We
grow spiritually both from our temptations for pleasure and the trials
we face from pain. We are either drawn to something based on our
appetite for it or reject it by our refusal to accept it. The spiritual
tests we receive are either attractive or repulsive. These tests are not
merely for our self-knowing, but hey are aimed to correct ourselves; to
help our soul regain control over the biological demands of our body.
It is the way we master our passions.
Let's
consider temptations. We may have a simple temptation for a second
helping of ice cream which only brings to us later the feeling of being
stuffed and then problems with being overweight. But our desire for more
pleasure temps us to take more of what we know not to be in our best
interests. By rejecting a temptation we strengthen our will, increasing
our capacity to do God's will. This resistance demonstrates and
fortifies our self-control. But resisting temptations may be easier to
master than our capacity to reject dejection, anger and disgust. While
pleasure is something we can anticipate, pain is something we must wait
to address. It's easier to not be controlled by temptation for pleasure
than to avoid pain because we never seek pain. It often appears due to
our life experience and not necessarily something we can avoid, although
much pain is the aftermath of pleasure. Dealing with our temptations is
our first priority.
Fr. Dimitru says,
The
primordial and direct cause of man's decadence isn't an avoidance of
pain but a seeking of pleasure. The avoidance of pain comes later,
because it is caused by pleasure. So first we must do battle with
pleasure, principally and directly. Pleasure is often sought by our
previous initiative, while pain is almost always avoided, by a reaction
which is produced when it arises; likewise if we wish to escape the
preliminary initiative which looks for pleasure, we must also do it with
a previous, contrary initiative, and if we want to escape the reaction
contrary to pain which is produced the moment of the appearance of pain,
we must wait for that moment to stop the reaction.... I run for
pleasure as a reaction to something I am waiting for. But I must wait
for the moment of pain to stop the repulsive reaction to it.
We
can see this in the life of Jesus. First He was tested by pleasure in
the wilderness and then faced the trial of suffering in His Passion and
Crucifixion.
We seek pleasure for its own sake, but also because of our fear of pain.
Fr. Dimitru says,
The
restraint from pleasure and the patient endurance of suffering, far
from being something negative-passive and of a weak nature, instead
strengthens it and this means a spiritualization, a putting the spirit
in control... . By refraining from pleasure we have taken a big step
toward the spiritual force of dispassion.... . Dispasion isn't a
passivity, but a concentration of the spirit in the realm of the good
and of the spiritual world.
The
true joy we seek does not come from pleasure. When we are no longer
automatically moved by an attraction to pleasure nor fear pain, we find a
peace and stability in our life. We can see the divine providence of
God at work. We understand how God uses our life's situation in the
world as both grace and judgment. We appreciate how we grow through our
self-control to avoid pleasure and exercise patience in our times of
difficulty.
In
suffering we are attracted to God and tested so we will be stronger to
resist future sins. Our difficulties may not be due to our own
sinfulness but due to that of others. In this fallen world stuff happens
and we need to be prepared to respond to all kinds of difficulty with
love and patience. Our ability to endure with patience is a sign of our
recognition of God's power and wisdom. We thank God for all he sends to
us along our path of life. It is through our avoidance of temptations
and endurance of pain that we grow our faith in Him and find true joy.
As we say in the Lord's Pray, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
Reference: Orthodox Spirituality, pp 170-176
