Fruit of the Spirit
The last “fruit” is “self-control” or engkrateia, something like an internal monitor or compass or control button, the ability to grasp oneself to do the right thing and not do what one might desire to do.
There are two systems in the mind: System 1 is “automatic, quick, and reactive.” System 2 “requires focused attention and effortful mental engagement.” Quick study vs. slow thinking. There’s a time and place for each. Life in System 1 is dangerous and reckless and impulsive. Self-control knows the difference and guides us to the right one. System 2 conquers impulsiveness.
Will power is not enough.
We need the Spirit. To pause long enough to invoke the Spirit, to turn to God, and to God’s ways. The pause is space for the Spirit to take over.
And a wise mind that knows the differences between important and urgent, important and not urgent, not important and urgent, and not important and not urgent (The Eisenhower Matrix).
Scot McKnight
View from the front porch:
Houston?, I’ve got a problem!
…when he reads…yawns plenty and easily falls into sleep. He rubs his eyes and stretches his arms. His eyes wander from the book. He stares at the wall and then goes back to his reading for a little. He then wastes his time hanging on to the end of words, counts the pages, ascertains how the book is made, finds fault with the writing and the design. Finally he just shuts it and uses it as a pillow. Then he falls into a sleep not too deep, because hunger wakes his soul up and he begins to concern himself with that.
Acedia & Me: A Marriage, Monks, and a Writer’s Life, Kathleen Norris (p. 5)
The greatest test of faith comes when we encounter circumstances beyond our control. These days are such times. With the pandemic, followed by a serious medical trauma I have found myself floundering, struggling; unable to manage life as previously (not to imply I was managing successfully, but at least I had the comfort of an illusion that I was). Despite the fact I had written about it in the past; I have failed to recognize my struggle is with my besetting sin— acedia. We all have besetting sins,
In the life of every individual, there is a “besetting” sin that can tower like a mountain between the individual and God.
A besetting sin is one to which on account of our constitution, or circumstance or both, we are peculiarly exposed, and into which we most easily and most frequently fall.
… for me it is acedia; for which my sin management tool box is insufficient.
This battle is not about salvation from eternal damnation, it is about overcoming sin that robs us of God’s presence and power that enables us to live as His people in His kingdom on earth now. Acedia, one writer says, is best defined as the opposite of “spiritual joy”.
Acedia is to spiritual health something like what depression is to mental health.
https://jamesgray2.me/2015/10/15/acedia-or-the-last-but-not-least-of-deadly-sins/
It’s an ancient term signifying profound indifference and inability to care about things that matter, even to the extent that you no longer care that you can’t care.
I liken it to spiritual morphine: You know the pain is there but can’t rouse yourself to give a damn.
When I compared the classic descriptions of acedia with the plagues of contemporary society — a toxic, nearly unbearable mix of boredom and restlessness, frantic escapism (including that of workaholism), commitment-phobia and enervating despair — I found the ancient demon of acedia in modern dress.
Kathleen Norris
Symptoms of acedia, lethargy, apathy, hopelessness reveal its sinful core. They demonstrate the erosion of our confidence, faith.. trust that God will keep his word. Acedia is not a momentary lapse, it is cancerous. We are inclined to ignore symptoms allowing it to grow and diminish our faith.
I mostly think of sin as a discrete problem… an error in judgement …an unkind word or action which quickly produces regret and shame. Acedia is different, It does not produce guilt, regret or shame, rather self-pity and lament for being victimized by “it”or “them”.
… my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. Ps 73
I’ve got a lot to think about.
STILL ON THE JOURNEY