For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. I JOHN 5:4 NLT 

Sitting at a wedding after-party with excitement, I tried to join the conversation at hand. But they spoke of . . . sitcoms. Sitcom after sitcom was named, none of which I knew. They laughed, seemingly in unison, as each sitcom brought a collective memory. I tried to smile and fit in, but I guess I got found out. “You don’t like sitcoms?” my sister whispered, leaning toward me.  

“No?” I replied, unsure why I answered with an inflection.  

“What do you like?” she then asked, prodding. “What do you watch at night?” 

“Oh, gosh . . .,” I paused. “Um,” I elaborated, shrugging. “Just, stuff . . .” I hoped that was enough. After all, I’m not sure mentioning I like reading biographies of once-imprisoned historical leaders like Vaclav Havel or documentaries about holocaust survivors—or any survivor in general—would match the moment’s mood. “Philosophy?” I answered, with another inflection. “Physics?” She smiled, giving me a conversational pass. I can’t say my evenings are sitcom-able. I’ve always been fascinated by those who overcame adversity to go on to live peace-filled, satisfying lives. It could stem from things that happened when I was very young, or it might just be the way I’m wired. But I’ve always wanted to know how people survive without trauma owning them.  

When I lived in Africa for nearly a decade, I found many of those I helped in microbusiness start-ups to be like the strong survivors I enjoy studying. Many had contracted HIV through no willing behavior of their own, often through rape. Yet their strength of heart and sheer joy shined brighter than most people I knew in the lavish environment of the States (and, humbly, much brighter than my own). I envied their free hearts, quickly enrolling as their student while helping them with material means. It wound up being a win/win sort of trade. 

One of my favorite books is Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning.7 I’ve read it more times than I can count. Frankl, a victim of the holocaust, went on to share principles he learned through surviving in his writings. I’ll leave you with three of his quotes, which need no explanation at all. If you reflect on and apply them, they will help you not only embrace, but also enjoy, your now: 

“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.” 

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” 

“Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how.’” 

Jesus, increase my ability to heal and thrive. Amen. 

This is an excerpt from It’s All Good: 90 Devotions to Embrace Your Now by Heather Hair– a devotional now available on DaySpring.com. Shop all books, journals, and devotions from DaySpring here.