Dissident Reflections: Tenacious Serenity

(PRT 4 of Augsburger’s book)  When you think of the words “serenity” and “tenacity” are they different from one another?  I would say that if we think through it we might realize they are two sides to one nature.  Augsburger uses the moment in Gethsemane to make this point when Jesus is feeling the full weight of human anxiety and vulnerability. Jesus tells his disciples to pray fervently that they may not come into trial, while he himself withdrawals from them to ask God if it is at all possible that he not have to suffer what is about to happen.  But, we can almost see the fear turn to serenity and tenacity in the question and the resolution of his following words, “yet, not what I want, but what you want” and then “Get up, let us go forward” (Mt. 36:39; 46). 

Serenity

Human existence is characteristically anxious (anti-serene) because we are self-aware creatures.  One’s self-awareness has ways of overwhelming and trapping our center, but peace is crucial to our ability to move forward.  To simplify this notion, serenity becomes the surrendering of self-centeredness: this is willfully giving up personal rights, renouncing claims of self-survival as “divine” and ultimately letting go of our self-preoccupation.[1]  So what is so serene about this? 

We tend to alleviate our anxieties by trusting in temporary distractions--- wealth, power, security, material things, or anything that helps up us forget about our humanness and limitations--- but true serenity begins to emerge when we can accept and confess our finitude.  It is also at this place where we can become intimately aware of God to the point of obtaining a peace that allows us to let go, let come what may come, and most importantly, let God.  Freedom of the soul is to surrender both our need to control and to demand so that we can welcome God’s shalom.

Tenacity

On the other side of this is tenacity.  True tenacity is a yieldedness that is not will-less or willful, but surrenders self-will in exchange for a higher will. When we willingly make such a commitment to seek, serve and surrender to God’s will we can have the tenacity to pray things like: your way Lord, not mine.  This is as Augsburger defines an existential tenacity that has the audacity to risk all and accept harsh punishments, even unto death, if that is the consequence for holding true to Christ.[2]  This is a radical expression that if really understood will extend into every facet of one’s life (politically, economically, socially, relationally and so on) but it is because God is then sustaining and leading us.

Tenacious Serenity

Augsburger offers a fuller expression in saying:

Serenity finds courage in asking, ‘If it be possible, let this pain pass’; it finds peace in, ‘Not my will but Thine’ and tenacious endurance in resolving, ‘Enough get up, get on with it’…  Serenity is not the brother of ambition, child of greed, sister of competition, but it may be the father of service and mother of surprising success.  Serenity may be found in accepting grace and accepting ourselves as a gift of grace; we are now what shall be and in it is enough. At other times serenity is claiming courage and risking what it is we shall become.  It is not yet apparent what we shall be, but we do know that when Christ appears we shall be like him (1 Jn. 3:2).[3]

This signals a call to reorient and reprioritize what is important to us and how to measure one’s success.  It is not by being purpose driven, healthy, wealthy or prosperous; it is not by being better, bigger, faster, stronger, more successful, or admired; it is just not something that can be quantified or qualified by our means.

However, it can be quantified by the same God that did not measure Jesus’ success by victoriously defeating accusers, betrayers and Roman authoritarians either.  His success was in being obedient to the point of laying down his life.  Through surrender and stubborn commitment to stay the course we too can prize the will of God no matter how seemingly insignificant, important or detrimental because God gives eternal content.

[1] David Augsburger Dissident Discipleship (Grand Rapids, MI: Brazo Press 2006), 89-90.

[2] ibid, 91-92.

[3] ibid, 95-96.