What must we do then?
We must come without the will to get or the will to avoid, just as the wayfarer asks the man he meets which of two ways leads anywhere, not wanting the right hand to be the road rather than the left, for he does not wish to go one particular road, but the road which leads to his goal.
We ought to approach God as we approach a guide, dealing with Him as we deal with our eyes, not beseeching them to show us one sort of things rather than another, but accepting the impressions of things as they are shown us.
But instead of that we tremble and get hold of the augur and appeal to him as if he were a god and say, “Master, have pity, suffer me to come off safe.”
Slave, do you not wish for what is better for you? Is anything better than what seems good to God? Why do you do all that in you lies to corrupt the judge, and pervert your counsellor?
We must come without the will to get or the will to avoid, just as the wayfarer asks the man he meets which of two ways leads anywhere, not wanting the right hand to be the road rather than the left, for he does not wish to go one particular road, but the road which leads to his goal.
We ought to approach God as we approach a guide, dealing with Him as we deal with our eyes, not beseeching them to show us one sort of things rather than another, but accepting the impressions of things as they are shown us.
But instead of that we tremble and get hold of the augur and appeal to him as if he were a god and say, “Master, have pity, suffer me to come off safe.”
Slave, do you not wish for what is better for you? Is anything better than what seems good to God? Why do you do all that in you lies to corrupt the judge, and pervert your counsellor?
—from Epictetus, Discourses 2.7
I sadly know too many people who treat prophecy in much the same way as they treat prayer: they are experts at cherry-picking the preferred outcomes, solely foreseeing and petitioning for what is gratifying. They praise God when things go their way, and they blame the Devil when things fall part, and they never once think of improving their own judgments, the only things that are truly their own.
So I remind myself not to get caught up in any resentments, and not to confuse the mere appearance of piety with the actual virtue. If my trust in Providence is sincere, I may prefer what is easier to what is harder, but I will choose to be happy with whatever circumstances are presented to me, in the knowledge that they are precisely what is required, at this time and in this place, to become what I am meant to be.
Though it will seem odd to some, I have long connected the teachings of Epictetus with the wisdom of John Henry Newman:
God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission. I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next.
I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good; I shall do His work. I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it if I do but keep His commandments.
Therefore, I will trust Him, whatever I am, I can never be thrown away.
If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him, in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him. If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him.
He does nothing in vain. He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends. He may throw me among strangers. He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me. Still, He knows what He is about.
For many years, I carried a tattered card in my wallet with this passage written on it. It saved my life more often than I can count. I no longer need the card, and so I passed it on to someone else, because I now have the words memorized.
As I grow older, and hopefully just a little bit wiser, I begin to grasp more of why this life is measured by character instead of utility. If I look to my past, I can think of so many instances when different decisions would have brought me far greater comforts, and yet they would also have denied me the chance to increase in understanding and in love. If I look to my future, I can imagine all sorts of options that will spare me grueling hardships, and yet a relief from adversity will not guarantee me any peace of mind.
My wants should conform to my needs, instead of allowing my needs to be compromised by my wants. Sometimes the steeper path is the better way to approach the final destination.
An indifference to events is not about caring for nothing, but rather about accepting everything. The power of sight must be open to perceiving all colors, not just the ones that seem the most appealing.
If I pray, let me pray for the grace to strengthen my own resolve. If I seek divination, let it be as a spur to readiness. If it must indeed come to pass, what will I make of it?
Though I am tempted to say that I ought to take both the good and the bad, I correct myself by distinguishing that it only becomes good or bad through my estimation and use. To beg for the lightest load is to surrender my faith both in myself and in my Creator.
He knows what He is about.
I sadly know too many people who treat prophecy in much the same way as they treat prayer: they are experts at cherry-picking the preferred outcomes, solely foreseeing and petitioning for what is gratifying. They praise God when things go their way, and they blame the Devil when things fall part, and they never once think of improving their own judgments, the only things that are truly their own.
So I remind myself not to get caught up in any resentments, and not to confuse the mere appearance of piety with the actual virtue. If my trust in Providence is sincere, I may prefer what is easier to what is harder, but I will choose to be happy with whatever circumstances are presented to me, in the knowledge that they are precisely what is required, at this time and in this place, to become what I am meant to be.
Though it will seem odd to some, I have long connected the teachings of Epictetus with the wisdom of John Henry Newman:
God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission. I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next.
I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good; I shall do His work. I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it if I do but keep His commandments.
Therefore, I will trust Him, whatever I am, I can never be thrown away.
If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him, in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him. If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him.
He does nothing in vain. He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends. He may throw me among strangers. He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me. Still, He knows what He is about.
For many years, I carried a tattered card in my wallet with this passage written on it. It saved my life more often than I can count. I no longer need the card, and so I passed it on to someone else, because I now have the words memorized.
As I grow older, and hopefully just a little bit wiser, I begin to grasp more of why this life is measured by character instead of utility. If I look to my past, I can think of so many instances when different decisions would have brought me far greater comforts, and yet they would also have denied me the chance to increase in understanding and in love. If I look to my future, I can imagine all sorts of options that will spare me grueling hardships, and yet a relief from adversity will not guarantee me any peace of mind.
My wants should conform to my needs, instead of allowing my needs to be compromised by my wants. Sometimes the steeper path is the better way to approach the final destination.
An indifference to events is not about caring for nothing, but rather about accepting everything. The power of sight must be open to perceiving all colors, not just the ones that seem the most appealing.
If I pray, let me pray for the grace to strengthen my own resolve. If I seek divination, let it be as a spur to readiness. If it must indeed come to pass, what will I make of it?
Though I am tempted to say that I ought to take both the good and the bad, I correct myself by distinguishing that it only becomes good or bad through my estimation and use. To beg for the lightest load is to surrender my faith both in myself and in my Creator.
He knows what He is about.
—Reflection written in 7/2001
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