Pastor's Weekly Musing
Hey everyone!
Viktor Frankl was an Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher, and author. He was also a Holocaust survivor, one of the many Jewish men and women carried to the Nazi concentration camps during World War 2.
He saw innumerable atrocities: death beyond measure, starvation, and disease. He even saw his wife, both parents, and his brother die tragically and brutally in these concentration camps.
He's written extensively about his experiences there, and says that not only did the Nazi soldiers look to destroy you physically, they sought to break you emotionally and mentally. Through mockery and degradation, they would turn the prisoners against each other, embitter them to no end, and break their will to live.
Through all this, Frankl discovered one undeniable truth:
"Forces beyond your control can take away everything you possess except one thing: your freedom to choose how you will respond to the situation."
Amazing. And so true. No one -- not even Nazi war criminals -- can take away my power to choose how I react. That's still MY decision, no matter what happens to me externally.
While we'll never face the level of pain and humiliation that Jews saw in these camps, we all face crises. And any major crisis in your life has two potential outcomes: it can strengthen your faith, or it can shake your faith. I can let it crush me, or I can let Christ carry me through it, strengthening me along the way.
David suffered greatly, including the loss of a child. After these crises in his life, he wrote in Psalm 27:13, "I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living." In David's darkest time, only his belief in God's goodness kept him going.
The same can be true for you. Like Frankl and like David, we have the choice. Even when life feels unbearable, believe that God is good. Even when everything is going wrong, believe that God's goodness can pull you through. Believe that God's plan for your life is greater than the problem you're going through.
Stay in His Word. Keep connected at church. Pray often. Ask for His power and strength. Choose Him! While we might not be in control of much, we're still in control of our response. Respond by moving toward Him!
Viktor Frankl was an Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher, and author. He was also a Holocaust survivor, one of the many Jewish men and women carried to the Nazi concentration camps during World War 2.
He saw innumerable atrocities: death beyond measure, starvation, and disease. He even saw his wife, both parents, and his brother die tragically and brutally in these concentration camps.
He's written extensively about his experiences there, and says that not only did the Nazi soldiers look to destroy you physically, they sought to break you emotionally and mentally. Through mockery and degradation, they would turn the prisoners against each other, embitter them to no end, and break their will to live.
Through all this, Frankl discovered one undeniable truth:
"Forces beyond your control can take away everything you possess except one thing: your freedom to choose how you will respond to the situation."
Amazing. And so true. No one -- not even Nazi war criminals -- can take away my power to choose how I react. That's still MY decision, no matter what happens to me externally.
While we'll never face the level of pain and humiliation that Jews saw in these camps, we all face crises. And any major crisis in your life has two potential outcomes: it can strengthen your faith, or it can shake your faith. I can let it crush me, or I can let Christ carry me through it, strengthening me along the way.
David suffered greatly, including the loss of a child. After these crises in his life, he wrote in Psalm 27:13, "I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living." In David's darkest time, only his belief in God's goodness kept him going.
The same can be true for you. Like Frankl and like David, we have the choice. Even when life feels unbearable, believe that God is good. Even when everything is going wrong, believe that God's goodness can pull you through. Believe that God's plan for your life is greater than the problem you're going through.
Stay in His Word. Keep connected at church. Pray often. Ask for His power and strength. Choose Him! While we might not be in control of much, we're still in control of our response. Respond by moving toward Him!
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Wasn't Easter Sunday awesome? We had FOUR full services, each at capacity. Worship was sweet, the response to the message was great, the snacks afterward were glorious, the egg hunts were so fun, even the weather was perfect.
Thanks for making Resurrection Sunday awesome. He is Risen, indeed!
Thanks for making Resurrection Sunday awesome. He is Risen, indeed!
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Saturday, April 10: Men's Breakfast!
Men of all ages are invited to join Pastor Ron and the Meadows men for a morning of food, fellowship, and the Word! Starts at 9 AM. Pastor Nate will be on the grill, cooking up a delicious breakfast for all in attendance. Let us know you'll be there by registering HERE.
Men of all ages are invited to join Pastor Ron and the Meadows men for a morning of food, fellowship, and the Word! Starts at 9 AM. Pastor Nate will be on the grill, cooking up a delicious breakfast for all in attendance. Let us know you'll be there by registering HERE.
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This Sunday we'll start a new series out of 1 John: Blessed Assurance.
John the Beloved, the "one whom Jesus loved", is the author of this dear epistle, written at the tail-end of his amazing life. He followed Jesus for three years, heard all the sermons, saw all the miracles, witnessed the crucifixion, saw the Resurrection, spread the Gospel, experienced persecution, even survived an execution attempt. John lived quite the life.
And as an old man, he wrote several letters to the followers of Jesus in various churches. And do you know what his primary message was? It was to assure them that if they had Jesus, they had eternal life. He wanted to spend his final remaining years assuring the brethren that they were saved and secure in Christ.
For the next couple months, we'll be going section by section through the book of 1 John, and seeing how it can assure US too! We'll look at 1 John 1:1-4 this week, and take a close look at who John is and what he's claiming.
Join us this Sunday for Part 1 - Redirection.
Click HERE to register for this Sunday, and you can click HERE to get connected to our Sunday service online.
Looking forward to seeing many of you on the walkway and the rest of you in the YouTube comments!
Pastor Ronnie
John the Beloved, the "one whom Jesus loved", is the author of this dear epistle, written at the tail-end of his amazing life. He followed Jesus for three years, heard all the sermons, saw all the miracles, witnessed the crucifixion, saw the Resurrection, spread the Gospel, experienced persecution, even survived an execution attempt. John lived quite the life.
And as an old man, he wrote several letters to the followers of Jesus in various churches. And do you know what his primary message was? It was to assure them that if they had Jesus, they had eternal life. He wanted to spend his final remaining years assuring the brethren that they were saved and secure in Christ.
For the next couple months, we'll be going section by section through the book of 1 John, and seeing how it can assure US too! We'll look at 1 John 1:1-4 this week, and take a close look at who John is and what he's claiming.
Join us this Sunday for Part 1 - Redirection.
Click HERE to register for this Sunday, and you can click HERE to get connected to our Sunday service online.
Looking forward to seeing many of you on the walkway and the rest of you in the YouTube comments!
Pastor Ronnie
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