Awareness

OBJECTIVE

In this orthodox spirituality module, students will learn how to both theoretically and practically turn their lives away from the worldly and towards the spiritual. Through the Holy Bible and the sayings of the fathers, they will learn how to engage in reflection upon their thoughts and their actions. They will be taught then to use those reflective tools to make practical changes in their lives that would conform them more and more toward the image and Likeness of God.

INTRODUCTION - 10 Minutes

Warm-up discussion:

Partner students up in groups of two or three and ask the following question:

  • Do you believe it is a sin to have a bad thought? Please discuss and be ready to share.

Using a timer, give the class 2 minutes to discuss with their partners. After that, have students share their thoughts and evaluate what they already know about Sin.

HOLY SCRIPTURE - 5 Minutes

Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. James 1:13-15

CONTENT (KEY POINTS) - 35 Minutes

Stages of sin:

Within the heart (Assault)

  • What to know
    • Evagrius of Pontus said "We have learnt, after much observation, to recognize between Angelic thoughts, human thoughts and thoughts that come from demons."
    • Thoughts are coming into our minds thousands of times every day and oftentimes these thoughts are neutral.
    • Thoughts are NOT sinful, they are simply thoughts. Even the most evil of thoughts that pass through our minds may have been a suggestion of the demons. But just because you have the thought, does not make it sinful.
  • What to do
    • The thoughts that lead to sin are typically a reflection of our "desires" according to St. James above.
    • We must always be reflecting upon what we desire most "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21)
    • We can not simply get rid of our desires that may lead us to sin, we must instead replace them with desires that will lead us to God.
      • The Jesus Prayer
      • The Agpeya
      • Holy Reading
      • Spiritual Songs
      • Service
      • "Above all things have fervent love for one another, for 'love will cover a multitude of sins.'" (1 Peter 4:8)

Acceptance

  • What to know
    • Oftentimes, evil thoughts will not simply come and go but rather they will linger because we begin dialoguing with them.
    • This is what St. James spoke of when he mentions being "drawn away" and "enticed" by our own desires.
    • We must be aware that we are not forced to be drawn away or enticed by these desires, but instead St. Mark the Ascetic says:
      • "No sin could have dominion over us, unless we accept it by our own free will..."
    • Once we accept these desires they become sinful and lead towards sinful actions and sinful habits
    • "Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?" (James 4:4)
    • The worldly thoughts are categorized as follows by St. John:
      • the lust of the flesh
      • the lust of the eyes
      • the pride of life
  • What to do
    • Build up within yourself a serious desire to know and love God. Without this you will not even notice yourself dialoguing and then accepting sinful thoughts.
    • If you notice yourself dialoguing and then accepting worldly/sinful thoughts, bring this to your father of confession at once, before any actions are committed.
      • Do not be afraid to bring this to your father of confession. They know what it is like to struggle with sinful desires and thoughts and what it is like to grow up
      • Illustration from "The Paradise of the Fathers:" You can't stop a bird from flying over your head, but you can keep it from building a nest in your hair." Birds of course being evil thoughts.
    • Sin = Desire + opportunity (enticement)
      • So avoid any situations that would give you an opportunity to act on these thoughts. If you know that you struggle with anger and angry thoughts, try to avoid situations that give you the opportunity to increase and express your anger.

An Act

  • What to know
    • When St. James speaks of a desire "conceiving," he is referring to what happens when accepting those evil thoughts grows into a sinful action.
    • This can happen both externally and even internally
      • Internal sins are those which our Lord spoke of when he said, "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:27-28)
      • External sins happen when we act upon our evil desires. For example, if we struggle with angry thoughts, this would become an external sin if we yelled angrily at another person.
    • Especially before these sinful actions become habits they stir many feelings within us: Sometimes we may feel shame, guilt, and fear and other times we may feel pleasure and a desire to do the same thing again.
    • If we do not counteract these sinful actions they can grow out of control.
  • What to do
    • "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21)
      • In order to overcome an evil act, we must overcome it with a good act.
    • Repent and Confess
      • Ask God for forgiveness in prayer. Pour your heart out to him. Recite Psalms such as Psalm 50: Have mercy on me, O God, according to your great mercy...
      • Oftentimes people think "Well it was only one time. I will never do that again. I do not have to tell my father of confession right away." This is not true Go to your father of confession immediately

A Habit

  • What to know
    • Here we meet what St. James referred to as sin that is "full-grown" and leads to death.
    • Typically our sins become habits because we love ourselves far more than we love God and so can not imagine giving up or facing those things which satisfy our desires. This is what St. Paul refers to in Romans 6 when he uses the phrase "Slaves of sin."
    • It can be incredibly difficult to overcome these sinful habits which is why Christ said "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." (Luke 18:27)
  • What to do
    • Keep up the cycle of repentance, confession, and Communion with permission from your father of confession.
    • Avoid despair and complacency
      • "Do not fall into despair because of stumbling. I do not mean that you should not feel contrition for them, but that you should not think them incurable. For it is more expedient to be bruised than dead. There is, indeed, a Healer for the man who has stumbled, even He Who on the Cross asked that mercy be shown to His crucifiers, He Who pardoned His murders while He hung on the Cross. 'All manner of sin,' He said, 'and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men,' that is, through repentance." (Isaac the Syrian)

ACTIVITY - 10 Minutes

Re-emphasize the original question discussed in the introduction:

  • Do you believe it is a sin to have a bad thought?

Have students collectively share their current thoughts and discuss as a class.