Philippians 4:11-13 “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
Regarding his experience in a Nazi concentration camp, Viktor Frankl wrote the following:
“And there were always choices to make. Every day, every hour, offered the opportunity to make a decision, a decision which determined whether you would or would not submit to those powers which threatened to rob you of your very self, your inner freedom; which determined whether or not you would become a plaything of circumstance, renouncing freedom and dignity to become molded into the form of a typical inmate.”
As Christians, we should never confine ourselves to the dictates of our circumstances. We serve a God who is far greater than our circumstances, and far more powerful than the immediate contextual constraints of our lives.
Specifically regarding our role as American Christians, we have choices to make. We could allow our current culture to dictate our personal convictions. We could allow our current culture to deny our nation’s Christian heritage. We could allow our current culture to define the limits of our faithfulness. We could allow our current culture to destroy our institutional foundations. We could allow our circumstances to rob us of our freedom, our dignity, and our spiritual fervency.
If we do these things, then our current culture will determine the future direction of this nation absent our Christian influence. Or, we can make different decisions, every day, every hour. We could refuse to become playthings of our cultural circumstances and instead cling to the promises of our powerful Provider. PLEASE PRAY THAT TODAY’S AMERICAN CHRISTIANS WOULD MAKE THE DAILY DECISION TO RELY UPON CHRIST INSTEAD OF CIRCUMSTANCE. Our Lord stands by to strengthen us.