First Blog

There are some who consider excellence a result of luck. They consider it a reality without suffering, an unfair fortune. But what if the highest ideals and the greatest delights were not received but acquired, acquired through suffering; what if suffering itself was the path of excellence? 

Freedom to Suffer

You see, I think there is a misunderstanding in the first line of thought. A life of excellence is not so much a reality without suffering as it is a reality free from suffering, a freedom from the fear of suffering, a freedom from suffering in order to suffer. You see something of this reality reflected in those who lack any phobia. The one free from a fear of insects is precisely the one most free from insects. For whether one is in the midst of them or not, they are free simply because the presence of an insect is not fearful to them. They can sit by an anthill or stand in a swarm but it matters not to them. They can tolerate the greatest number of insects; they care not about them. But take one with such a phobia and it is not unlikely that, even when they are away from insects, they remain bound in fear considering the potential of unknowingly being near them.  And so it is with suffering, for it is the one untethered by the chains of suffering that is free from it. He can tolerate the greatest possession of it; can bear the greatest acquisition of it; he can enjoy the greatest blessings of it. He, though he experience the greatest degree of it, is more free than any fearful man in the most paradisal of circumstances. It seems then that where there is no fear, there is freedom; and where there is freedom, there is strength. Therefore, in excellence is not found the absence of suffering. Rather what is found is the freedom to suffer and the strength to suffer greatly.

Suffering in Work

Now the question to ask is why anyone would want to be capable of withstanding great suffering. It is a frightening idea and not one naturally embraced. But it is an idea that must be considered for it seems that suffering is the path of excellence, not merely a happenstance of those deemed excellent. This seems to be a reality in all areas of life. You can observe this in one’s work. Whether one’s work is physical or mental, whether one be a farmer or a scholar, one must suffer to work at all, let alone experience a degree of joy in their work. In both cases, one exerts oneself sacrificing the comforts of the body and mind by tolerating and voluntarily bringing about discomfort and pain and hurt, in whatever small or large degree, so that by some affliction something of good may be realized. The farmer suffers with a load on his back. A scholar anguishes over material to be memorized. And what you come to see is that everything of value requires a cost and those of greatest value require the greatest costs. So you might then say that the greater the labor, the greater the result; the greater the sowing, the greater the reaping; the greater the suffering, the greater the excellence.

What of Geniuses?

Nevertheless, I think it is a tempting and easy thing for one to understand excellence as merely the result of God’s favor and suffering the result of God’s negligence. What exactly is one to make of those who have been exceptionally gifted, independent of any labor of their own? Geniuses as some call them, blessed with great gifts. What of their gifts; does that not destroy the notion of excellence as a result of labor? I don’t think so. Many a man have possessed a photographic memory only to fail at grabbing for true genius. Enchanted gifts or talents make no actual progress towards the construction of an excellent life the same way the most efficient, electric tools do not in themselves construct a great house. The tools may be of great value; they may speed up the process or they might simplify the process but unless they be wielded by a hand willing to suffer through work, they will be of little use. So then, what you find at most in genius is perhaps a greater potential; and at any rate unfortunately perhaps a lesser activity. Genius ones possess one; excellent ones use one.

Life Through Death

The capacity for excellence then cannot be understood as available only for the extraordinarily gifted but as existing in all who are willing to suffer greatly. It is said that genius (or what we have understood here as excellence) is “an immense capacity for taking trouble.” You might say then that the most excellent one is the one who is willing to suffer the greatest, and the one who is willing to suffer the greatest shows himself to be the strongest through weakness. This is true for such was the person of Jesus, the most excellent one. He showed in word and deed suffering to be the path of excellence. And what has He said concerning such things? Is it not true that the one who finds his life will lose it, but the one who loses his life will find it? Is it not true that unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit?

So what then? I should think that we die voluntarily. And then perhaps what we might find is a life grown involuntarily. For to shoulder the burden of suffering begrudgingly – do not even the Gentiles do the same? And they have their reward. But to bend under the weight of suffering and choose to bear it; to approach a dreadful thing and intentionally redeem it for good – that is divine! Guard yourself from suffering and you’ll suffer so much more. And why should one thus twice suffer and not once enjoy as it were. But suffer no finality, a selfish resolve to find your life, only suffer voluntarily and death, yes even death will bring you life.