Little Worlds

It would be difficult to overestimate the damage done by negative, cynical, self-directed thinking in my life. It is worse than immorality, substance abuse, and perversions of many kinds in my estimation. Of course, only God Himself knows how to "rank" sins - but that's not my point. Being created in God's image, whatever thoughts we have give birth to "little worlds". If our thoughts are evil (i.e. originating from our fallen human nature), the worlds we create are places of torment, anxiety, and darkness. And that's not all. When these worlds inevitably unfold, grow, and finally spin out beyond the gravitational pull of our feeble control, then real damage is done. Both to ourselves and to others who are smashed to the ground in our dense and dark little worlds.

Elder Paisios taught:

The devil does not hunt after those who are lost; he hunts after those who are aware, those who are close to God. He takes from them trust in God and begins to afflict them with self-assurance, logic, thinking, criticism. Therefore we should not trust our logical minds. Never believe your thoughts.

Live simply and without thinking too much, like a child with his father. Faith without too much thinking works wonders. The logical mind hinders the Grace of God and miracles. Practice patience without judging with the logical mind.

Evidently, Elder Paisios continually spoke about this issue while he was alive. I've written about it before in Flies and Bees. Some of his teaching on this subject can be found in a book called Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.