Благополучие

Physical and temporary well-being often and for the most part corrupts and destroys a person. We see this in the example of the gospel rich man, who did not know how to control his wealth and temporary prosperity and descended into destruction (see Luke 16:23). So even today many do not know how to own wealth, and not according to the will of God, but according to their own whims, they squander it and are corrupted. Many do not know how to control the health of their bodies, and they become corrupted and dare to do everything evil. Well-being, physical and temporary, although good, is for the corrupted human heart like a sword for a madman with which he kills himself. The prodigal son, while his father's property was still in his hands, did not think of returning to his father. But when he had already lost him and began to endure hardships and hunger, then he already thought of returning to his father. That is why it is written to us as a precaution: if wealth flows in, do not put your heart on it (Ps. 61:11). Just as physical and temporary misfortune is the cause of repentance and mental correction, so bodily and temporary well-being is often the cause of corruption, and misfortune, and spiritual destruction, and even more so when a young person has well-being. It is very difficult for such a person not to become corrupted in his well-being. And this is one of the reasons why God allows troubles and misfortunes for His servants, that is, so that they do not turn away from the good path and thus do not lose eternal bliss. In prosperity, a person, being weak, is conveniently seduced and corrupted. So, bitter medicine is temporary and bodily sorrow, but beneficial for the soul. Just as this life, so all well-being ends in death, and so everything happens, like the dream of someone awakening, like steam that appears for a short time and disappears. And therefore all temporary well-being is like nothing. When a person dies, his well-being also dies. If he leaves the rich world, he also leaves his wealth. When the glorious one departs from this light, his glory also departs from him. When the wise man ends, his wisdom also ends. When a strong man dies, his strength also dies... Everything moved away from them, just as they themselves moved away from here. All this passed away like a shadow and like a fast-flowing rumor (Wis. 5:9). Temporary well-being is never complete and in comparison with eternal bliss it is like a thing and a shadow. The people are simple and everyone who does not know their own benefit considers it their misfortune when they are in illness, in exile and in other similar punishments sent by God, and, on the contrary, they think that he is happy who is in health, in wealth, in honor, in glory and in other blessings of this world. True, this applies to our body, and I do not argue about that, which applies to the external person, and I recognize the same well-being. And since a person consists of two parts, soul and body, then there is twofold well-being, mental and physical. Mental well-being is a calm, peaceful conscience, rejoicing in God, its Savior, feeling heavenly joy on earth, in prison, in bonds, in poverty, in dishonor, in wounds, in exile, in illness, having fun in tears. Bodily well-being is the health of the body, honor, wealth, fame, saturation, amusement, etc. But it often happens that the body is happy, but the soul is unhappy; the body is healthy, but the soul is unhealthy; the body is in wealth, but the soul is in poverty; the body is in honor, but the soul is in dishonor; the body rejoices, but the soul laments; the body rejoices, but the soul is sad; the body prospers, but the soul decays; the body is feasting, but the soul is starving; the body smells fragrant, but the soul emits a stinking stench. Also, on the contrary, it happens that the body is in ill-fortune, but the soul is in prosperity; the body is sad, but the soul is joyful; the body is in poverty, but the soul is in wealth; the body hungers, but the soul is satisfied; the body stinks, but the soul gives off a fragrance pleasing to God, as the Apostle Paul once wrote about this: although our outer man is decaying, our inner man is renewed from day to day (2 Cor 4:16). Paul here calls the external man the body, and the internal man the soul. And it rarely happens that a person is happy both in soul and body. For the world, just as it favors, reassures, and glorifies its lovers, so those who do not conform to it, abhor its malice and its charms, hate, disturb, and persecute. All, says the Apostle Paul, who want to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Tim. 3:12). You see that a tree sheds its leaves in winter, and in the spring, when the sun warms, it blooms its leaves again. Many people do this. When winter and the cold of troubles and troubles strike them, then they discard their whims and seem to try to repent and please God, but when the warmth of well-being warms them again, then their whims, like a tree, continue to put out leaves, turn green again, decorate themselves and are consoled with worldly sweets. Such are those who, if the cold of illness strikes them, repent, stop sinning and promise to live piously and serve God; but when they become healthy, they again turn to their former whims and deeds. Know that such people are not true Christians, but hypocrites. Since true Christians are constant in prosperity and misfortune, in sickness and in health, in poverty and wealth, in contempt and honor, in glory and humiliation, in captivity and in freedom; always and everywhere are in repentance, produce the fruits of repentance, love God and serve God. This reasoning admonishes you not to imitate the above-mentioned people, but to always be constant, in happiness and misfortune, to renounce your whims and please God. And if he himself is the same, then he exhorts you to correct yourself, so as not to hear from Christ with the hypocrites: I don’t know you, where you come from (Luke 13:25). How many of these are there who, living in prosperity and gaiety, became corrupted and, like horses, ran wild at their own will, became furious, and died, which passes before our eyes every day. Very little piety is noticeable in the rich and glorious of this world: pride, stinginess, self-love, luxury and almost carnalism alone are seen - which leads to nothing other than destruction: because wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many go through it (Matthew 7:13).