After the Bible, The Imitation of Christ is the all-time favorite book of Catholics throughout the world. Thomas à Kempis’s masterpiece speaks to the soul about the fleeting nature of earthly pleasures and how they pale in comparison to eternal joy. Read on for a guide on resisting temptation.
As long as we live in this world we cannot be without tribulation and temptation. Hence it is written in Job: “The life of man upon earth is a warfare.” (Job 7:1). Therefore ought everyone to be solicitous about his temptations, and to watch in prayer, lest the devil, who never sleeps, but “goeth about seeking whom he may devour,” find room to deceive him. (1 Ptr. 5:8). No man is so perfect and holy as not to have sometimes temptations, and we cannot be wholly without them.
The Benefits of Enduring Temptation
Yet temptations are often very profitable to a man, although they be troublesome and grievous, for in them a man is humbled, purified, and instructed. All the saints have passed through many tribulations and temptations, and have profited by them; and they who could not support temptations, have become reprobates, and fallen away. There is no order so holy, nor place so retired, where there are not temptations and adversities.
Patience and Perseverance
A man is never entirely secure from temptations as long as he lives, because we have within us the source of temptation, having been born in concupiscence. When one temptation or tribulation is over, another comes on; and we shall have always something to suffer, because we have lost the good of our original happiness. Many seek to fly temptations, and fall more grievously into them. By flight alone we cannot overcome; but by patience and true humility we are made stronger than our enemies. He who only declines them outwardly, and does not pluck out the root, will profit little; nay, temptations will sooner return to him, and he will find himself in a worse condition.
By degrees, and by patience, with longanimity, thou shalt by God’s grace better overcome them than by harshness and thine own importunity. In temptation often take counsel, and deal not roughly with one that is tempted; but comfort him as thou wouldst wish to be done to thyself.
Confidence in God
Inconstancy of mind, and small confidence in God, is the beginning of all evil temptations. For as a ship without a rudder is tossed to and fro by the waves, so the man who is remiss, and who quits his resolution, is many ways tempted. Fire tries iron, and temptation tries a just man. We often know not what we can do; but temptation discovers what we are.
However, we must be watchful, especially in the beginning of temptation, because then the enemy is easier overcome, if he is not suffered to come in at all at the door of the soul, but is kept out and resisted at his first knock. Whence a certain man said: “Withstand the beginning, after-remedies come too late.” For first a bare thought comes to the mind; then a strong imagination; afterwards delight, and evil motion and consent. And thus, by little and little, the wicked enemy gets full entrance, when he is not resisted in the beginning. And the longer a man is negligent in resisting, so much the weaker does he daily become in himself, and the enemy becomes stronger against him.
God’s Plan for Us
Some suffer great temptations in the beginning of their conversion, and some in the end. And some there are who are much troubled, in a manner, all their lifetime. Some are but lightly tempted, according to the wisdom and equity of the ordinance of God, who weighs the state and merits of men, and pre-ordains all for the salvation of the elect.
We must not, therefore, despair when we are tempted, but pray to God with so much the more fervor that He may vouchsafe to help us in all tribulations; who, no doubt, according to the saying of St. Paul, will “make such issue with the temptation, that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Cor. 10:13). Let us, therefore, humble our souls under the hand of God in all temptations and tribulations: for the humble in spirit He will save and exalt.
In temptations and tribulations a man is proved as to what progress he has made; and in them there is a greater merit, and his virtue appears more conspicuous. Nor is it much if a man be devout and fervent when he feels no trouble; but if in the time of adversity he bears up with patience, there will be hope of a great advancement. Some are preserved from great temptations, and are often overcome in little daily ones; that, being humbled, they may never presume on themselves in great things, who are weak in such small occurrences.
ooo
This article is taken from a chapter in The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis which is available from TAN Books.
