In a world where faith can be chosen voluntarily, traditional religious practices become a true key to spiritual growth.

Bridging Volition and Rituals: Cultivating Spiritual Maturity

In a world where faith can be chosen voluntarily, traditional religious practices become a true key to spiritual growth. From the very beginning, a person makes a free decision, yet it is the rituals, sermons, and regular participation in sacraments that serve as the instrument for building a solid foundation of spiritual life. This ongoing dialogue with the commandments not only helps to keep the fundamentals of faith alive but gradually transforms the conscious choice into a natural desire to live by high spiritual principles.

At the core of this idea lies the belief that discipline and rituals become powerful tools in forming a stable and mindful way of living. Despite the initial freedom of choice, these rituals remind us of eternal truths, instilling habits that, with time, transform the observance of commandments into an integral part of our being. It is like a path on which, despite internal doubts and weariness, a person finds the strength to move forward—gaining confidence and steadfastness of spirit, much like a rock upon which the house of faith is built.

Thus, the harmony between voluntary choice and traditional practice shows that spiritual growth is achieved through continuous and conscious self-improvement. The decision to live according to God’s commandments is not a one-time choice—it is a dynamic process in which traditions help to solidify and promote spiritual values, turning them into an inherent part of our lives.

How do we reconcile the idea of voluntary faith with traditional religious practices, such as prolonged sermons?

The voluntary acceptance of faith does not preclude the need for practices; on the contrary, these practices can become an essential tool for deepening and transforming one’s personal spiritual journey. In other words, while a person may initially choose freely, through traditional—even if lengthy—sermons and rituals, they receive a systematic reminder of the commandments and the core principles of their faith. This constant contact with spiritual teachings lays a solid foundation, gradually turning the initial will into a natural aspiration for spiritual growth.

As noted in one of the quotes:
"Relentlessly, whether I want or do not want to, whether I can or cannot, I must force myself to go to church. Tired or not, regardless of my affairs—or if the proper time has passed—I must force myself to prepare for communion and partake in the Holy Mysteries of Christ. ... This is the growth of our faith. Each of us must be like flint. The Lord named Peter 'the stone': 'petros' in Greek means 'rock'. 'You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church.' Likewise, we must be." (source: link txt)

This quote clearly shows that even if faith is initially embraced by free will, traditional practices—such as going to church, taking part in the sacraments, and enduring continuous, even if prolonged, sermons—are means to form a habit of living according to the commandments, a habit that eventually becomes natural and inviolable.

Another example, highlighting the importance of choosing between a passive existence and conscious spiritual development, goes as follows:
"As one person said: being your own servant and master. From the standpoint of common sense, monastic life is madness. But from a spiritual perspective? ... You must choose: either you want to be like a weed that grows on its own, sown by no one, growing as it pleases, or you want to be like a cultivated grain, a wholesome plant." (source: link txt)

Thus, voluntary faith and traditional religious practices, such as prolonged sermons, do not contradict each other. These practices help to consolidate and develop the faith that was initially chosen voluntarily, transforming personal aspiration into a systematic spiritual life based on stable and conscious principles.

Supporting citation(s):
"Relentlessly, whether I want or do not want to, whether I can or cannot, I must force myself to go to church. Tired or not, regardless of my affairs—or if the proper time has passed—I must force myself to prepare for communion and partake in the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Some situation has developed—no matter how much you desire to act sinfully, you must force yourself to act in a Christian manner, regardless of what you feel or think. There is God's commandment—follow it. And gradually we will see that it becomes easier and easier for us to follow the commandments, until we feel that sinning is impossible: we become so accustomed to following God's commandments that sinning becomes almost unthinkable—we wouldn’t even be able to coerce ourselves to do it. That is the growth of our faith. Each of us must be like flint. The Lord named Peter 'the stone': 'petros' in Greek means 'rock'. 'You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church.' Likewise, we must be." (source: link txt)

"As one person said: being your own servant and master. From a common-sense point of view, monastic life is madness. But from a spiritual point of view? He comes out ahead because he has left everything for the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, if we are believers, we must strive to deepen our faith in this way. It is very difficult, given that everyone around us lives differently. It is very hard to be the black sheep. But what can we do? Christ remains the same, and the commandments are the same—nothing in them has changed in two thousand years. The little book I read to you has been read to our ancestors a hundred, two hundred, three hundred, four hundred, five hundred, and six hundred years ago. Both Peter and Fevronia were brought up with that same book and became real people. And we can become like them, or we can become like everyone else. You must choose: either you want to be like a weed that grows on its own, sown by no one, growing as it pleases, or you want to be like cultivated grain, a wholesome plant." (source: link txt)

These statements demonstrate that traditional methods serve as a powerful means for cultivating and supporting voluntarily chosen faith through discipline and the continual interplay of personal choice and communal forms of spiritual experience.