The story of Beethoven’s personal suffering is exceptionally tragic because, being a composer, he nonetheless lost his hearing. As a preacher, I need my voice to speak, and I know how frustrating it is for me to lose my voice, even for just a short period of time. I cannot imagine how sad and how helpless Beethoven had to have felt when he realized he could not hear things, his own music included. There is a well-attested story that, at the end of the premiere performance of his Ninth Symphony, he had to be turned around by others in order for him to see the tumultuous applause of the audience; hearing nothing, he wept. What inspires us the most is Beethoven’s determination. Even though his hearing loss eventually made it impossible for him to perform publicly, Beethoven never stopped composing. By the time he reached his fifties, he was completely deaf, but he refused to give up. He was once overheard shouting at the top of his lungs, “I will take life by the throat!” Many of his biographers believe the only reason Beethoven remained productive for so long was his determination. “To take life by the throat” is to live fully, to take risks and enjoy what you are doing, to carry on boldly and confidently. The image of grabbing life by the throat is that you are in control of destiny, not vice-versa. Peter was wavering back and forth in his early life as a follower of Christ. He even denied the Lord three times. But after he was restored, he wavered no more. Peter said, “Therefore, since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.” (1 Peter 4:1-2)  Peter reminded us to arm ourselves with a determination to live for God. Have you decided to follow Christ and live for Christ?

貝多芬個人痛苦的故事特別悲慘, 因為他身為一個作曲家, 卻失去了聽覺. 我是個傳道人, 我需要我的聲音來講話. 所以, 我知道偶爾失聲對我是何等沮喪的事情. 我真的不能想像當貝多芬發現自己聽不到聲音 - 包括他自己所譜寫的音樂 - 的時候, 他是感到如何的 傷心和無助. 有個確鑿關於他的故事説, 在首演他的第九交響曲之後, 他要別人幫助他轉過身來才能看到觀眾轟動的掌聲, 可是他卻什麼都聽不到, 就當場哭起來了.  最能激勵我們的就是貝多芬的決心. 雖然他的聽覺力損失, 甚至最終使他無法再公開演奏, 但貝多芬一直沒有停止作曲. 到了五十歲, 他已經是全聾, 但他拒絕放棄. 有人曾經聽到他大聲呼喊說, “我要與生命搏鬥！” 許多替他寫傳記的作者認為, 貝多芬之所以仍然能夠創作出這麼多的曲子, 唯一的原因就是他的決心. “與生命搏鬥”是充分利用自己所有的去生活, 去承擔風險和享受自己所做的. 同時, 也勇敢和自信地往前走.“要與生命搏鬥”象徵的是要去控制命運. 不是去受命運所控制. 在他早期追隨基督的生活中, 彼得是搖擺不定的, 他甚至三次不認主. 但當他回轉之後, 他就再沒有動搖.  彼得說, “基督既在肉身受苦, 你們也當將這樣的心志作為兵器, 因為在肉身受過苦的, 就已經與罪斷絕了. 你們存這樣的心, 從今以後就可以不從人的情慾, 只從神的旨意, 在世度餘下的光陰.” (彼得前書 4:1-2） 彼得提醒我們要運用我們的心志作為兵器去為主而活. 你是否已經決定跟隨基督和立志為基督而活呢？