The Will

This lecture focuses on the strength of the will in spiritual life, explaining that loving goodness alone is not enough unless it is accompanied by a strong will capable of action and resistance. His Holiness Pope Shenouda III explains that weakness of will is the main reason a person falls into sin despite knowing and desiring what is good.

Main Idea

The will is the executive power in a person’s spiritual life; the conscience guides and warns, but the will chooses and acts. Therefore, a person needs an aware, alert, and trained will.

Spiritual Teachings

• Weakness of will often results from living in the environment of sin or remaining too long before temptation.
• Staying away from the causes and material of sin is essential for strengthening the will, especially at the beginning of spiritual struggle.
• Speed in resisting thoughts or desires is necessary, because delay weakens the will and opens the door to falling.
• The will is strengthened through means of grace: prayer, the Bible, sacraments, spiritual meetings, and confession.
• A healthy spiritual environment uplifts the heart and gives inner immunity against sin.
• Self-compulsion and continuous spiritual training (such as fasting and guarding the senses) turn what is difficult into something natural over time.
• Gradual progression in sin is dangerous; therefore, evil must be cut off from its roots without tolerance for small beginnings.
• Seriousness, commitment, and refusal to compromise with sin are essential elements in building a strong will.

The lecture emphasizes that when a person declares rejection of sin and struggles sincerely, God’s grace comes to support him, because God works with those who desire and strive, not with the careless or hesitant.

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