Choosing Growth and Freedom

Viktor Frankl, a survivor of the Terezin concentration camp (Theresienstadt) authored 39 books. He dictated to a team of assistants “Man’s Search for Meaning” over a 9-day period. His life and writings have inspired countless throughout the years. “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lie our growth and our freedom.” Viktor Frankl We each find ourselves between stimulus and response. We live in that “space.” We find ourselves in the “space” between many forms of stimulus. “The stimulus” could be relationship struggles, health challenges, the countless aspects of the pandemic, the nation’s economic situation, racial tensions, protests, riots, political wrangling and division. What will our “response” be to the “stimulus?” That “space” is where I have the God given power to choose my response. My response carries with it the nucleus of growth and freedom. When the people of God that Joshua led were in the “space” between survival and destruction, he challenged the crowd. “So fear the LORD and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols …Serve the LORD alone… as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:14-15 NLT) In the “space” they could throw away their idols and serve God or continue to serve their idols. What is the “stimulus” bearing down on you? What “response” are you considering? The “space” is where you have power to choose growth and freedom or shrinkage and bondage. Jesus always wants his followers to choose growth and freedom. Exercise your power to choose. Choose growth and freedom!