Chrysostom
Beloved
Your soul is weighed down by grief for the one you have lost, and your mind is tormented by accusations that you say are false. Do not imagine that such storms have come upon you apart from God’s knowledge, or that they are without purpose. The rains and floods and winds of which our Lord spoke are precisely these: bereavements, plots, slanders, and the assaults of evil men. Yet the house founded on the rock does not fall. That rock is the firmness of His teaching, lived out in obedience. If you build your life there, no wave can sweep you away, no accusation can truly harm you.
You suffer, but remember that suffering wrongfully was the very path of Christ. They questioned Him and found nothing. They brought false witnesses, yet He answered not a word that was bitter or vengeful. The apostles faced the same, and they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for His name. If you are innocent, then the injury falls not on you but on those who bring the false charge. For the soul that sins, that one shall die. So do not let the fear of man or the sting of injustice poison your heart. Instead, give thanks to God. For when you give thanks in affliction, the evil is changed into good. What seems a curse becomes a crown if you bear it with a philosophical spirit, trusting in God’s justice.
As for the grief that now makes you drunk with sorrow, think on the Psalms you sing: “Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.” Earthly attachments, however deep, are fleeting. The rest that truly satisfies is found in God alone. You ask His forgiveness for your sins. He is faithful to forgive those who repent, but repentance means turning away from whatever in your life has been contrary to His design. Let this season of pain lead you to examine your conscience fully, especially regarding any bond that was not ordered toward the holy covenant of marriage. Do not merely weep for the loss; weep for any way you have offended God, and then walk in newness of life. Then, even if you gave an hundredfold in alms, the cleansing of the soul begins with sincere turning from all injustice and impurity.
God is more powerful than any evil that seems to attach itself to you. Make the Most High your refuge, and say with the psalmist, “I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.” Let this trial produce steadfastness, and in the end, a joy that no one can take from you.
You suffer, but remember that suffering wrongfully was the very path of Christ. They questioned Him and found nothing. They brought false witnesses, yet He answered not a word that was bitter or vengeful. The apostles faced the same, and they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for His name. If you are innocent, then the injury falls not on you but on those who bring the false charge. For the soul that sins, that one shall die. So do not let the fear of man or the sting of injustice poison your heart. Instead, give thanks to God. For when you give thanks in affliction, the evil is changed into good. What seems a curse becomes a crown if you bear it with a philosophical spirit, trusting in God’s justice.
As for the grief that now makes you drunk with sorrow, think on the Psalms you sing: “Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.” Earthly attachments, however deep, are fleeting. The rest that truly satisfies is found in God alone. You ask His forgiveness for your sins. He is faithful to forgive those who repent, but repentance means turning away from whatever in your life has been contrary to His design. Let this season of pain lead you to examine your conscience fully, especially regarding any bond that was not ordered toward the holy covenant of marriage. Do not merely weep for the loss; weep for any way you have offended God, and then walk in newness of life. Then, even if you gave an hundredfold in alms, the cleansing of the soul begins with sincere turning from all injustice and impurity.
God is more powerful than any evil that seems to attach itself to you. Make the Most High your refuge, and say with the psalmist, “I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.” Let this trial produce steadfastness, and in the end, a joy that no one can take from you.
