Divine Support and Patient Endurance

I happened to be suffering from wealth and glory, but for me these things have died, and I do not consider their loss to be heavy. Therefore, I do not spare these things. Having died to them, I do not possess any desire for them at all, from which I live a blessed life.

For it is good 'to die to sin' (Rom 6:2), so that we may live for God and not, like the 'squandering widow' (Luke 21:34), live only to be delivered unto the death of sin. 'For I have not spoken the holy words of my God.' Because of this, I consider all human things to have died to them, since I have not spoken false words concerning God, namely, because I have not stumbled in anything but am 'righteous'—this he says according to the one saying, 'I have no conscience against myself' (Ps 26:4)—or because the things spoken in testimony toward God he showed to be not false, as it is said concerning him: 'and he did not give foolishness to God' (Num 23:19).

For by the words of God, which testify to Him, his way is found to be in agreement with that which is in virtue. Therefore, he also speaks of God's virtuous deeds of himself according to the one saying, 'Not I, but the grace of God with me' (2 Cor 12:9). And it is also an indication of being disciplined by God that he says, 'For I have not spoken the holy words of my God.' Nothing appears less unformed from God than actively showing that: 'do not boast in your wisdom' (1 Cor 10:7). For he confesses all things to God.

For it is useful not to cast oneself upon oneself, which the divine word again exhorts: 'Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong in his strength, nor the rich in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows the Lord' (Jer 9:23). We have examples in the Scriptures of the ungodly boasting and trusting in themselves: Goliath and Pharaoh, who did not long for what they hoped for, 'their pride being quenched.' And 'those claiming to be wise become fools' (1 Cor 3:19) according to the saying. But also concerning those boasting in wealth it is said: 'Do not fear when a man becomes rich and when the glory of his house increases, for he shall not take all by dying' (Prov 23:5). For either he will leave the same things himself, or the same things will leave him when change has occurred.

But the holy man, casting nothing upon himself, entrusts all to God. 'For what is my strength, that I endure? Or what is my time, that my soul is sustained? Is the strength of stones my strength?'

“Or are my fleshly parts made of bronze? Or did he not rely upon them? But help from me has ceased. Mercy failed me, but the Lord's oversight looked down upon me.” (Job 10:18). Being loving, he wants to instruct his friends, so that they do not wonder why he endures such a heavy burden of painful things, and to show them that, if not by a divine calculation, he would not have borne these things given human weakness—for by what strength, he asks, do I endure these things, or for what length of time will I be able to live enduring these? My strength is either of stone or my flesh is bronze, so that I do not feel the pain through them? —so that they do not despise patience by remaining unfeeling. For some even reason about the martyrs that they do not feel the pains, which would deny them virtue.

But he also wants them to grasp this with their mind, that he does not suffer because of sin, saying: “Did he not rely upon it?” (Job 13:15). And to this he adds, hinting at the forgiveness from God: “But help has ceased. Mercy failed me, but the Lord's oversight looked down upon me,” so that from these they may understand that the saint, being conscious of these things happening to himself, bears them bravely standing against the one questioning, having believed that even if the Lord pardoned him by forgiving the one who asked, he was encouraging him to endure. Such also the blessed David sings, saying: “Waiting, I waited for the Lord, and he attended to me.” (Psalm 40:1). And it is possible that he says these things in his rebuking outburst: “You think so, that both the help and the oversight of the Lord looked down upon me.” He himself knows that for the sake of testing, God delivered him, as “blessed is the man who endures temptation, for having been proven he will receive the crown of life, which he rejoiced in for those who love him.” (James 1:12). “My closest ones did not attend to me, like a mountain stream leaving or like a wave passing me by.” (Psalm 31:11). And this happened to him for testing; for the absence of friends in afflictions is no small pain. Enduring this tribulation, the holy David also sang: “They looked to the right and looked, and there was none recognizing me.” (Psalm 31:13). And if even the invisible powers of the saint through his virtue...