http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/2011/10/25/nd-the-lord-is-become-a-refuge-for-the-poor-man-a-helper-in-times-of-well-being-and-in-afflictions-psalm-98-laziness-forgetfulness-and-ignorance/ McKinney TX Homilies, scripture commentary, spiritual reflections Tue, 21 May 2013 19:41:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/2011/10/25/nd-the-lord-is-become-a-refuge-for-the-poor-man-a-helper-in-times-of-well-being-and-in-afflictions-psalm-98-laziness-forgetfulness-and-ignorance/comment-page-1/#comment-19587 Deborah Wed, 26 Oct 2011 01:47:38 +0000 http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/?p=3876#comment-19587 <strong><em><span style="color:black">"...(I think in many ways the latter two passions are quite the same in their results, as a lazy man is always fearful when faced with something that should rouse him to action, because he is unaccustomed to labor)." </span></em></strong>   <span style="color: black">In myself I find that faintheartedness and anxiety both precede <em>and</em> follow stony insensibility and sloth. <em> It is a terrible vicious cycle.</em>  Because I lack sufficient faith, I am anxious over all the complexities and burdens of my life.  In the attempt to escape this anxiety, I shut down, run away to distractions that dull my senses, making me forgetful and leading to 'stony insensibility'.  But then, as you have written, when I am faced with a new challenge, my sluggishness, slothfulness and insensibility make it hard for me to muster the energy to deal,<em> leading to more anxiety</em>, thus continuing the cycle.  </span>   <em>Pray for me! </em> "…(I think in many ways the latter two passions are quite the same in their results, as a lazy man is always fearful when faced with something that should rouse him to action, because he is unaccustomed to labor)."
 
In myself I find that faintheartedness and anxiety both precede and follow stony insensibility and sloth.  It is a terrible vicious cycle.  Because I lack sufficient faith, I am anxious over all the complexities and burdens of my life.  In the attempt to escape this anxiety, I shut down, run away to distractions that dull my senses, making me forgetful and leading to 'stony insensibility'.  But then, as you have written, when I am faced with a new challenge, my sluggishness, slothfulness and insensibility make it hard for me to muster the energy to deal, leading to more anxiety, thus continuing the cycle. 
 
Pray for me!

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