Never be Idle pt.1

From St. Dimitri of Rostov’s “Instructions; Seek Diligently the Things of Salvation” I will post each paragraph as a separate part. The whole chapter is really wonderful. -Fr. P

“Be zealous, O man, and always be ablaze in your soul; flee despondency and coldness so that you will not hear: since “you were neither cold nor hot … I will vomit you out of my mouth” (Rev. 3:15, 16).
Strive to be watchful and do not waste the time of your life in vanity, for time has been given to you for the correction of the soul and the acquiring of eternal good. Look to it that not one day would pass in vanity – for if you lose the day to vanity,(i.e. wasting time ~Fr. P) then you will never have it again. If a day has passed, it has passed; it is not within your power to return it. Therefore, do not waste your day on emptiness; instead use the given flow of time to perfect yourself. True life is not given to you for vanity, but for this: that you would use each day for profit and be accomplishing the contest for the virtues; never be idle.”