Diligence Overtakes Sloth
Diligence Overtakes Sloth. One of the cardinal or key virtues, that of fortitude, helps us in the forming of the virtue of diligence. Being diligent means being consistently oriented toward the good. It helps us take the desire and aspiration for good and make it practical and real. The strength (fortitude) when exercised in very human or even seemingly mundane duties forms a habit of diligence. We become consistent in our ability to choose the good. We know God is the greatest good and so the exercise of actual movement in the direction of choosing the good is essential. How amazing to think doing our daily duties, when done out of love for God and as a way of exercising self-discipline and diligence can help us in our spiritual lives.
By contrast, sloth is an apathy towards the good and can even end us up with a lack of desire for spiritual things. The giving in to the lack of discipline can be a slippery slope. Rejoicing in the Lord and delighting in Him isn’t just a saying. It’s a real injunction we ought to take seriously and follow with constancy by choosing the good for love of Him.
We tend to think about and move towards what we keep in the forefront of our minds. We can think about uprooting any of the vices but how beautiful when we ponder the love, goodness, and beauty of the Lord. There’s a supernatural attractiveness toward Him because He is the ultimate good. As we allow these things to fill our minds, hearts, and speech they become that much more what animates our lives in all areas. We look back after some time and see how far the Lord by His grace has brought us. The pressure isn’t on us to transform ourselves. The Holy Spirit is the Sanctifier. We simply need to cooperate – work with – His grace and allow Him to transform us from glory to glory. When we give the Lord our five loaves and two fish, He multiplies our meager offerings. Let’s trust in His goodness and power to do far more than we can ask or imagine!
May the Lord give you peace!
Margaret
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