What's the use?

This is a photograph of a sloth.

One day Anthony, a monk, was overcome by thoughts of hopelessness and lack of motivation. He thought he'd give up his monastic life, and go get a job and get married. As he observed negative thoughts beginning to overwhelm him, he cried to the Lord, "I want to stay here and find salvation, but my thoughts keep suggesting that it's all futile. What's the use? How shall I be saved from these disturbing thoughts?"

Once again, an answer was presented to him. He saw a man sitting, weaving baskets, then getting up to pray. He continued to work and pray, work and pray. Anthony heard a voice, "This is what you should do to be saved from your disturbing thoughts." His hopelessness gave way to joy and hope. Anthony continued to work and pray, and watch over his heart, and his troublesome thoughts left him. He was saved from his anguish by a gentle vision giving him simple instructions for living.

When faced with temptation, Anthony had some choices. Should he give in to the negative thoughts that disturbed his peace, and urged him to give up the monastic life? Or should he simply "man up" and force the thoughts away? He knew that he was not strong enough to combat these thoughts on his own. He liked to tell other monks "Do not trust in your own righteousness." In other words, "You're not as strong, upright, and moral as you think you are. You need help, and so do I." Knowing the futility of fighting against temptation on his own strength, he neither gave in to his negative thoughts nor relied on his own strength to save him. He called out for help from the one who is strong enough to help--the Lord.

Seeing his own helplessness in the face of disturbing thoughts forced Anthony to rely on the Lord. Ironically, his helplessness was the gateway to victory over those temptations. Anthony liked to say to his fellow monks, "We all need temptations to be saved." Temptations, if we watch for them, provide an opportunity to ask God for help, and rely more fully on Him. Temptations can break down that harsh master, our own ego. Temptations can produce humility and compassion, and we need them to mature and become closer and more like Jesus Christ.

(Stories taken from Benedicta Ward. Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection. Kalamazoo: Cistercian Publications, 1975, pp. 1-9.)