The pursuers are many and all they seek is to destroy. This is where being human makes the dying to self so painful. The soul places all things in the hands of God. It is grateful to God for starting this process of dying to self. It knows that of its own, it wouldn't ever go that far.
Fear often paralyses the soul and the progress has been slow.
The enemies are so close and the level of fear is ever on the increase. This indicates that the soul is making great progress on the path of perfection. The soul waits for the Lord to defend it. It knows that the Lord will act in His justice. It knows the ways of the Lord.