A lot of things in human souls are disordered. Up to this point in the story, it doesn’t matter why this is so -- whether because of original sin or because we are still half-ape. Either way, we are pretty badly messed up. The most conspicuous symptom is that we desire all sorts of things that aren’t good for us to desire.
The plot thickens: We try all sorts of things to fix ourselves, only to discover that although there are certainly things that we can do -- I wrote about that yesterday -- yet our efforts have limited results. Though divine grace exceeds our natural powers, even grace demands our cooperation, and God doesn’t promise to heal every ill in this life. So we give up on all that.
Instead, we imagine that the way to be fixed isn’t to desire what is good, but to get what we desire. If only we get it, we’ll be okay. If we do get it, as sometimes happens, then we wonder why all that satisfaction isn’t more satisfying.
At this point the quantitative fallacy kicks in. Getting what I want didn’t fix me. Why not? Ah, I get it: I must need even more of what I want. Then I’ll be okay.
No, divine healing requires divine hope and divine perseverance. Keep your lamp trimmed. If your eyes are too dim to see the wick, ask for help. Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes with the morning.