IMPORTANT THREADS

When I start seeing common threads running through books that have caught my attention, I tend to take it as an important life lesson God is trying to teach me.

I was recently rereading Steven Pressfield's The War of Art after hearing him interviewed on a podcast and I was reminded of a basic idea which is starting to take root in my mind: the author's concept of "Resistance".

Pressfield's entire book is about how humans must overcome Resistance in all its various forms - fear, procrastination, drama, etc - if we have any hope of fulfilling our purpose in life. 

Here's a good summary from Pressfield early in the book:

"Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands Resistance." (In the chapter called The Unlived Life, no page numbers.)

As I am starting into Nathaniel Branden's The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem, I am realizing although Pressfield is an artist and Branden is an academic, the two authors are talking about the same subject.

In his introduction, Branden writes, "Underneath all my work, the core idea I wanted to teach was: Your life is important. Honor it. Fight for your highest possibilities."  (p.xii, emphasis in original) 

Both acknowledge two levels of life - in biblical terms, the natural man and the spiritual man.

Both acknowledge a struggle against forces intent on keeping us down - in biblical terms, the flesh which needs to be crucified.

And both hold out the hope that anyone can live at the higher level - the "abundant life" which Jesus offers.

Pressfield writes, "If you believe in God (and I do) you must declare Resistance evil, for it prevents us from achieving the life God intended." 

I have wrestled with Resistance since childhood and, at 55, I am finally starting to get the upper hand. 

THIS is getting to the core of life and to the main problem of life and THIS is why I love to read.