Future Goods And Present Troubles

Ὥσπερ οὖν τὰ βάρη ταῖς ἐπὶ τοῦ ζυγοῦ ῥοπαις διακρίνομεν, καὶ τοῦ χρυσοῦ τὴν διαφορὰν τῇ λίθῳ προστρίβοντες δοκιμάζομεν· οὕτω πρὸς τὰ ἐκτεθέντα ἡμῖν πατὰ τοῦ Κυρίου μέτρα τὴν μνήμην ἐπαναφέροντες, οὐδαμοῦ ἄν τῶν ὅρων τῆς σωφροσύνης ἐκπέσοιμεν. Ἐπειδὰν οὖν σοί ποτε προσέσῃ τῆς διανοίας τὴν ταραχήν μὴ παθεῖν, ἔπειτα δὲ τῇ ἐλπίδι τῶν μελλόντων κουφότερα ποιεῖν τὰ παρόντα. Ὥωπερ γὰρ οἱ ἀσθενεῖς τὰ ὄμματα, τῶν ἄγαν λαμπρῶν τὰς ὄψεις ἀπάγοντες, ἐν ἄνθεσι καὶ πόαις προσαναπαύουσιν· οὕτω χρὴ καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν μὴ συνεχῶς καταβλέπειν τὸ λυπηρὸν, μηδὲ τοῖς παροῦσιν ἀνιαροῖς προσκεῖσθαι, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὴν θεωρίαν τῶν ὄντως ἀγαθῶν περιάγειν αὐτῆς τὸ ὄμμα. Οὔτω κατορθωθἠσεται, σοι τὸ πάντοτε χαίρειν· ἐὰν ὁ μὲν βίος σοι ἀεὶ πρὸς Θεὸν ἀποβλέπη, ἡ δὲ ἐλπὶς τῆς ἀντιδόσεως κουφίζῃ τοῦ βίου τὰ λυπηρά. Ἠτιμάαθης; Ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὴν δόξαν, τήν διὰ τῆς ὑπομονῆς ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ἀποκειμενης, ἀπόβλεψον. Ἐζημιώθης; Ἀλλ' ἐνατένισον τῷ πλούτῷ τῷ ἐπυρανίῳ καὶ τῷ θησαυρῷ, ὄν ἀπἐθου σεαυτῷ διὰ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἔργων. Ἐξέπεσες τῆς πατρίδος; Ἀλλ' ἔχεις πατρίδα τὴν ἐπουράνιον Ἱερουσαλήμ. Τέκνον ἀπέβαλες; Ἀλλ' ἀγγέλους ἔχεις, μεθ' ὦν χορεύσεις περὶ τὸν θρόνον τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ εὐφρανθήσῃ τὴν αἰωνιον εὐφροσύνην. Οὗτως ἀντιτιθεὶς τοῖς παροῦσιν ἀνιαροῖς τὰ προσδοκώμενα ἀγαθὰ, φυλάξεις σεατῷ τὸ ἀλυπον τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ ἀτάραχον, ἐφ' ὅ προκαλῖται ἡμᾶς ἡ νομοθεσία τοῦ Ἀποστόλου. Μήτε τὰ φαιδρὰ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων πραγμάτων περιχαρείας ἀμέτρους ἐμποιείτω σου τῇ ψυχῇ, μήτε τὰ λυπηρὰ κατηφείαις καὶ συστολαῖς τὸ γαῦρον αὐτῆς καὶ ὑψυλὸν ταπεινούτω. Μὴ γὰρ οὕτω προπεπαιδευμένος περι τῶν κατὰ τὸν βίον, οὐδέ ποτε ἀκύμονα ζωὴν καὶ ἀτάραχον ζήσῃ. Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, Ὁμιλία Περὶ Εὐχᾶριστίας Source: Migne PG 31.236a-d

As, then, we discern the weights in the movement of the scale and examine the quality of gold by rubbing it against the stone, so if every measure of the Lord given to us we keep fixed in our mind, we shall never exceed the bounds of prudence and moderation. And if then there comes to you any adversity, you shall already have a mind wisely instructed, so that you are not troubled, for then you will account present things slight on account of hope for the future. For as those whose eyes are weak turn them away from things which are too bright, and they are refreshed by flowers and herbs, so also your soul will not ever be downcast on account of grievous things placed before the eyes, nor prostrated by present troubles, with eyes turned to the vision of true goods. So the future benefits, always making you happy, if in your life you always have your sight turned to God, if your hope of reward makes light of and casts down the troubles of life. You have received an insult? But look to the glory that is kept for you in the heavens by endurance. You have suffered material loss? But with steady vision look to the heavenly riches and treasure which is stored up for you by the good works you have deposited. You have been exiled from your homeland? You have a fatherland in the heavenly Jerusalem. You have lost a child? But you have angels assembled about the throne of God where they exult in eternal joy. 1 Thus if you oppose future goods to present evils in this way, you shall acquire in yourself that happiness and tranquillity of soul which the command of the Apostle exhorts of us. 2 Let there not be immoderate joy in your soul birthing happiness and glee because of human success, nor let things sorrowful and averse by grief and narrowness shake you from your joy and sublime state. Do not look to things of this life, as you did before you were educated, lest you never have a quiet and tranquil life. Saint Basil of Caesarea, Homily On Thanksgiving 1 1 Thes 5.16-18 2 Mt 18.10