’s seek to work on our attitudes every day.