Avoiding Distractions and Seeking Solitude

In the treasury, and this is all of its own existence. Concerning clothing, do not desire to have extra clothing, providing only what is sufficient for the necessity of the body. Rather cast your care upon the Lord, and He will provide for you. For He, he says, cares about us.

If food or clothing is needed, do not be ashamed to receive those things offered to you by others. For this is a form of pride. But if you yourself abound in these things, give to the one lacking. In this way God wants to manage His own children. For this reason also the Apostle, writing to the Corinthians, was saying concerning the lacking ones: 'That your abundance may be for their lack, so that their abundance may also be for your lack, so that equality may occur, just as it has been written: He who has much, did not increase, and he who has little, did not diminish' (2 Cor 8:14-15).

Having the necessary things for the present time, do not worry about the time to come; for example, a day, or a week, or a year, or months. For when the time of tomorrow has arrived, the time itself will provide the necessary things, as you seek above all the kingdom of the heavens and the righteousness of God. 'Seek,' says the Lord, 'the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you' (Matt 6:33).

Do not acquire a child; lest an opponent should ever move you through this into some scandal, and disturb your mind regarding the care of most expensive foods. For you will not be able to care for yourself alone anymore; even if the thought comes as if for bodily rest, but consider the better thing; I mean the spiritual rest; for truly the spiritual rest is better than the bodily rest. Even if the mind proposes this for the sake of the child's benefit, do not be persuaded by it; for this is not our work; it belongs to others, to the holy fathers who are in community. Care for your own benefit alone, and the way of preserving stillness. Do not love to live with material and crowded people; either dwell alone, or with brothers who are simple and of the same mind. For he who lives with material and crowded people will certainly participate himself in their turbulence, and will become a slave...

You will be led away by human commands, by vain talk, and by all other evils: by anger, by sadness, by the madness of the flesh, by fear, and by scandal. Do not be swept away by parental cares or by kindred friendships; for you must decline even continuous associations with these very people, lest they rob you of the stillness in the cell and draw you into their own circumstances. 'Let the dead bury their own dead,' says the Lord, 'but you, come here and follow me' (Matt 8:22). If even the cell in which you sit is very busy, flee, and do not show mercy to it; do not be overcome by love for it. Do everything, do all things, however you may be able to be quiet and at leisure, and to strive to become active in the wills of God and in the struggle of the invisibles.

6. If you are not able to be easily quiet in your own places, set your intention upon exile, and upon this very thing direct your thought. Become as if you were an excellent negotiator, testing all things for stillness, and holding fast to all things that are quiet and useful for this purpose. But I say to you, love exile; for it delivers you from the circumstances of your own land, and makes you enjoy only the benefit according to stillness. Flee the activities in the city, and endure those in the desert. 'Behold,' says the saint, 'I fled and wandered in the desert' (Ps 18:7). If possible, do not encounter the city at all; for nothing is useful, nothing is helpful, nothing is beneficial to your way of life seeing it there. 'I saw,' says the saint again, 'iniquity and contention in the city.' Therefore, pursue places that are private and undistracted; do not fear having nothing of theirs. And if you see there the phantasms of demons, should you not be terrified? Yet do not flee the station of our benefit; remain without fear, and you will see the greatness of God, the understanding, the care, and all other full assurance regarding salvation. 'I was waiting,' says the blessed man, 'for him who saves me from faint-heartedness and from the storm.' Let not wavering desire conquer your choice; for 'wavering with desire corrupts a good mind.' Many trials come because of this. Fear the slip, and remain settled in your cell.