Seedy acedia! Deceitful
acedia! This nasty “bad thought” of the
long ago monks appears to very alive and well in our culture. So what can we do about it? Here are some suggestions:
Name it. As I mentioned originally, it seems to be no
small coincidence that the rise in acedia has come with the loss of its name
through the years. What used to be
readily recognized as a sin in the monastic communities, and even in the church
at large for centuries, slowly came to seen as an ailment or a distraction,
such as the “ennui” of the 1600’s, or its later relative, melancholy. But let’s call it what it is: the Enemy’s attempt to lead us away from the
full love of God and His transforming work in us.
Confess it. It is a sin.
When we give in to the temptation to leave the things we know we should do, to follow
our desires for distraction or amusement, we are disobeying.
Change your viewpoint. The monks viewed repetitive work as part of
working out their salvation. They even
rejoiced in it (at times) because it gave them more time to pray. Perseverance and manual labor were at the
core of their spiritual discipline. We
lucky moms get to have plenty of opportunities for both! So the next time you are facing a pile of
dirty dishes in the sink, remember that this is another chance for the “straw”
of the repetitive task to become the “gold” of ceaseless prayer – just as the
monks thought.
Look for times that allow for contemplation. Certain daily tasks are mindless enough that
they free up the RAM/space of our brain for more serious thought. Use those times as the monks did, to meditate
on the goodness of God. Whether we're
pushing the stroller around the neighborhood, weeding the garden, or washing
dishes, we can choose to chew on the Truth of God’s word, instead of immediately
turning to external noise or stimulation.
When you fall down, get up again. When the noon-day demon besets us, or our
weariness threatens to overwhelm in the evenings, be quick to turn back to the
task at hand. The word acedia shows up
so much in the monastic writings because it was a common threat. But they were not content to just give in and
give up. Instead, the monks admonished
one another to “get back up again,” and return to finish the task. Even just following through on one small task
(emptying the dishwasher? Folding that last load of towels?) can often be
enough to drive the acedia away.
Focus on perseverance. One monk who wrote a lot about acedia is
Evagrius Ponticus, who lived in the 4th century A.D. His primary antidote for acedia was
perseverance. Before taking on a task,
he suggested that we decide how much was to be done, and then not turn aside
until it was completed. Of course he
doesn’t account for interrupting toddlers or screaming babies… sometimes moms
have to finish simple tasks in several short bursts. But you get the general idea. Another one of his wise teachings was that it
is not in our power to determine when we will be disturbed by bad thoughts,
such as acedia, but it IS up to us to decide if will keep those thoughts
around. If he was speaking to us today,
I think he’d say something like, “Kick acedia to the curb, people!”
Turn to the Psalms. When we are
particularly beset by acedia’s lies and despondency, it is good to see how
other handled it before us. David and
the other Psalm writers transparently show us how the battles in our minds play
out, and how God can have the victory in our souls. Psalm 42, for example, shows David repeatedly
asking himself why he is so “downcast,” and then he reminds himself to put his
hope in God…. But a few minutes later he is again feeling downcast. God is no stranger to the battles that rage
within us, but as with David, who ends the Psalm with “For I will yet praise
Him, my Savior and my God,” He will ultimately provide the victory.
Recognize that the road is hard, but right. Your work is difficult, dear mom. It is repetitive, it is mundane, it is often
thankless, and the results aren’t seen for a long time. But it is right. This is the road God has put you on, as the
very best thing for you right now. He is
using it to transform you, to make you more like His Son. He loves you greatly and wants you to turn to
Him. Don’t leave the path; don’t look
for escape or other things to distract you.
“We are made for love.
To resist it is to deny who we are. In their reluctance to die to the old self,
those with acedia choose slow
spiritual suffocation to the birth pains of new life. They cannot fully accept
the only thing that would ultimately bring them joy. They refuse the thing they
most desire, and they turn away from the only thing that can bring them life.”
– Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung
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