THE ILLUSION OF CONTROL CAN TAKE MANY FORMS – “When we tried to control ourselves, we wound up demoralized. Even when we succeeded, it wasn’t enough to make us happy. We hid from our pain by eating … .” (Overeaters Anon., p. 5)
– Sign up for Zonr Today’s Full SFZ
~~~
When have you last felt, like Lincoln, “driven” to your knees to pray?
~~~
Living in a Ghost Town – Rolling Stones (3:49)
Got To Be There – Micheal Jackson (4:44)
It Gets Better – The Trevor Project (2:50)
One World, One Prayer Meditation (11:15)
An Analysis on: Why Even President Lincoln was Brought to His Knees
Today’s SFZ illustrates a profound truth: no one, not even someone as revered as President Abraham Lincoln, escapes moments of helplessness. The idea that life can become unmanageable despite years of growth or recovery speaks to a universal human experience. In It Works, How & Why, the writers assert that emotional and spiritual overwhelm can still strike, even after long-standing progress. This aligns with Carl Jung’s understanding of the human psyche: we remain vulnerable to unconscious forces unless we maintain regular self-awareness and humility.
Lincoln’s quote powerfully echoes this. Despite his intellect and leadership, he often found himself brought to his knees, overwhelmed by the burden of his responsibilities. His admission of personal inadequacy reminds us that even great leaders must surrender to something greater than themselves. Viktor Frankl, in Man’s Search for Meaning, writes that surrendering to a higher purpose or power can give life meaning even in suffering. Lincoln’s reliance on prayer shows that surrender isn’t weakness—it’s a form of strength.
The excerpt from One Day at a Time reinforces this principle. Struggling to solve life’s problems alone often deepens our frustration. Instead, spiritual wisdom calls for a different path: letting go, quieting fear, and seeking guidance from a power beyond our own understanding. Thomas Merton and Henri Nouwen both speak to the transformative power of surrender—how clarity and peace often emerge only after we stop resisting.
Ultimately, these reflections challenge the illusion of self-sufficiency. They remind us that spiritual humility and connection, not stubborn self-reliance, pave the way toward resilience and peace.
Leave a Reply