Entree v. Dessert – The War within Ourselves
Dessert – Cakes, Cookies, Pie, and Pastries, Source US Dept. of Agriculture/Agricultural Resource Service, Author Peggy Greb USDA/ARS, (PD)
“Now everyone, of course, is at war with himself in the sense that he feels dual, made up of body and soul.”
–Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen [1]
“Humans are amphibians…half spirit and half animal…as spirits they belong to the eternal world, but as animals they inhabit time.”
–CS Lewis, “The Screwtape Letters”
All of us struggle with inner conflict at times. We are filled with competing passions, desires, inclinations, hopes, and dreams. Not all of these are good or good for us.
Modern society tends to cater to these passions and desires. We are encouraged toward self-actualization; urged to pursue self-interest, develop self-confidence, and employ self-help strategies, when we encounter obstacles to the immediate fulfillment of our desires.
Socialism
Socialist government promises, on a larger scale, the satisfaction of our desires. There is little focus on the nourishment man’s soul derives from individual responsibility or disciplined effort against the odds.
Entree v. Dessert
In other words, we ignore the entree, in favor of dessert. But we ignore the entree at our peril.
The exclusive pursuit of pleasure and self-satisfaction is futile. It does not lead to inner peace. Quite the opposite. The constant focus on self only makes us more self-centered — unconcerned with the needs of others, while increasingly empty.
Totalitarian Government
Similarly, government which promises to be all things to all people, and to provide for all needs, is illusory. It is, in fact, prone to totalitarianism.
In the end, individual freedom is repressed, and self-negation in support of a government sponsored “common good” advanced — no matter how many are harmed. As history has shown, gulags and concentration camps are the result.
Hope
“I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills His purpose for me” (Ps. 57: 2).
By contrast, Christianity offers mankind genuine, transcendent hope (Rom. 15: 13; Heb. 6: 19) [2]. The world will often crush our cherished hopes, shatter our pitiful dreams. But God can restore our strength, bringing beauty out of ashes (Isa. 40: 31, 61: 3).
The irony is that we can best fulfill ourselves, if we fulfill God’s purpose for our lives [3]. God utilizes our very passions and desires — often redirecting them in ways we could not have anticipated, and using them to serve others.
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[1] YouTube, Life Is Worth Living Series by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, Episode 21, “The Hell, There Is”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GYJZFoIZig.
[2] Navigating by Faith, “Our Transcendent Hope” by Kevin Drendel, 12/17/19, https://navigatingbyfaith.com/2017/12/19/our-transcendent-hope/.
[3] Cornerstone University, “What Is God’s Purpose for Your Life and How to Find It”, 1/17/17, https://www.cornerstone.edu/blog-post/what-is-gods-purpose-for-your-life-and-how-to-find-it/.
READERS CAN FIND MY VIEWS ON ABUSE AND ABUSE-RELATED ISSUES AT ANNA WALDHERR A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse
https://avoicereclaimed.com
A Lawyer's Prayers 
Excellent! I was just telling someone that was questioning whether or not the American Dream was dead, that without the Lord at the center of our lives there is no real success.
So what if I gain millions of dollars but in the end lose my soul? Do I call that a successful life? Hardly! If I’m being completely honest Anna, I remember when I had very little of this world’s things and I was much more content!
I am so glad you liked the post, Ron. I always value your opinion. I have to give Archbishop Fulton Sheen the credit, since his quote inspired my post. I can remember my grandmother watching his program on TV. He must be rolling over in his grave at what has happened to this country in the years since.
If such a thing is possible, I’m pretty sure many of those who came before us are doing a high rotation in their grave!
“Genuine, transcendent hope”! Amen.
❤