In Report to Greco, renowned writer Nikos Kazantzakis recounts a profound conversation with Father Makarios, an old monk.
Kazantzakis asked, “Do you still wrestle with the devil, Father Makarios?”
After a moment of reflection, the monk replied, “Not any longer, my child. I have grown old, and he has grown old with me. He no longer has the strength… I wrestle with God.”
Surprised, the young writer asked, “With God! And you hope to win?”
The monk answered, “I hope to lose, my child. My bones still resist, but I hope to lose.”
This exchange sheds light on the evolving nature of human and spiritual challenges. In youth, struggles often center around temptations like pride, ambition, wealth, and sensuality—in essence, wrestling with the devil. However, as people age, these battles shift inward. Life’s later stages prompt reflection on deeper questions—about meaning, relationships, and one’s relationship with God. The struggle moves from external temptations to an internal wrestling with the resistance to surrender control and allow God to lead.
In later life, the real challenge becomes the willingness to let go and trust fully in God’s path. It is not about fighting external forces but overcoming the inner urge to cling to self-protective instincts and rationality. This struggle is about deciding whether to resist or relinquish control—and in doing so, to experience true spiritual growth and transformation.
Approaching this inner wrestling with humility, openness, and deep reflection leads to greater spiritual maturity, allowing individuals to forge a deeper connection with the divine, others, and the universe.
Notes
Kazantzakis, N. (1965). Reports to Greco (P. A. Bien, Trans.). Touchstone Book.
