Viktor Frankl. Douglas Groothuis (pronounced Grewties quiet “s”). What do they have in common? Viktor is a concentration camp survivor. Douglas is a philosopher who anchors all he says and believes in his faith in Jesus. Around 2014 his wife, Becky, was diagnosed with PPA (primary progressive aphasia). PPA is a rare from of dementia, worse than Alzheimer’s. It took a brilliant wordsmith and a member of the MENSA society and made her a shell. Douglas wrote a book Walking Through Twilight that I am rereading for the second time. There are several reasons, none of which are relevant to this post, so I will forego the reason. Doug is lamenting the loss he is suffering as he watches his once brilliant wife waste away to nothing. (She mercifully went home to Jesus in 2018).
He was writing at one point about visiting his wife in a psych ward (a terrible place for her). The drive to and from was about 60 miles, so visiting, while still teaching at Denver Seminary, was taxing. But he said, “God met me in those visits.” (p.12). He had been re-reading Viktor Frankl’s classic study of suffering and meaning, Man’s Search for Meaning, in which Frankl expresses that human value can be affirmed in the thick of searing suffering, as he found in Hitler’s prison camps. Be we have to change ourselves. Frankl says,
When we are no longer able to change the situation…we are challenged to change ourselves. (p.12)
But it is later that Frankl wrote what I consider to be the gem of his work:
We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms-to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. (p.12)
WOW! That is a mouthful. And a heart full. While I am not one of the “positive thinking gurus” who walk around talking positivity is the answer to all of life’s questions, I do believe our attitude does play a lot in our view of life. Too many people, including those who call themselves Christ-followers, spend way to much time looking like they sucked on pickle juice for a good part of the day-or even their life. It’s the old discussion of is your glass half empty or half full. As I work my way through the book of Job in my reading, I am reminded again of Job’s perspective versus his so-called “friends.” You know the old statement “With friends like you who needs enemies”? That fits. Job didn’t need them. He needed the reassurance of God’s presence. He got it eventually. So do we. In fact, it is never failing. May your day be a reassurance of that truth.
Frankl’s book was so impressive to me when I read it years ago, Bill. It was one of my father’s favorites. Even in a concentration camp, goodness appeared. May we remember that our adversities do not define who God has made us to be. Blessings!
Amen to your comment Martha!
Both PPA and surviving the Holocaust, both of those stories need some time for deep reflection and pray, I want to do that today. I can relate to Douglas saying that on the long drive doing something that is breaking your heart, and having God meet you right there in the drive. That’s a story for another time. I also remember a woman, (Eva, I believe) that came to our school and talked to us who was a Holocaust survivor that lived in Indiana. Her story was heart wrenching and but she was an amazing woman.
There was a lady in Terre Haute who survived the Holocaust and was behind the Candles Museum. Not sure if that is the same person. But it was a horrible time and for anyone to deny it happened is delusional.
I do agree, The enemy loves to try to steal from us a freedom that we do have the choice to control, our response to circumstances in our lives. If the world and culture around us hear that we are followers of Christ, yet portray a defeated shell of a person, are we really showing Christ to the world. Sure we may have our moments and sure depression is real, but as a follower of Christ, we can pull from the power of Jesus through the Holy Spirit to bring joy where the world can only see sorrow. That is what makes the world want what we possess. However, there will be times we need to lean on each other. There will be times where our hearts are broken. Where pain exists. We are not called to mask our hearts, we are called to turn over our burdens, even if it takes a little extra time.
Really good points Ryan. The enemy wants to discredit the power of God. I also agree with your last statement. We spend way too much time masking instead of revealing and turning our hearts over to Him.
Yes, yes, Bill. Sometimes I want to ask, ‘where is the joy?’
As you know from your counseling and living life a very common one to ask. I’m glad to say I now the Source of that joy.