In what is something of a paradox, our quest for inner peace and happiness is such that when it is attained—even only partially—it exposes us to spiritual danger. And this is because the peace and cessation of the struggle can induce complacency. Then by careless neglect of inner vigilance we expose ourselves to the attacks of our ancient enemy. Hence, the Lord warning to the Israelites that when they take possession of the Promised Land and have eaten their fill, they are to take care to not forget the Lord. Unfortunately, this is exactly what they did and, as we know, the consequences were disastrous. Awareness of these facts helps us understand and value the insistence of the Desert Fathers that without temptations and struggle, no one can be saved. For in the relentless assaults of temptation we are more likely to remember the Lord and cry out to him in our distress and need. Conversely, in the absence of temptations we veer towards complacency and are more vulnerable to those deadly sins of pride and vainglory, sins that risk severing our relationship to God altogether. However, since inner peace is good and worthy of our desire, the saints have shown that instead of simply striving for inner peace, we should seek that authentic inner peace that can coexist with temptation and struggle—indeed, a peace that helps us endure this vale of tears until we finally enter that eternal peace in which God will be all in all, and temptation and struggle will be no more.