Men love the idea of being the hero.
It’s in our bones, the instinct to fix it, carry it, make it happen, hold it together, and somehow save the day while everything around us is on fire.
But here’s the truth I’ve had to learn the hard way, and maybe you have too:
When you try to be the hero of your own story, you end up exhausted, anxious, frustrated, and spiritually empty.
Because the story was never built on your shoulders in the first place.
It was built on His.
Christ isn’t just part of your life, He’s the point of it.
He’s not the side character helping you achieve your goals.
He’s the King writing His story through your life… if you’ll stop gripping the pen so tight.
1. Control is the quickest way to burn out.
When a man takes on the weight of being the hero, he ends up trying to manage everything: his family, his finances, his future, his fears, his failures, his faith.
It feels noble, but it’s actually pride dressed up as responsibility.
And that kind of weight will crush you.
There’s a reason Jesus said,
“My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” — Matthew 11:30 (NLT)
He wasn’t saying life would be easy.
He was saying you’re not meant to drag this thing by yourself.
2. Christ doesn’t need your strength; He wants your surrender.
We love strength.
We respect strength.
We want to be strong.
But kingdom strength doesn’t come from gripping tighter; it comes from letting go.
“My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” — 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT)
The moment you stop pretending to be invincible is the moment Jesus steps in and shows you what real strength looks like.
Not performative strength.
Not silent strength.
Resurrecting strength.
3. Heroes save the day, but servants change the world.
Jesus flipped the whole script on what a hero looks like.
He didn’t come with a sword.
He came with a towel.
He didn’t show up to be served.
He showed up to serve.
And somehow… that’s where the power was.
“Whoever wants to be first must take the last place and be the servant of everyone else.” — Mark 9:35 (NLT)
Your greatest impact won’t come from being the guy who fixes everything; it’ll come from being the guy who follows Jesus closely, humbly, and daily.
4. When Christ leads, the pressure lifts.
If you’ve ever tried to run your life, you know the pressure:
What if I choose wrong? What if I fail? What if I disappoint everyone? What if I can’t keep all of this together?
But when Christ leads, when He becomes the actual center of your story, that pressure breaks.
Not because everything becomes smooth,
but because the burden doesn’t sit on you anymore.
You’re not the architect.
You’re not the savior.
You’re not the hero.
You’re the one who follows the Hero.
The One who actually knows where this story is going.
The One who sees the whole battlefield.
The One who can carry what you can’t.
A Simple Challenge This Week:
Sometime today, pray this one-line prayer, slowly, honestly, openly:
“Jesus, this is Your story… lead me.”
Say it when you’re driving.
Say it while you’re stressed.
Say it when you feel pressure to fix or control something.
Say it when you feel like you’re failing.
Say it when you feel like you’re the only one holding anything together.
Say it until your heart actually believes it.
You don’t have to be the hero.
You were never meant to be.
You belong to the One who already is.