Peaks, Troughs, and the Secret Strength of Struggle: Lessons from The Screwtape Letters

Life is not a straight line. C.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters describes the 'law of undulation,' the natural rhythm of emotional and spiritual highs and lows that every person experiences. Screwtape explains to Wormwood that these cycles are not failures, but opportunities. When we are at our lowest, we are most open to growth, humility, and genuine faith. The tempters try to use these troughs to foster despair, but Lewis’s message is clear: perseverance in difficulty is the truest form of courage.

Consider the prayers offered in times of dryness—when faith feels hard, when hope seems distant. Lewis insists that these are the most precious prayers of all because they are acts of will, not just emotion. The Screwtape Letters is full of examples where the patient’s faith is tested by boredom, disappointment, or suffering, yet it is precisely in these moments that the soul grows stronger.

Modern mental health research echoes Lewis’s wisdom. Resilience is not built in times of ease, but in times of adversity. The ability to keep going, to hold onto hope when everything feels bleak, is the mark of a mature soul. The Screwtape Letters encourages us to embrace the undulations of life, to see struggle not as a sign of failure but as a necessary step in our journey.

So the next time you find yourself in a trough, remember: it is not the end of the story. The peaks will come again, and you may find that you are stronger, wiser, and more compassionate for having walked through the valley.

References: SparkNotes on Themes 2 , Blinkist Key Ideas 4