Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard

In the temporal order of earthly existence, we can avoid, evade, and procrastinate, in our confession of guilt. But, God in eternity has time. We are asked the question now. We need to come clean now. Or, have to answer in eternity.

Adversity causes us to consider. To reflect. To set our sights on the one thing. The Good (God).

God knows the means we use to accomplish the ends. If we have an attitude of treating others as we wish to to be treated, those means typically result in the Good. I end with a story about Dr. J. and kindness. https://youtube.com/shorts/2F9CwTiPu6s?feature=share

I get into the story of Eileen who has transfigured her wound into a badge of honor. Where she was hurt, she heals. She brings the “Cold of snow in the time of harvest.” https://religionnews.com/2023/02/16/grace-community-church-let-her-down-now-she-is-standing-in-the-gap-for-women/

As individuals, Soren implores us to begin with God. In all of our days and in all of our ways. Then we can engage the world as He would have us to do. Whether the crowd rewards, ridicules, or just plain ignores us.

If we listen to our conscience, versus joining the crowd, we will see with a clearer light. I talk about my good friend Sean in this episode who sees with that clearer light (with his permission).

God and eternity uses the strong arm of conscience to get us off the path of destruction of the crowd. I get into my testimony, at the request of a listener of the podcast, and discuss C.S. Lewis and Francis Schaeffer (who was dead wrong about Soren) and how influential their writings were to me as a young Christian.

Soren talks about how our conscience can be drowned out by the crowd that thinks it knows all. He writes, “You are not obliged to have an opinion about what you do not understand.” Do you judge, on social media and elsewhere, in the capacity of a crowd and playing to the crowd? There is no safety in numbers. Only in the Truth and in our conscience.

All the world’s a stage and God is the audience.

When we have the Purity of Heart to Will one thing, we willingly embrace suffering. If we do, we have both depth and transparency like the ocean, unperturbed by life’s storms of suffering. We are free.

Attention, sacred attention, is godly. For God is attentive to us. Paying attention is a form of voluntary suffering. So little means much. Take comfort in God’s attentiveness to us and give comfort to others by being attentive to them.

Jesus gives us the tranquility of soul to bear the burdens of life. For, he too has suffered.

Christ came to earth as a servant. Truly God and truly Man. He assumed his station as one who was to suffer from the Manger to the Cross. Let us not turn aside too quickly from his story of love and sorrow for us. Take time to ponder this in this season.

This is a one man production and acting of the life of Soren by Jeremiah Miller that is tonight (Friday), tomorrow, and Sunday. I wanted to post it now rather than talk about it next week when it would be too late to see it. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/218326218597

The end of this Chapter about the conflict between the temporal and eternal aligned very nicely with a parable that Soren told about the Incarnation where the king becomes a servant to show his love to a peasant girl by becoming like her in station; in her suffering.

Using evasion as a means of avoidance is a strategy that will ultimately fail, if not in this life, most certainly in eternity. We are to face our fears and trust that God will provide what we need. Which is actually not a lot. Food & Clothing. That’s it. And Faith and Friendship. With God and with others. That’s true richness. So, let us chill out in this season of Advent.

Soren develops the idea that being willing to suffer for the good is a true test if we really want the good. When to stick with something vs. bailing out requires wisdom. No easy formula.

To be at our best, we must take time to rest. Soren says we need to stop long enough to let the fever of busyness break. I also share some tips on how to get rest.

Soren writes that we use busyness as an excuse to not willing the one thing, the Good. Through a winnowing down of activity, through contemplation, we provide space for eternity to manifest itself. That space must be comprised of a spirit of honesty.

Soren continues with his train of thought that busyness is akin to a plague of locusts. We get stressed out and overwhelmed. Then, neglect helping others. Be willing to thin out the swarm and experience more peace and tranquillity on the fields of your life and serve others with cheerfulness.

Soren describes how we use busyness as a distraction from really examining ourselves or focusing inordinately on the superficial. Our willing the one thing gets overshadowed by the multitude of activity that never ceases.

Using the C.S. Lewis quote as an epilogue to this chapter, the way to remove the ego is to not think less of ourselves but to think of ourselves less.

In mid-March 1855, Regine (Soren’s ex-fiancée) approaches Soren and says, “God bless you and may all go well with you.” They are never to see another again. Soren is to die in November of that year. Her blessing of him is a example of willing the good without expecting reward, fearing punishment, or for her ego.

It is possible to renounce the reward and not fear punishment yet still wanting the Good to succeed through us for the ego.

Taking a Fall Break. Let listeners catch up! See you next week!