In a prior post about Dostoevsky, I mentioned Isaac the Syrian, a Christian mystic and ascetic who lived in Seventh Century. I picked up a lovely little book called Daily Readings With St. Isaac of Syria. It’s part of a “Daily Readings” series published by Templegate Publishers, a small independent publisher of classics in Christian spirituality. I definitely plan to pick up more of the volumes in this series.
As evangelicals, we’re tempted to shy away from ascetics like Isaac. Weren’t they trying to earn God’s favor? Wasn’t their abuse of the body more Gnostic than Christian? I think it’s helpful, though, to think of them on their own terms as people of their times. We think the world is chaotic, difficult and uncertain today — imagine what it was like to live in the 600’s! Surely there are aspects of the theology and practices of the ascetics that we would consider out of balance, but surely Christians living 1400 years from now will say the same about us (if the Lord doesn’t return before then). At the same time, there are beautiful themes in many of their writings that can inform and deepen our faith. In their writings, we often see that, within their own contexts, they were trying to understand faith, grace, repentance and the Christian life, just as we are today.
So, here is a selection from Isaac, on weakness:
Blessed is the person who knows his own weakness, because awareness of this becomes for him the foundation and beginning of all that is good and beautiful.
For whenever someone realizes and perceives that he is truly and indeed weak, then he draws in his soul from the diffuseness which dissipates knowledge, and he becomes all the more watchful of his soul.
But no one can perceive his own weakness unless he has been remiss a little, has neglected some small thing, has been surrounded by trials, either in the matter of things which cause the body suffering, or in that of ways in which the soul is subject to the passions. only then, by comparing his own weakness, will he realize how great is the assistance which comes from God.
When someone is aware that he is in need of divine help, he makes many prayers. And once he has made much supplication, his heart is humbled, for there is no one who is in need and asks who is not humbled. ‘A broken and humbled heart, God will not despise.’
As long as the heart is not humbled it cannot cease from wandering; for humility concentrates the heart.