St. Ephraim the Syrian on Conquering Evil Thoughts

Ss. George, John and Ephraim

Know that there are eight evil thoughts that bring about all that is vile: those of lechery, sensuality, love of money, anger, inappropriate grief, despondency, vainglory and pride.

1- If you want to conquer lechery, cherish restraint while having the fear of God and you will conquer it.

2- If you want to conquer sensuality, cherish wakefulness and thirst, ever contemplate death, and never converse with women and you will conquer it.

3- If you want to conquer love of money, don’t cherish acquisitiveness and frugality.

4- If you want to conquer anger, acquire humility and generosity, keep in mind how much evil the Jews did to our Lord Jesus Christ; He did not become angry with them, on the contrary he prayed for them saying: Father forgive them this sin, for they know not what they do.

5- If you want to overcome inappropriate grief, never grieve for anything that is transient. If people injure you with words or upset you or dishonor you, do not grieve, but on the contrary, rejoice. Grieve only when you sin, and even in this case do not go to extremes, that you might not fall into despair and perish.

6- If you want to overcome despondency, take up some handiwork for a short while, or read, or pray fervently.

7- If you want to conquer vainglory, love not praise, nor honor, nor fine clothes, nor precedence, nor favor; but on the contrary, cherish occasions when you are reprimanded and dishonored when false charges are brought against you and reproach yourself for being more sinful than any sinner.

8- If you want to conquer pride, then whatever you may do, say not that you do it by your own labors, or with your own strength. But if you fast, or stand in vigil, or sleep on the bare ground, or sing psalms, or serve in the altar, or do a great number of prostrations, say that it was done with God’s help and protection, not by your own strength and effort.