Stoicism: Founded in the third century B.C. by Zeno of Citium, who believed God permeated the cosmos which was the absolute reason. The cosmos was governed by the laws of cause and effect and there was no genuine free will. Virtue and acceptance of or resignation fate were the highest goals. We call this forbearance and fortitude. Socrates resignation to his fate in taking the hemlock was honored as death with dignity.
Famous Stoics were Seneca, tutor to Nero (who ironically participated in an assassination attempt), Prime Minister of the Roman Empire and the greatest of all Stoic philosophers, Quintilian, the great Roman orator, and the emperor Marcus Aurelius, who was a great writer and author of the classic Meditations, too. Socrates was very stoical in accepting the proclamation to take his life with hemlock and was revered by virtue of his bold acceptance of this fate. Stoicism was a Greek philosophy of antiquity that was common in Paul's day and he met some Stoics at Mars Hill in Acts 17 that were curious about what he had to say. Epictetus, and was known for his philosophy of the "stiff upper lip." He said that he couldn't escape death but he could escape the fear of it. (It means more than not showing emotion and not being demonstrative in worship or in tragedy as they tell you to be stoical.)
They believed that there was fate or a plan for everyone and it was our duty to accept it and live with it, whatever it was. It was all impersonal and one could do nothing to alter that fate. Stoics believe the universe was governed by the logos which was the mind and will of God that kept the stars and planets in their places and in their appointed tracks. Therefore, the universe was not a chaos, but orderly. If the universe didn't have order, science would be impossible! The logos also had a plan and purpose for everyone.
Destiny involves a personal God and as it may be our destiny to become piano virtuosos, it is also our responsibility to practice diligently and faithfully. It just doesn't just happen automatically. We should never give up and resign ourselves to the belief that nothing can be done and there is no hope. Being complacent is when we become so self-satisfied that we are worse than being content, but don't see any need or desire to better ourselves or condition: "Oh, this is my lot in life and I must grin and bear it!"
What not to be:
Don't be like Doris Day singing "Que sera, sera, what will be, will be...!" But rather let Jesus' motto of "Thy will be done!" work for you. This is resignation and relinquishment to God's will and we must surrender to it as believers; even Jesus had to decide to follow the Father's will to the cross at Gethsemane. Don't say, "Let the chips fall where they may." There is no hopeless situation; only people who have given up hope. There are two types of Christians: those who say, "Thy will be done!" and those to whom God says, "Okay, have it your way!" We don't want it our way because we will mess it up--"Father knows best," as they say. It is said that with the hope one can endure anything. With Christ, we can endure any trial or tribulation with the joy of the Lord.
It is never too late to "get with the program" and to live in God's will, used for His glory, fulfilling His plan for your life. Though I believe God has a plan for us ("I know the plans that I have for you, says the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you plans to give you hope and a future," says Jeremiah in chapter 29, verse 11), it is also our responsibility to make plans and not to just be aimless. If you aim at nothing, that is what you get in life. Thomas Edison never called his experiments a failure, but an experiment that taught him what didn't work. The Army slogan, "Be All You Can Be!" And the Air Force motto to "Aim High"is good advice and one should be realistic, but also have dreams. Case in point: If you aim for the presidency and only become a senator you shouldn't call yourself a failure.
An anecdote is told of a great woman of faith in God named Saint Theresa, who said that she was going to build a convent. They asked her how much she had in resources and she replied 12 pence. They told her that even Theresa couldn't accomplish much with twelve pence! She replied that twelve pence, Theresa and God could though! God promises to supply all we need to do His will according to 2 Cor. 9:8. It may be not how big our faith but how big our God!
Selfish ambition is sin, according to Jer. 45:5 ("Should you then seek great things for yourself? Seek them not!") But we are to seek the glory of God and His will for our lives: ( Jer. 29:11 says, "I know the plans that I have for you....") That is to say, that God has good intentions for us according to Rom. 8:28 that says, "All things work together for the good to them that love God, to them that are called according to His purpose." N.B. our destiny is ultimately in God's hands ("He controls my destiny"--Job 23:12)-- unlike Ernest Henley's poem Invictus that says we are the "captains of our souls and the masters of our fate. "
To sum up: The psalmist says, "My future is in your hands" (Ps. 31:15). God wishes us good: "May he grant you all your desires and fulfill all your plans" (Ps. 20:40. But always remember that it says in Romans 8:31, "If God be for us, who can be against us?" [All emphasis is mine.] Soli Deo Gloria!
Famous Stoics were Seneca, tutor to Nero (who ironically participated in an assassination attempt), Prime Minister of the Roman Empire and the greatest of all Stoic philosophers, Quintilian, the great Roman orator, and the emperor Marcus Aurelius, who was a great writer and author of the classic Meditations, too. Socrates was very stoical in accepting the proclamation to take his life with hemlock and was revered by virtue of his bold acceptance of this fate. Stoicism was a Greek philosophy of antiquity that was common in Paul's day and he met some Stoics at Mars Hill in Acts 17 that were curious about what he had to say. Epictetus, and was known for his philosophy of the "stiff upper lip." He said that he couldn't escape death but he could escape the fear of it. (It means more than not showing emotion and not being demonstrative in worship or in tragedy as they tell you to be stoical.)
They believed that there was fate or a plan for everyone and it was our duty to accept it and live with it, whatever it was. It was all impersonal and one could do nothing to alter that fate. Stoics believe the universe was governed by the logos which was the mind and will of God that kept the stars and planets in their places and in their appointed tracks. Therefore, the universe was not a chaos, but orderly. If the universe didn't have order, science would be impossible! The logos also had a plan and purpose for everyone.
Destiny involves a personal God and as it may be our destiny to become piano virtuosos, it is also our responsibility to practice diligently and faithfully. It just doesn't just happen automatically. We should never give up and resign ourselves to the belief that nothing can be done and there is no hope. Being complacent is when we become so self-satisfied that we are worse than being content, but don't see any need or desire to better ourselves or condition: "Oh, this is my lot in life and I must grin and bear it!"
What not to be:
Don't be like Doris Day singing "Que sera, sera, what will be, will be...!" But rather let Jesus' motto of "Thy will be done!" work for you. This is resignation and relinquishment to God's will and we must surrender to it as believers; even Jesus had to decide to follow the Father's will to the cross at Gethsemane. Don't say, "Let the chips fall where they may." There is no hopeless situation; only people who have given up hope. There are two types of Christians: those who say, "Thy will be done!" and those to whom God says, "Okay, have it your way!" We don't want it our way because we will mess it up--"Father knows best," as they say. It is said that with the hope one can endure anything. With Christ, we can endure any trial or tribulation with the joy of the Lord.
It is never too late to "get with the program" and to live in God's will, used for His glory, fulfilling His plan for your life. Though I believe God has a plan for us ("I know the plans that I have for you, says the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you plans to give you hope and a future," says Jeremiah in chapter 29, verse 11), it is also our responsibility to make plans and not to just be aimless. If you aim at nothing, that is what you get in life. Thomas Edison never called his experiments a failure, but an experiment that taught him what didn't work. The Army slogan, "Be All You Can Be!" And the Air Force motto to "Aim High"is good advice and one should be realistic, but also have dreams. Case in point: If you aim for the presidency and only become a senator you shouldn't call yourself a failure.
An anecdote is told of a great woman of faith in God named Saint Theresa, who said that she was going to build a convent. They asked her how much she had in resources and she replied 12 pence. They told her that even Theresa couldn't accomplish much with twelve pence! She replied that twelve pence, Theresa and God could though! God promises to supply all we need to do His will according to 2 Cor. 9:8. It may be not how big our faith but how big our God!
Selfish ambition is sin, according to Jer. 45:5 ("Should you then seek great things for yourself? Seek them not!") But we are to seek the glory of God and His will for our lives: ( Jer. 29:11 says, "I know the plans that I have for you....") That is to say, that God has good intentions for us according to Rom. 8:28 that says, "All things work together for the good to them that love God, to them that are called according to His purpose." N.B. our destiny is ultimately in God's hands ("He controls my destiny"--Job 23:12)-- unlike Ernest Henley's poem Invictus that says we are the "captains of our souls and the masters of our fate. "
To sum up: The psalmist says, "My future is in your hands" (Ps. 31:15). God wishes us good: "May he grant you all your desires and fulfill all your plans" (Ps. 20:40. But always remember that it says in Romans 8:31, "If God be for us, who can be against us?" [All emphasis is mine.] Soli Deo Gloria!