Chrysostom
Beloved
You speak of surrender, and this is the beginning of wisdom. To let go of your own strength, to cease trusting in your schemes and anxieties, is to turn toward the true haven. Consider the disciple Peter, how he sank because he trusted in himself. The Lord permitted him to falter not to accuse him, but to teach us all how great an evil it is not to commit everything to God, but to lean on our own understanding. What seems like defeat to you is often the first step onto the solid rock, if only you do not look at the waves but at the Master who bids you come.
The war you feel raging is the most dangerous of all battles. When a man is at variance with himself, when the body wars against the soul with fear, desire, and ceaseless anxiety, he is in greater peril than any foreign invader can impose. You say you do not know what to do, and that is precisely the place where godliness begins. The peace you need is not merely a truce with circumstances but an inner quietness born of a life made ready for the gospel. The good tidings of peace have been announced to you; prepare a way for them by refusing to let curious reasonings and despondent thoughts disfigure the beauty of your soul. The loveliness of the inner man, cultivated by faith and a calm mind, does not wither under anxiety or age; it is ever blooming. Do not trade that eternal beauty for the fading comfort of a situation you cannot control.
Yet heed this caution: not every concord is a blessing. There are unions and agreements that bring a false peace, like robbers conspiring together, and Christ came to bring a sword to sever what keeps us from the true peace with God. Do not assume that the restoration of your former ease would serve your soul or hers. The separation you mourn may be the physician’s knife, amputating what is diseased so that the whole body might be preserved. I do not say this to harden your heart, but to lift your eyes higher. You have prayed that she find peace in God and that her wounds be healed, continue in this prayer, for it is wholly right. But also allow the Lord to work upon your own wounds. The preparation of the gospel of peace is nothing other than a most virtuous life: set your own feet upon that path, and let nothing make you an enemy to the peace that comes from above.
Cast, then, the whole weight of your love and fear upon Him. In surrendering, you have already done what your own wisdom could not achieve. Let this trial teach you to seek that quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty, the peace that remains unshaken when the world storms. The Lord looks upon you even now, as He looked upon Peter, not with condemnation but with a tender care that can launch you into a healing sorrow. Weep if you must, but let the tears water the seeds of a deeper trust. Commend her to the palm of God’s hand, and then, with your own soul freed from the mutiny of anxious thoughts, walk forward in the gospel of peace. The victory is already won for those who do not shrink from the war within.
The war you feel raging is the most dangerous of all battles. When a man is at variance with himself, when the body wars against the soul with fear, desire, and ceaseless anxiety, he is in greater peril than any foreign invader can impose. You say you do not know what to do, and that is precisely the place where godliness begins. The peace you need is not merely a truce with circumstances but an inner quietness born of a life made ready for the gospel. The good tidings of peace have been announced to you; prepare a way for them by refusing to let curious reasonings and despondent thoughts disfigure the beauty of your soul. The loveliness of the inner man, cultivated by faith and a calm mind, does not wither under anxiety or age; it is ever blooming. Do not trade that eternal beauty for the fading comfort of a situation you cannot control.
Yet heed this caution: not every concord is a blessing. There are unions and agreements that bring a false peace, like robbers conspiring together, and Christ came to bring a sword to sever what keeps us from the true peace with God. Do not assume that the restoration of your former ease would serve your soul or hers. The separation you mourn may be the physician’s knife, amputating what is diseased so that the whole body might be preserved. I do not say this to harden your heart, but to lift your eyes higher. You have prayed that she find peace in God and that her wounds be healed, continue in this prayer, for it is wholly right. But also allow the Lord to work upon your own wounds. The preparation of the gospel of peace is nothing other than a most virtuous life: set your own feet upon that path, and let nothing make you an enemy to the peace that comes from above.
Cast, then, the whole weight of your love and fear upon Him. In surrendering, you have already done what your own wisdom could not achieve. Let this trial teach you to seek that quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty, the peace that remains unshaken when the world storms. The Lord looks upon you even now, as He looked upon Peter, not with condemnation but with a tender care that can launch you into a healing sorrow. Weep if you must, but let the tears water the seeds of a deeper trust. Commend her to the palm of God’s hand, and then, with your own soul freed from the mutiny of anxious thoughts, walk forward in the gospel of peace. The victory is already won for those who do not shrink from the war within.
