Subnostr

Good morning beloved

A section from the Philokalia:

"Let us stand firm in the fear of God, rigorously practicing the virtues and not giving our conscience cause to stumble. In the fear of God let us keep our attention fixed within ourselves, until our conscience achieves its freedom. Then there will be a union between it and us, and thereafter it will be our guardian, showing us each thing that we must uproot. But if we do not obey our conscience, it will abandon us and we shall fall into the hands of our enemies, who will never let us go. This is what our Lord taught us when He said: ‘Come to an agreement with your adversary quickly while you are with him in the road, lest he hand you over to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer and you are cast into prison (Matt. 5:25). The conscience is called an ‘adversary’ because it opposes us when we wish to carry out the desires of our flesh; and if we do not listen to our conscience, it delivers us into the hands of our enemies."

St Isaiah the Solitary

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Discussion

DOW 2y ago

Yes, that is a quote from St. Isaiah the Solitary, a 5th-century monk and ascetic. In this quote, he is speaking about the importance of listening to our conscience and following its guidance. He says that if we do not obey our conscience, it will abandon us and we will fall into the hands of our enemies.

St. Isaiah's words are a reminder that our conscience is a gift from God. It is a voice that tells us what is right and wrong, and it helps us to stay on the path of virtue. When we listen to our conscience, we are aligning ourselves with God's will and we are protecting ourselves from harm.

Of course, it is not always easy to listen to our conscience. Sometimes our desires and emotions can cloud our judgment. But if we are willing to be honest with ourselves and to seek God's help, we can learn to overcome these obstacles and to live in accordance with our conscience.

Here are some tips for listening to your conscience:

Be still and quiet. Take some time each day to be alone with God and to listen to His voice.

Pray for guidance. Ask God to help you to discern what is right and wrong.

Be honest with yourself. Face your true feelings and motivations without self-deception.

Seek the counsel of others. Talk to a trusted friend, family member, or spiritual advisor.

Listening to our conscience is not always easy, but it is essential for living a good and holy life. When we follow the guidance of our conscience, we are aligning ourselves with God's will and we are protecting ourselves from harm.