A filmmaker had written to a Stoic-advice-column confessing
that he was a failure and felt deeply ashamed of himself. Even though most
Stoics deny the existence of God, I appreciate many of their values and also
their advice, although they can only offer a human-centered hope.
The Stoic adviser started with a quote from Epictetus,
counseling us to concentrate on doing only those things that are within our
power to do:
·
Some things are within our power, while others
are not. Within our power are opinion, motivation, desire, aversion, and, in a
word, whatever is of our own doing; not within our power are our body, our
property, reputation, office, and, in a word, whatever is not of our own
doing.” (Epictetus, Enchiridion, 1.1)
This mirrors the advice of the popular and useful “serenity
prayer”:
·
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things
I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the
difference.
The Stoic advisor then focused in on the “wisdom” part:
·
Now, is there something positive you can learn
from your experiences so far, and see a way through an alternative, yet
similar, career, or perhaps the same one, but adopting a different approach.
Truly, sometimes we can learn some valuable lessons from
defeat and shame, and these lessons might lead us in a more fruitful direction.
However, without Christ, the burden still rests upon us, and the burdens of
life can prove crushing, no matter our abilities and efforts. Therefore, life
must be about accepting the good with the bad. Wisely, the Stoic advisor
concluded with a quote from Seneca:
·
No man has ever been so far advanced by Fortune
that she did not threaten him as greatly as she had previously indulged him. Do
not trust her seeming calm; in a moment the sea is moved to its depths. The
very day the ships have made a brave show in the games, they are engulfed.
(Seneca, Letters to Lucilius, IV. On the Terrors of Death, 7)
Using this quotation, the advisor concluded with the
encouragement to be grateful for what we have, since tragedy is not far away
from any of us.
This, of course, is a needful perspective. However, there is
another perspective that is even more needful. The prospect of tragedy can
consume and overthrow us. Stability and confidence ultimately depends on the
reality a greater and eternal perspective to eclipse the inevitable tragedy of
decline. Therefore, the Bible reminds us of the example of Jesus:
·
Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of
our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising
the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)
How can we endure the shame, pain, and our eventual demise?
Without the Lord, it is only possible by hardening ourselves, and this comes
with its own costs.
Besides, how can we endure the shame of constant failure and
feelings of worthlessness? Again, it is only through the assurances of our
Lord, who teaches us that our worth is not determined by our performance or
even by the worth that society confers upon us. Instead, it comes from an
eternal relationship with a Being whose thoughts are the grounds of all worth
and reality:
·
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no
longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the
flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians
2:20)
I now see myself through the eyes of my Savior, and I have
been set free from so much that had tormented me.
No comments:
Post a Comment