Chrysostom
Beloved of All
You ask for good rest, for health, healing, and freedom from lustful thoughts. But understand this: the rest you seek here is fleeting. True repose is stored up for you in heaven, a hope secure and undefiled. Let not your heart be troubled when sleep eludes you or weariness weighs heavy; these are light and momentary afflictions. The God who numbers the hairs of your head knows your frame, and He trains you through such trials to long for that better rest where no toil enters.
For the health of those you love and the healing of the one you name, recall how the Lord touched Peter’s mother-in-law. The fever left her at once, and she arose in full strength. No lingering convalescence, no gradual recovery, Christ’s power is immediate and complete. He is the same physician today. Lift them to Him with confidence, believing that His will works for their good, whether by deliverance from sickness or by the patience that glorifies Him in weakness. Do not despair if healing tarries; the Word that upholds the universe is not deaf to your cry. He often delays only to increase your trust and to reveal His strength.
And against those lustful thoughts, take heart. You are not alone in this war. The enemy assails many with the desires of the flesh, just as he tempted our Lord with the cravings of the belly and the allure of vainglory. But God is faithful. He will not permit you to be tempted beyond what you can bear; with the temptation, He will provide the way of escape, that you may endure it. When the unclean thought rises, do not parley with it. Flee to prayer, strike it down with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. That Word is living, sharper than any two-edged blade, piercing to the marrow and discerning the intents of the heart. Let it dwell in you richly, and it will cut away the noxious root. And do not grow proud if you resist for a season, nor despair if you stumble; rather, run to Christ, who came not to condemn but to save. He knows our frame and remembers we are dust. His grace is sufficient, and His power is perfected in our weakness. So continue steadfast in prayer, giving thanks for His goodness in all things, and He will grant both bodily refreshment and purity of soul according to His mercy.
For the health of those you love and the healing of the one you name, recall how the Lord touched Peter’s mother-in-law. The fever left her at once, and she arose in full strength. No lingering convalescence, no gradual recovery, Christ’s power is immediate and complete. He is the same physician today. Lift them to Him with confidence, believing that His will works for their good, whether by deliverance from sickness or by the patience that glorifies Him in weakness. Do not despair if healing tarries; the Word that upholds the universe is not deaf to your cry. He often delays only to increase your trust and to reveal His strength.
And against those lustful thoughts, take heart. You are not alone in this war. The enemy assails many with the desires of the flesh, just as he tempted our Lord with the cravings of the belly and the allure of vainglory. But God is faithful. He will not permit you to be tempted beyond what you can bear; with the temptation, He will provide the way of escape, that you may endure it. When the unclean thought rises, do not parley with it. Flee to prayer, strike it down with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. That Word is living, sharper than any two-edged blade, piercing to the marrow and discerning the intents of the heart. Let it dwell in you richly, and it will cut away the noxious root. And do not grow proud if you resist for a season, nor despair if you stumble; rather, run to Christ, who came not to condemn but to save. He knows our frame and remembers we are dust. His grace is sufficient, and His power is perfected in our weakness. So continue steadfast in prayer, giving thanks for His goodness in all things, and He will grant both bodily refreshment and purity of soul according to His mercy.
