It’s been the sixth month of a full-scale war: 160 days and the same number of nights, more than 3,840 hours of fear, anxiety, loss, change, and uncertainty about tomorrow. Therefore, fatigue, primarily psychological, moral exhaustion, and the decline of spiritual strength are quite understandable.
This was emphasized by the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All Ukraine.
But I’d like to warn you that they are very dangerous and could serve the devil’s insidious plans.
To defeat the enemy, we must remain strong. As ordinary people, we can experience a variety of emotions and fears, which is normal. But as children of God, we must not concede to their power and become their slaves – we must fight, wage our own inner struggle for victory, in order to be free.
Everything in life is not accidental and nothing happens in vain: if the Lord gave us the cross, then He will also give the strength to carry it. All trials and any life circumstances that befall us have a deep meaning laid down by God. ” Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10: 29-31).
We cannot grasp the whole “picture” of God’s plan to overcome evil so we only see a small part of it. But the Lord directs everything for good, for the preservation and salvation of humanity in general and each person in particular. He helps all good, and stops evil, and turns it to good consequences. It is the fate of our generation to protect Ukrainian children, to put an end to the spread of the hateful doctrine of the “Russian world,” to preserve the unique heritage of our ancestors, our history, our deep and glorious roots, in the end – to put an end to the lies and understand who is our true friend, and who’s been a wolf in sheep’s clothing from the start.
Therefore, I urge you: do not lose heart and do not give up! Because if you succumb to spiritual fatigue, its “fruits” will be depression, hopelessness, sorrow, despair, indifference, hardness of heart, and frustration. And this is precisely what our enemy needs in order to defeat us. Now is not the time to quarrel, get mad, and, as a result, lose our cohesion. Because the strength of our people lies in unity and mutual support.
If you feel spiritual exhaustion, say a prayer to support your spirit. This is the best healing balm for the soul. The Lord gave us the opportunity to renew and gain strength. And spiritual renewal is facilitated by the connection with God through prayer and in the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Your Immaculate Mother and all the saints, have mercy on us! God the Great, the One, save Ukraine for us!
