What is willpower and how does it weaken?
The talk addresses the issue of human will: its origin, how it weakens, and the spiritual and practical means to strengthen it. The essence is that man was created with a free will prepared for good because he is “in the image of God,” but it is exposed to deviation by sin, passions, habits, and external pressures.
Causes of the weakening of the will
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Passions: any passions of the heart (bodily or for positions or glory or authority) that seize the mind and justify for themselves the ways and means until they dominate the person.
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Habits and character: a repeated sin becomes a habit, then a character that enslaves the person and weakens his will.
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Temptation and the general current: approaching sources of temptation causes the will to weaken, therefore prevention by keeping away from temptations is essential.
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External pressures and weak personality: insistence and pressure (from family, bosses, or the general current) and fear and hesitation exhaust the will.
Practical examples from Scripture and history
The lecture cites the words of Paul the Apostle (Romans 7) and events from the Old Testament (Absalom, the story of Naboth’s field and Ahab) and examples from modern history (Taha Hussein, Mary Mark) to show how the will is defeated by passion and habit or wins through strong will.
How the will is strengthened practically and spiritually
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Training self-control and forcing oneself: compelling the self to prayer and good works until love and true obedience arise.
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Resisting passions from their beginning: confronting early before they take root in the mind and heart.
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Fear of God and spiritual awareness: that the fear of God becomes a factor to refrain from sin.
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Spiritual guidance and repeated encouragement: the encouraging word and spiritual support strengthen the will when it weakens.
Spiritual conclusion from a Coptic Orthodox perspective
Will is a divine gift related to the image of God in man, but it is threatened by sin, passions, and habituation. The way to sanctify the will is the training of the self, repentance, reliance on the fear of God, and living within the church life and spiritual guidance. The believer strong in will does not submit to the general current or pressures, but becomes an agent of reform and love within society.
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