Episode 61 -- Spiritual Combat c37 -- Seizing Difficult Moments

In trying to make constant advancement in friendship with God, what do I do when really hard things cross my path?

After explaining the tactics of the devil, Fr. Scupoli gives a series of chapters with specific admonitions, strong pieces of advice, encouragements, on how to make progress in the spiritual life. Here is where we have been:

Chapter 33 — Where to start? Identify and seek to root out predominant passion (desire, hatred, fear, pleasure, sadness, anger)

Chapter 34 — What next? Focus on slowly obtaining one virtue at a time, the virtue contrary to that passion.

Chapter 35 — Everyday? Yes. Daily practices to develop one virtue at a time.

Chapter 36 — Like constantly? Yes, or we go backwards due to our fallen nature. Constant advancement towards the summit of perfection, in which revulsion to virtue ceases, peace reigns amidst labours.

In this episode we look at chapter 37. If we must constantly seek to grow in virtue (patience, for example, or chastity, or humility), this means, it seems, that my old ways of escaping hard moments will be to be changed. Do I really need to be constant in virtue during the really hard situations? YES! This is what chapter 37 is about. We have to take advantage, SEIZE, certain opportunities that are especially difficult. Such challenges are crucial to growing in virtues. They are, in fact, a kind of shortcut!