The Tough Act of Forgiveness

   It is important to strive and struggle in life against our vices/darkness. Not necessarily beating them always; although, that is good, but continuing to battle our darkness. God sees our struggles regardless if we ever triumph over our vices or not. The theme is that we continue to make an effort. So if a person struggles with cigarettes, but he never fully quits, the striving to quit is as good to God as if the person had thrown his pack of cigarettes away forever. What is not good is if we quit struggling and say it is not possible!
  

   The story of the monk who got his alcohol drinking down to one drink a day from many drinks a day is an example of striving. His fellow monks always accused him of being a drunk and complained of him to the Abbot repeatedly. When the monk died, the Abbot gathered the monks and told them that many of them were foolish in their accusations of this monk because of his drinking. He told them that many of the monks present were heading to hell because of their darkness in criticizing someone that now is with God, in peace with God; yet, not because he ever fully beat his addiction, yet due to he continued to fight and struggle with it. Eventually, through his efforts, the best he could do was one drink. And this was considered worthy to God.


~ anonymous

(This was told to me by a priest years ago and I found it profound)