We Must Struggle
I often get frustrated at the difficulty of building up an Orthodox life. I get frustrated by my own temptations, by my lack of love and my ignorant pride. I became inflamed by my laziness and procrastination of my spiritual disciplines. They are always things that I will eventually get to (but can never seem to quite do so).
I am reminded of a passage from the book of Judges 3:
Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to test Israel by them (that is, all who had not experienced any of the wars of Canaan; 2only in order that the generations of the sons of Israel might be taught war, those who had not experienced it formerly).
The fathers teach us that the nations are the passions that each of us possesses. We do not choose what to struggle with, but we struggle nonetheless. What is interesting is that we are given this as a provision for our salvation. It is not as if we are given over to be on our own. Rather, we are under the supervision of God in our struggles.
Perhaps this is why it is said: No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it (1 Cor. 10:13).
God himself is the escape within the struggle of temptation. I think that to be taught war is to learn to struggle towards God. And I think the balance is for our good.
We see that God neither provides too much lest we boast or too little lest we fall into despair. We are each allotted to be given over in trial according to our strength (Romans 12:13). There is something within the struggle itself that can only be produced there for us in this present age. We are simply to trust in what is provided for us on our journey.
a song that fits
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