Words of Wisdom
Lately, I’ve been reading Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. It’s often described as one of the most important books written in the 20th century. It’s a short read, and it’s not difficult, but it will challenge your view of the world. As you may know, Frankle was a survivor of the Nazi concentration camps. As a clinically trained psychologist, he had a front row seat to how one deals with and overcomes the ugliest moments of life. In the book, he makes some of the most profound statements about courage and strength in the midst of adversity. Here are a few of his most significant statements.
“The salvation of man is through love and in love.” – I love this quote. Today’s church appears to tie one’s salvation to one’s view of human sexuality, one’s political party, and one’s opinion on the 2nd amendment. Frankl makes it very clear that love is the ultimate goal to which man can aspire. His words and ideals remind me of 1 John 4:16, “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.” You’ll notice that John didn’t say anything about how someone chooses to vote. Instead, John tells us that “God is love.” And Frankl reminds us that salvation is found in that love.
“Humor was another of the soul’s weapons in the fight for self-preservation. It is well known that humor, more than anything else in the make-up, can afford an aloofness and an ability to rise above any situation, even if only for a few seconds.” – I was reminded just how important humor was for me through the health crisis. I was fortunate to be surrounded with people who liked to laugh and were willing to laugh with me. Humor kept me from descending into despair. We all need to laugh, even when life is ugly.
“What was really needed was a fundamental change in our attitude toward life.” – Frankl understood the power of attitude. We can’t control much, but we can control our attitude. It’s our responsibility to take control of our attitude toward life, adversity, and others.
“The only thing that had changed for them was that they were now the oppressors instead of the oppressed. Only slowly could these men be guided back to the commonplace truth that no one has the right to do wrong, not even if wrong has been done to them.” – Frankl spent time with men in the concentration camps and worked with them once they found freedom. What he encountered were people who often wanted revenge. He quickly understood that harming others solely because they had harmed you was no way to live. In a world where everyone seems to justify their ugly, harmful actions by simply saying, “look what they did to me,” Frankl reminds us that is no way to live.
“We must never forget that we may also find meaning in life even when confronted with a hopeless situation, when facing a fate that cannot be changed. For what then matters is to bear witness to the uniquely human potential at its best, which is to transform a personal tragedy into a triumph, to turn one’s predicament into a human achievement.” – We must never forget that part of what makes us unique as humans created in God image is the ability to turn failure, destruction, adversity, and even death into something significant.
Frankl’s words and resilience remind us that we can overcome. We do not have to be defined by our adversity. Instead, we can rise above the ugly, the difficult, and the obstacles of life. We can choose to love, laugh, forgive, and see the best in each other.