Discouragement in spiritual poverty

[BarbaraTherese]

Discouragement is the enemy of your perseverance.
If you don’t fight against discouragement, you will become pessimistic first and lukewarm afterwards.

Be an optimist.

- Saint Josemaria Escriva​

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To discourage a soul is one of the favourite weapons of Satan, and especially that soul that is entirely conscious of its shortcomings and failures and striving to persevere in spite of them. I need to fight discouragement which often will mask as a humility - an entirely false humility! It is not easy to persevere when all my good aspirations crash around me and despite all my efforts and hopes, I find I am simply ‘the same old same old’ as I was yesterday and all my yesterdays. Perseverance can be indeed heroic virtue…called “fortitude” - staying strong in spiritual adversity.
Persevering in the face of adverse circumstances including my own spiritual poverty is a cross and one that can lead to sanctity. Despite the fact that it is all present to me as spiritual failure and nothing else…hence the above quotation from St. Josemaria spoke to me.

 

[Belle10]

Thanks for sharing this BarbaraTherese. :hug1:

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Thanks for sharing this BarbaraTherese. :hug1:

… …Not sure at all that I worded the post well at all, but not to worry!..
Deo Gratius