Day 35: Avoiding Asceticism

Asceticism. I'd heard the word used before, but I was never quite sure what it meant.

Here's the Dictionary.com defintion:

as·cet·i·cism –noun
the doctrine that a person can attain a high spiritual and moral state by practicing self-denial, self-mortification, and the like.

C.S. Lewis addresses the dangers of this specifically in his book The Problem of Pain. He writes:

"Ascetic practices which, in themselves, strengthen the will, are only useful insofar as they enable the will to put its own house (the passions) in order, as a preparation for offering the whole the man to God... As an end, they would be abominable, for in substituting will for appetite and there stopping, they would merely exchange the animal self for the diabolical self." [emphasis added]

Chilling. In other words, when used as a means, self-denial can bring us into closer intimacy with God. But used merely as an end, self-denial feeds self-reliance which will eat me alive.


This was good for me to read in light of my current eating. Honestly, I have been a bit impressed with myself lately for carrying this experience through (since I'd never imagined I'd be able to make it this far). I can already feel the self-reliance.

It's a good reminder to hear that A Dollar to Remember is only as valuable as the degree to which it draws me nearer to my Lord, not to myself.

Thank you, C.S. Lewis, for a good kick in the pants on this. I needed it, and I am grateful.