We must persevere in trusting God for help
3 min • Digitized on September 8, 2025
From The Spiritual Combat, in file "The Spiritual Combat (Dornin edition)", page 23
By Dom Lorenzo Scupoli
CHAPTER VI.
Farther advice of great efficacy for obtaining a diffidence of ourselves and a confidence in God.
As all our force for conquering the enemy, springs from a diffidence of ourselves and a confidence in God, I think it incumbent on me to give some further advice, very necessary for obtaining these virtues.
In the first place, let every one be fully persuaded, that neither all possible qualifications, whether natural or acquired, nor all supernatural gifts or perfect knowledge of the Scriptures, nor even whole ages spent in the service of his Creator, can enable him to do the will of God and comply with his duty, unless the hand of the Almighty supports him as often as any good action is to be done, temptation to be overcome, dangers avoided, or crosses to be taken up, which Providence shall please to ordain. Let him therefore place this truth before his eyes every day, hour, and moment of his life; that he may be ever mindful of it, and thus banish all presumption, never rashly daring to confide in himself.
But in order to acquire an entire confidence in God, we must firmly believe that he is equally able to subdue all his enemies, whether many or few, strong or weak, experienced or inexperienced. Consequently, though a soul should be overwhelmed by sins, though she were subject to all the defects imaginable; though she had laboured in vain to disengage herself from vice, and follow virtue; though she should even find her propensity to evil increase daily, instead of advancing in virtue, yet she must not fail to place her confidence in God, she must not be discouraged, or abandon her spiritual works; on the contrary, she ought to excite herself to new fervour, and redouble her efforts against the enemy. For in this sort of combat, the victory is sure to attend him who has the courage not to throw down his arms, or lay aside his confidence in God, whose assistance is never wanting to such as fight his battles, though he may sometimes permit them to be wounded. Persevere therefore to the end, and on this the victory depends. As to the rest, he who fights for God’s cause, who places his entire trust in him, finds a speedy and efficacious remedy for the wounds he receives; and when he least expects it, sees his enemy at his feet.