For the well read, the title of this post should spark something of a memory. Maybe you read it in school or heard about it in passing. No I am not talking about the film of the same name, although the film portrays a character (a true person) who used the poem to endure hardship.
Invictus- Latin for “Unbreakable.”
Go give the poem a read. Written in 1857 by English poet William Ernest Henley, it characterizes an attitude of stubbornness in the face of desolation, a willingness to face down what threatens to tear you up. Put practically in the terms of Scripture, when I read the poem, I am reminded of Elijah in 1 Kings 19, in which the Lord shows Himself to Elijah in the form of a small sound or voice after three vastly destructive elements are cast before him. Still one of my favorite passages in the Old Testament. Elijah sees this destruction from God, but God waits and reveals Himself in the subtlety of His voice (think Genesis 1). And at the end of the narrative segment, Elijah has complained twice that he is the only true believer left and even he is being hunted. But God tells Elijah that there are yet 7,000 who have not bowed the knee to Baal.
Elijah shows the fragility of the human mind. Henley pleads for the human mind to be strengthened. The poem ends with two statements: I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul. For a Christian, the gut reaction is to respond “Well no, Jesus is the master of my fate and captain of my soul.” Yes that is true, but let’s pause for a second. In my reading of Scripture, there is always an element of human agency to belief. We are given the ability to discern and choose between what is right and wrong. Paul describes it as a constant war with sin (Romans 7:15-25). If I read Romans correctly and in conjunction with Henley’s two statements, I can admit that I have agency and can determine the outcome of my battle. Christ certainly helps me, by implication of grace, redemption, guidance by the Holy Spirit and an entire manual spreading over millennium replete with examples on how to and not to live. But ultimately it is up to me whether I eat the fruit or not.
In many self help circles or as espoused by productivity and motivational experts, the phrase “limiting beliefs” comes to mind. This can apply to many things, but there truly is something to looking at a statement such as “I can’t do…” and then asking the question “Why do I think I can’t…?”
Surely there are definite things I will never do, such as become pregnant and give birth. I am a man, have been since birth, and despite what the current world will have you believe, me becoming pregnant is impossible and will remain so. (To those who are offended by this, I would recommend seeking mental care). I can apply this self help logic to most any situation in my life. Can’t loose weight? Why can’t I? Have I actually put in the effort of lifting weights, eating actual whole foods and avoiding prepackaged and over engineered things? Have I put things in place to enact discipline to stick to it and also not looked for short term gains?
There is no easy way about most things. Most goals or tasks become ordeals pretty quickly, but if we put into practice the ideal of becoming Unbreakable, we recognize this is a life long fight. We are always putting up our own roadblocks, be it with limiting beliefs, avoidance, steering away from hard truths, not buffeting our bodies like Paul did (1 Corinthians 9:27), physically, mentally, spiritually. It begs the question: what are we really doing with life? Turn off the TV, Put down the phone, pick up your Bible, hop on that treadmill, rack up that barbell, be honest and realistic. Somewhere there is someone who is the same age as you, but far more advanced down the path. Don’t let that discourage you, be encouraged! No matter how far apart that gap may be, you can always catch up. Do something uncomfortable.
“And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.”- Henley
