Слово 22. О том, что тело, которое боится искушений, делается другом греха

One of the saints said that a body that is afraid of temptations becomes a friend of sin, so as not to go to extremes and lose its life. Therefore the Holy Spirit compels him to die. For he knows that if he does not die, he will not overcome sin. If someone wants the Lord to dwell in him, then he forces his body to serve the Lord, works in the commandments of the Spirit, written by the Apostle, and keeps his soul from the deeds of the flesh, described by the Apostle (see Gal. 5:19-21). The body, having partaken of sin, rests in carnal deeds, and the Spirit of God does not rest in its fruits. For when the body becomes weak in fasting and humility, then the soul is strengthened by prayer. The body usually, when it is much oppressed by the sorrows of silence, suffers hardships and shortcomings and is close to losing its life, begs you and says: “Give me a little freedom to live in moderation; Now I walk in the right way, because I have been tested by great suffering.” And how soon, out of compassion for him, you calm him from his sorrows and give him some rest, and although he calms down for a while, little by little he begins to whisper to you with caresses (and his caresses are very strong), until he forces you to leave the desert, and says to you: “We can live well near the world, because we have been tested in many ways; therefore, we can live there according to the same rules as we live now. Just tempt me, and if I am not what you want, we can return. Behold, the desert does not flee from us.” Don’t believe him, although he will beg you strongly and make many promises. It won't do what it says. When you bow to his request, he will plunge you into great falls, from which you will not be able to rise and come out. When you become despondent from temptations and are fed up with them, say to yourself: “Again you desire uncleanness and shameful life.” And if the body tells you: “It is a great sin to kill yourself,” then answer it: “I kill myself because I cannot live uncleanly. I will die here so that again I will not see the true death of my soul, death for God. It is better for me to die here for the sake of integrity and not live a bad life in the world. I arbitrarily chose this death for my sins. I put myself to death because I have sinned against the Lord; I will no longer anger Him. What is there for me in a life that is far from God? I will endure this bitterness, so as not to be alienated from heavenly hope. What does God have to do with my life in this world if I live in it badly and anger God?” You might be interested in: