Fear And Evil

Μηδὲν τοίνυν φοβώμεθα τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς φύσεως ἡμιν ἐπαγαμένων, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνα τὰ ἐκ πονηρᾶς ἡμιν ἐγγινόμενα προαιρέσεως· ἐκεῖνα γὰρ ἠμιν τίκτει τὴν κόλασιν. Τοῦτο δὲ λογιζώεθα διηνεκῶς ἐπὶ τῶν συμβαινόντων ἡμιν ἀδοκήτως, ὅτι οὐ διορθώσομεν αὐτὰ ἀλγοῦντες, καὶ παυσόμεθα ἀλγοῦντες· κακεῖνο μετὰ τούτου πάλιν, ὅτι ἐὰν πάθωμέν τι δεινὸν κατὰ τὸν παρόντα βίον ἀδίκως, διαλύομεν πολλὰ τῶν ἁμαρτήματα, καὶ μὴ ἐκεῖ· και γὰρ ὁ πλούσιος οὐδεν ἐνταῦθα δεινὸν ἀπέλαβε, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐκεῖ ἀπετηγανίζετο. Καὶ ὅτι τοῦτο ἧν αἴτιον τοῦ μηδεμιας αὐτὸν ἀπολαῦσαι παραμυθίας, ἄκουσον τί φησιν ὁ Ἀβραάμ· Τέκνον, ἀπέλαβες τὰ ἀγαθα σου, διὰ τοῦτο ὀδυνᾶσαι· ὅτι δὲ καὶ τῷ Λαζάρῳ τὰ ἀγαθὰ μετὰ τῆς άρετῆς καὶ τὸ μυρία ἐνταῦθα παθεῖν δεινὰ προεξένησε, τοῦ πατριάρχου καὶ ταῦτα λέγοντος ἄκουσον. Εἰπών γὰρ τῷ πλουσίῳ, Ἀπέλαβες τὰ ἀγαθὰ σου, ἐπήγαγεν, ὅτι Και ὁ Λάζαρος τὰ κακά· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο παρακαλεῖται. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οἱ ἐν ἀρετῇ ζῶντες καὶ θλιβόμενοι διπλοῦν τὸ κέρδος μαρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ λαμβάνουσιν, οὕτως ὁ ἐν κακίᾳ ζῶν καὶ τρυφῶν διπλῆν ἔξει τὴν κόλασιν. Πάλιν λέγω οὐχὶ τὼν φευγόντων κατηγορῶν (Ψὑχὴν γὰρ τεταπεινωμένην μὴ προσταράξῃς, φησὶν), οὐδε ἐπιτιμῆσαι βουλόμενος (ὁ γὰρ νοσῶν παρακλήσεως δεῖταἰ) ἀλλὰ διορθῶσαι σπουδάζων, μὴ τῇ φυγῇ τὴν σωτηρίαν ἡμῶν ἐγχειρίζωμεν, ἀλλὰ φύγωμεν ἁμαρτίας, ἀποστῶμεν ἀπὸ τῆς ὁδοῦ τῆς πονηρᾶς. Ἐαν ταύτας φυγωμεν, κᾶν μεταξὺ μυρίων ὤμεν στρατιωτῶν, οὐδεὶς ἡμᾶς πλῆξαι δυνήσεται· ἐὰν ταύτας μὴ φύγωμεν, κὰν εἰς αὐτὴν τῶν ὀρέων τὴν κορυφὴν ἀναβῶμεν, πολεμίους ἐκεῖ εὑρήσομεν μυρίους.  Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης ὁ Χρυσόστομος,  Εἰς Τους Ἀνδριαντας

Therefore we should not fear anything from nature, but on account of those things which are born of the evil of our choice; for because of that punishment falls upon us. Let us continually think that we shall not make good by grieving the events which come upon us unexpectedly, and so we shall cease to grieve; and again, that if in this present life we suffer any evil unjustly, that here we discharge many sins, not there; for the rich man received no evil here, and therefore he was scorched there; and that this was the reason why he did not enjoy any consolation, hear what Abraham says, 'Son, you have received your good things; therefore you are tormented.' But as for the good things and virtue of Lazarus and his having here suffered a thousand ills, hear also Patriarch's words. Having said to the rich man, 'You have received your good things,' he says, 'and Lazarus evil things, and for this reason he is comforted.' For as they who live virtuously, and are afflicted, receive a double reward from God, so he who lives in wickedness, and luxuriates, shall have a double punishment. Again, I speak not to accuse those who flee, (it is said: Add not more trouble to a soul that is vexed) nor do I wish to rebuke (for the sick need consolation), but to advance zeal for improvement. Let us not entrust our safety to flight, but rather flee from sins, and so let us depart from the way of evil. If we escape these things, although we be in the midst of a crowd soldiers; none will be able to wound us; if we do not flee these things, though we ascend to the very peak of the mountains, we shall there find innumerable enemies. Saint John Chrysostom, from On the Statues