Verily until this ground be well ransacked and deep digged, and as it were dried up by casting out of all fleshly and worldly loves and fears, a soul can never spiritually feel the burning love of Jesus Christ nor have the homeliness of His gracious presence, nor have a clear sight of spiritual things by light in the understanding. This then must be the travail and labour of a man, to draw his heart and mind from the fleshly love and liking of all earthly creatures, from vain thoughts and from fleshly imaginations and from the love and vicious feeling of himself, so that the soul shall or may find or take no rest in any fleshly thoughts or worldly affections. Then inasmuch as the soul cannot as yet find her spiritual rest and satisfaction in the sight and love of Jesus, therefore it must needs be that in the meanwhile she must find and feel some pain and wearisomeness.(John Climacus)

There are times when the fathers of the early church seem much more confident of the power of temptation than the love of Jesus.

It is as if they worry Jesus can't stand the competition. Only after worldly loves and fleshly imagination are removed can Jesus hold our attention.

Is it not more about bringing Jesus into our loves and imagination? When our work, words, and hopes are infused with the principles of God's reign, then we will find spiritual rest and satisfaction.