Venerable Abba Anthony the Great, Egyptian desert dweller
Rejoice in the temptations that will be allowed to you: through them, spiritual fruit is acquired.
Otechnik. Compiled by St. Ignatius Brianchaninov. Ed. Rule of Faith,” repr., M. 1996, p. 18.
St. Clement, Bishop of Rome
Blessed is the man whom the Lord has rebuked; and do not turn away from the admonition of the Almighty, for he causes sorrow and again restores, he smites and his hands heal.
Otechnik. Compiled by St. Ignatius Brianchaninov. Ed. Rule of Faith”, repr., M. 1996.
Elder Paisiy Svyatogorets
This is why I say that a spiritual person has no sorrows. When inIf a person’s love increases and his heart is scorched by divine zeal, then sorrow can no longer find a place in him.
Elder Paisiy Svyatogorets Words vol.III Spiritual struggle. Publishing house "Holy Mountain", Moscow, 2003, p.86.
If a person’s conscience is calm, then even with sorrows, frustrations, and the like, a person feels divine consolation within himself.
III Spiritual struggle. Publishing house "Holy Mountain", Moscow, 2003, p. 152
...a Christian endures sorrows that are imposed on him as medicine.
Elder Paisiy Svyatogorets Words vol. III Spiritual struggle. Publishing house "Holy Mountain", Moscow, 2003, p.290
Saint Gregory Palamas
...if prayer nullifies diseases and cleanses lepers, and gives sight to the blind, and frees from the throats of beasts both on land and in the sea, and keeps alive in the midst of fire, and raises to life from the gates of mortals and resurrects the completely dead, and appears as heavenly crown bearers and conquerors over enemies visible and invisible, delivering wonderful trophies to those who prayed from the heart, then isn’t it obvious that, due to our neglect of prayer and negligence about it, we are overcome by great adversity? Because: “Ask,” says the Lord, “and it will be given to you; seek and ye shall find; press and it will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7-8).
St. Gregory Palamas Conversations (Omilia), part 3, “Pilgrim”, M. 1993, p. 73
The ten lepers resemble the entire human race: because we all fell ill with leprosy, like all those who submitted to sin; ... The Lord, descending from heaven, and taking on our nature, freed him from the sentence for sin. St. Gregory Palamas Conversations (Omilia), part 3, “Pilgrim”, M. 1993, p. 216
Callistus Katafigiot
Every living being, from all that is born, due to its best innate activity, enjoys peace and pleasure to the same extent, finds pleasure in this and therefore strives for it. Thus, a person, having intelligence and, naturally, reflection on life, feels the greatest pleasure and real peace when he thinks about a better state for himself, whether someone wants to call it good or kindness. This state actually occurs in someone who, having God in mind, thinks about the properties of him as a truly Supreme Being, conceivable above the mind, loving man endlessly and beyond reason and preparing high gifts and incomprehensible blessings and beauties for his creatures, moreover, mainly in eternity.
The path to sacred silence. Compiled by A.G. Dunaev, ed. Orthodox Brotherhood of St. Philaret Met. Moscow, M. 1999 (p. 28)
Venerable Gregory of Sinaite
Venerable Gregory of Sinai. Creations. Novospassky Monastery, M. 1999, p.79.
Venerable Mark the Ascetic
Good things are prepared for people for sorrows, and evil things for vanity and pleasure.
2005, page 15
A sad incident reminds a reasonable person of God and evenly upsets someone who forgets about God.
Venerable Mark the Ascetic. “Advice of the mind to your soul”, St. Elisabeth Convent, Mn, 2005, pp. 17
Let every involuntary sorrow teach you to remember God, and you will not lack the motivation to repent.
Venerable Mark the Ascetic. “Advice of the mind to your soul”, St. Elisabeth Convent, Mn, 2005, pp. 17
Any sorrow for God is an essential matter of piety; for true love is tempted by those who are contrary.
Venerable Mark the Ascetic. “Advice of the mind to your soul”, St. Elisabeth Convent, Mn, 2005, pp. 18
Many contrasted many things with involuntary misadventures, but without prayer and repentance no one escaped sorrow.
Venerable Mark the Ascetic. “Advice of the mind to your soul”, St. Elisabeth Convent, Mn, 2005, pp. 23
He who prays intelligently endures sorrow, but he who is vindictive has not yet prayed purely.
Venerable Mark the Ascetic. “Advice of the mind to your soul”, St. Elisabeth Convent, Mn, 2005, page 26
Having been offended by someone, scolded or expelled, do not think about the present, but expect the future; and you will find that he was the cause of many blessings for you, not only in the present, but also in the next century.
Venerable Mark the Ascetic. “Advice of the mind to your soul”, St. Elisabeth Convent, Mn, 2005, page 26
Just as bitter wormwood is useful for those who have poor digestion, so it is useful for ill-tempered people to endure misfortunes. For these medicines serve to some to health, and to others to repentance.
Venerable Mark the Ascetic. “Advice of the mind to your soul”, St. Elisabeth Convent, Mn, 2005, pp. 26
If you don’t want to endure evil, then don’t want to do evil. For this will inevitably follow. “For as a man sows, that will he also reap” (Gal. 6:7)
Venerable Mark the Ascetic. “Advice of the mind to your soul”, St. Elisabeth Convent, Mn, 2005, pp. 27
Do not think that all sorrow comes upon people because of their sins. For some who please God are tempted. For it is written: “The wicked and the wicked will become wives” (Ps. 36:28). In the same way, “those who want to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).
Venerable Mark the Ascetic. “Advice of the mind to your soul”, St. Elisabeth Convent, Mn, 2005, page 35
During sorrow, pay attention to the effect of sweetness: for it, since it consoles sorrow, is pleasant to us.
Venerable Mark the Ascetic. “Advice of the mind to your soul”, St. Elisabeth Convent, Mn, 2005, pp. 35.
Temptations that unexpectedly happen to you, at God’s discretion, teach us to be hardworking and involuntarily draw us to repentance.
Venerable Mark the Ascetic. “Advice of the mind to your soul”, St. Elisabeth Convent, Mn, 2005, page 41
The sorrows that befall people are the product of their own bad deeds. If we endure them in prayer, we will again find growth in our good deeds.
Venerable Mark the Ascetic. “Advice of the mind to your soul”, St. Elisabeth Convent, Mn, 2005, page 41
It is a great virtue to endure what befalls us and, according to the word of the Lord, to love our neighbor who hates us.
Venerable Mark the Ascetic. “Advice of the mind to your soul”, St. Elisabeth Convent, Mn, 2005, pp. 49
The fear of the hyena and the love of the Kingdom give patience in sorrows. And this is not from myself. But from the one who knows our thoughts.
Venerable Mark the Ascetic. “Advice of the mind to your soul”, St. Elisabeth Convent, Mn, 2005, pp. 65
Sorrows are found for former sins, bringing something akin to each sin.
Venerable Mark the Ascetic. “Advice of the mind to your soul”, St. Elisabeth Convent, Mn, 2005, pp. 69
He who endures present sorrows with the hope of receiving future blessings has acquired the knowledge of the truth and will conveniently get rid of anger and sadness.
Venerable Mark the Ascetic. “Advice of the mind to your soul”, St. Elisabeth Convent, Mn, 2005, pp. 71
Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov
Nowadays Christians do not suffer from chains and swords; Let us suffer torment from illness and other sorrows.
Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov. Selected letters. ed. Trinity-Sergius Lavra. 1968 Part I. Letters to Monastics, (No. 87), Page. 75.
Only the one who himself rejects the healing and salvation given to him and all people remains unhealed.
The mercy of God has been poured out on us so abundantly that the most grave sin, repeated by a person a thousand times, can be blotted out by a person’s repentance...
WITHThe most serious sin is despair. This sin humiliates
the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ rejects his omnipotence, rejects the salvation given to him - shows that arrogance and pride previously dominated in the soul, that faith and humility were alien to it. More than from all other sins, one must be guarded as from a deadly poison, as from a fierce beast, oh despair. I repeat: despair is the worst sin among all sins. Mature despair is usually expressed by suicide or actions identical to suicide. Suicide is the gravest sin! The one who committed it deprived himself of repentance and all hope of salvation. The church does not make any commemoration of him, does not honor him with a funeral service, and is deprived of burial in a Christian cemetery.
II . Letters to the Laity, (No. 176), Page 208.
The path leading to the Kingdom of Heaven is narrow and sad. Among its sorrows are illnesses by which the body and soul are cleansed from spiritual corruption. He, before whose eyes is the cross of Christ, is consoled in his illnesses by the illnesses of the Redeemer. He who, looking at his sins, considers himself worthy of eternal torment, rejoices when illnesses befall him in this life.
Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov. Selected letters. ed. Trinity-Sergius Lavra. Ch. I . Letters to Monastics, (No. 93), Page 85
Christ, who by His death trampled the death of men and by His resurrection gave to all who believe in Him, has already won victory over all your sorrows, and with Christ you have also won this victory. Endure the furious waves, endure the pressure of the fierce winds generously, endure with the power of faith - and Christ will lead you in His time to His peace.
II . Letters to the Laity, (No. 214), Page 264.
I am convinced both from the word of God and from the experiences of life that God will certainly send sorrow to whomever he loves. Because without sorrows the heart cannot die for earthly life and come to life for God and eternity... - Thanksgiving in sorrows brings consolation and strength to endure and endure long.
Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov. Selected letters. ed. Trinity-Sergius Lavra. 1968 Ch. III . Letters to family and friends. (No. 333), Page 354
The Holy Fathers advise us to thank God for the sorrows that are sent to us, and to confess in our prayer that we are worthy of punishment for our sins. Thus, the sorrow we accept will certainly serve us as a cleansing of our sins and as a guarantee of eternal bliss.
According to the properties of our nature, which is suffering from the fall, we are most concerned about eliminating our situation (illness or sorrow), and God arranges our eternal position, which we would forget about if our earthly situation were not shaken by sorrows, if sorrows sent from time to time by the providence of God , did not remind us that everything temporary and earthly passes away and that our main concerns should be about the eternal.
Advising sorrows are sent from God to those whom He wants to have mercy on, and decisive and crushing sorrows are sent to the rejected, such as sudden death, loss of reason, and the like.
Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov. Selected letters. ed. Trinity-Sergius Lavra. 1968 Part III . Letters to family and friends. (No. 391), Page 379.
Be content in the midst of excitement, surrender yourself to the will of God, endure illness with joy and gratitude, knowing that the soul is healed by bodily illnesses. Repeat this prayer often: Lord, Thy will be done.
Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov. Selected letters. ed. Trinity-Sergius Lavra 1968.. Ch. II . Letters to the Laity, (No. 221), Page 270.
Soreness makes up for heroic deeds. Illness is a ready salvation when the patient moves away from bad words, thoughts and dreams, when he surrenders to the will of God; when he thanks for the illness that removes him from the world.
II . Letters to the Laity, (No. 244), Page 298.
Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov. Selected letters. ed. Trinity-Sergius Lavra 1968.. Ch. II . Letters to the Laity, (No. 245), Page 298.
...Illness is a teacher of many good things; Moreover, it is a message from God in return and to supplement our insufficient exploits.
Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov. Selected letters. ed. Trinity-Sergius Lavra. 1968 Ch. III . Letters to family and friends. (No. 514), Page 436.
One who is in a sick state is like one who is shackled in heavy fetters from the outside and inside. But it is sent or allowed by God, who “punishes everyone but accepts him.” For this reason, illness is included in the labors by which our salvation is achieved. Every feat requires that it be correct. Then a person strives correctly in the work of his illness, when he thanks God for it. The Holy Fathers classify illness, accompanied by thanksgiving to God and glorification of God for his fatherly punishment, leading to eternal bliss, as two of the greatest monastic feats: silence and obedience.
Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov. Selected letters. ed. Trinity-Sergius Lavra 1968.. Ch. II . Letters to the Laity, (No. 253), Page 302.
I am sending you a spiritual recipe, which I advise you to use the proposed medicine several times a day, especially in moments of increased suffering, both mental and physical. When used, it will not slow down the discovery of the power and healing hidden in medicine that looks the most humble in appearance. When you are alone, say slowly, out loud to yourself, enclosing your mind in words (as St. John of the Climacus advises) the following: “Glory to Thee, our God, for the sorrow sent; I accept what is worthy according to my deeds: remember me in Thy Kingdom”... For the same purpose of the most convenient attention, one is commanded to enclose the mind in the words of prayer; one must pronounce the prayer extremely slowly. After saying the prayer once, rest for a while. Continue praying like this for 5 or 10 minutes until you feel your soul calmed and comforted... The reason for this is clear: the grace and power of God lies in praising God, and not in eloquence and verbosity. Doxology and thanksgiving are acts handed down to us by God Himself—they are by no means a human invention. The Apostle commands this work on behalf of God (1 Thessaloniki 5:18). Let us voluntarily surrender to the will of God: because, whether we want it or not, we are and will remain in the hands of God, although for some time we are presented with freedom in action in order to express your will and heartfelt pledge.
Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov. Selected letters. ed. Trinity-Sergius Lavra 1968.. Ch. II . Letters to the Laity, (No. 254), Page 303.
Through many sorrows, not small, mind you, but many and varied, it is fitting for us to enter the Kingdom of God. This is how the word of God determined it. This same all-holy Word commanded us not to be afraid of sorrows, because they are allowed to us by the providence of God, and the providence of God, allowing them to us, according to their essential necessity and benefit for us, vigilantly watches over us and protects us. Thus, in order to heal a patient, a doctor gives him bitter, disgusting and painful medicines and at the same time carefully looks after him. Believe this and bear the illness that befalls you complacently, thanking God for it.
Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov. Selected letters. ed. Trinity-Sergius Lavra 1968.. Ch. II . Letters to the Laity, (No. 256), Page 304.
Saint Philaret of Moscow
Call on God for help 2006 , (With tr.59)
It is not useless to experience a feeling of detachment from the world during illness, so that even after illness you can adhere to this feeling. It is not surprising if this feeling does not come as easily after illness as during illness: in illness God gives it for the needs of the weak, but in health He demands that he strive to acquire it.
Saint Philaret of Moscow.Call on God for helpPublished by Sretensky Monastery, M., 2006 , (With tr. 93)
Try to patiently and quietly endure the difficulties of illness, thinking that the Lord turns the sorrow endured with patience into medicine and healing of the soul.
Do not be afraid of the difficulty of illness, thinking that the Lord, as the Apostle assures, will not leave you to be tempted beyond your might (1 Cor. 10:13).
Fear and mental anxiety are not conducive to calming the body; peace of the soul, more or less, brings peace to the bodily powers.
Saint Philaret of Moscow.Call on God for helpPublished by Sretensky Monastery, M., 2006 ,(p.196)
You keep thinking: here come sorrows, here are misfortunes that no one has, here are circumstances from which there is no way out, and it is God who looked at you with love, it is God who is approaching you.
Holy Righteous Alexy Mechev (1859-1923)
Please keep in mind, when sorrows occur, that it is the Lord who is paving the way for you into His Kingdom, or even more, taking you by the hand and leading you. Therefore, do not rest your feet and do not shout, but endure sorrows complacently and with gratitude.
Saint Theophan, recluse of Vyshensky (1815-1894)
…If we wish not to imagine every sorrow and temptation as heavy and painful, but to easily endure every attack of the evil one, we will always before our eyes have a joyful readiness to die for the Lord, and as the Lord says, by daily taking up the cross, that is, death, we will follow Him .
Venerable Macarius the Great (IV century)
The Lord helps us in sorrows and temptations. He does not free us from them, but gives us the strength to easily endure them, not even to notice them. If you completely rely on the will of God, then everything will be fine, and the unpleasant will be taken for granted.
Venerable Nikon of Optina (1888-1931)
If now you are bitter and regrettable - even to the point of exhaustion, then in these very moments you will be transported in your thoughts to the eternal future: there is indescribable consolation for those who grieve; there is eternal sorrow for the sensualists! It is better to endure here in grief and sorrow until death, so that after death you will inherit the peace, joy and pleasure of unflickering light.
Monk George (Stratonicus), recluse of Zadonsk (1789-1836)
Cast away from yourself the thoughts of this world and leave the thoughts of your sorrow, embrace the love of Christ with all your soul, with all your heart and with all your thoughts, place all your hope in Christ Himself, the Son of God, deepen your mind in His most holy wounds, follow Him with zeal. , and then you will become His beloved bride and heir to His palace. Because you love Him, He will love you forever in the future life, and because you work for Him now, He will reward you there.
Saint Demetrius of Rostov (1651-1709)
For every true Christian, sooner or later, whether in the middle or at the end of the race, but certainly, according to the definition of God's Providence, the time will come when everything will rise up against him: both severe external temptations and painful internal ones will unite together and fall with their force on the crusader Christ, and then his position will be especially difficult and dangerous.
And so, vividly imagining, when remembering the suffering of Christ, this terrible possibility - to perish under the weight of temptations and disasters, the Christian clearly recognizes the need for prayer to ask for help from God, thinking that if the Lord Jesus Christ Himself turned to the Heavenly Father with a prayer for help, if, amidst temptations, an Angel was sent to Him to strengthen Him, then all the more necessary is help from above for us, clothed in weak flesh and unable to rely on the vigor of our spirit.
If you are exhausted under the weight of the inner cross, then in this struggle no one will help you better than Him, because the inner cross is known to Him to the highest degree. What a difficult spiritual struggle He endured with Himself is evident from the fact that He prayed to His Heavenly Father that His cup of suffering would pass, the cup for which He came to earth. What kind of internal cross He endured at the sight of the traitorous disciple, at the sight of the abandonment of Him by the other disciples and the renunciation of Peter, who swore allegiance to Him, at the sight of the frantic people demanding His crucifixion, the people to whom He had done so much good, at the brutality of the crucifixors and the inhumanity of the blasphemers , who mocked His torment, and, finally, when He was abandoned by the Heavenly Father Himself!
Remember all this, Christian, and an unshakable confidence will appear in you that the Sufferer of Calvary can help all those who are tempted, and this gracious confidence with all its strength will arouse in you zeal for prayer, and you will acquire the most reliable means of overcoming temptations and misfortunes.
Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov) (XX-XXI centuries).
When it becomes very difficult for you, then say from the bottom of your heart: “Lord, I receive what is worthy for my deeds, but forgive me and give me patience, so as not to grumble at You. Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner.” Repeat these words many times until the grief subsides. It will definitely subside if you say it from the heart.
To great regret, for the most part you see and hear grumbling around you and within yourself, unwillingness to obey what the Lord sends, the demand for fair treatment and other insane manifestations of resistance to the will of God. How great is our weakness! How weak is our faith! It’s not our business to argue why this or that happens to us; you need to know that this is the will of God, you need to humble yourself, but demanding, so to speak, an account from God is extreme madness and pride. So everyone should:
1. Demand from yourself (that is, force yourself to do) the fulfillment of all commandments and
2. consider everything that other people do to us, that happens to us without the assistance of people, as the righteous judgment of God for our benefit, our salvation, and humbly endure it all. This will be soul-saving and will bring peace to our hearts. God! Thy Holy will be done.
Hegumen Nikon (Vorobiev) (1894-1963).
If we think about misfortunes greater than those we endure, we will receive sufficient consolation.
When faced with temptation, one must fast.
Thanks be to God for everything! This word inflicts a mortal wound on the devil and in any trouble provides the speaker with the strongest means of encouragement and consolation. Never stop saying it (especially in sorrows) and teach it to others.
Whether we fall into poverty or illness, we will give thanks; if they slander us, let us give thanks; whether we suffer, let us give thanks. This brings us closer to God; through this God becomes our debtor, and when we prosper, then we ourselves become debtors and respondents before God; sometimes, and often, this serves to our condemnation, or even to the cleansing of sins. Adversity encourages mercy and philanthropy; Prosperity leads to arrogance, plunges us into carelessness, makes us arrogant and weakens us.
Saint John Chrysostom (5th century).
Do you want to get rid of sorrows and not be burdened by them? Expect big things and you will calm down.
Place every thought on God, saying: “God knows what is good,” and you will calm down, and little by little you will gain the strength to endure.
Do not be horrified as an unbeliever, but encourage your thoughts of little faith. Love sorrow in everything, so that you may be a skilled son of the Saints. Remember the patience of Job and others and try to follow in their footsteps. Remember the dangers that Paul endured, sorrows and bonds, hunger and many other evils, and say to cowardice: “I am a stranger to you”... Think about the fact that (earthly) things are perishable and short-lived, but patience according to God saves the one who has acquired it .
Venerable Barsanuphius the Great (VI century).
There is no person who does not grieve during training; and there is no person who would not find the time bitter when he drinks the poison of temptation. Without them it is impossible to acquire a strong will. But we are not able to endure temptations. For how can a vessel made of clay (liquid clay) stop the flow of water if divine fire does not strengthen it? If we humbly ask with unceasing desire and submit to God with patience, then we will receive everything in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
...If, as soon as the rod of the Judge approaches us, we humble ourselves, remember our iniquities and bring them to confession before the Avenger, we will soon be delivered from short-term temptations; and if we become hardened in our sorrows, and do not confess that we are guilty of them and deserve to endure even greater sorrows, but we begin to blame people, and sometimes demons, and at other times God’s truth, and claim that we do not deserve such things... then everything that happens to us will cause us constant sadness, our sorrows will increase... But this - to feel our sins - is God's gift that enters our thoughts when God sees that despite all our misfortunes and sorrows we will not depart from the world without receiving any benefit...
In trusting in God, endure deprivation of what is necessary for the body and soon turns into pus. Desire to accept all this in hope of God, without making any deliverance or consolation from anywhere. Cast your sorrow upon the Lord (Psalm 54:23), and in all your temptations condemn yourself as guilty of all this. Do not be tempted by anything and do not reproach anyone who insults you; because you also ate from the forbidden tree, and you acquired different passions.
If a person does not hate his life in the world, because of the desire for the future and blessed life, then he cannot fully endure all kinds of sorrows and sorrows that befall him every hour.
Venerable Isaac the Syrian (VII century).
Whatever grief befalls you, whatever trouble happens to you, say: “I will endure this for Jesus Christ!” Just say this and it will be easier for you. For the name of Jesus Christ is powerful.
Venerable Anthony of Optina (Putilov) (1795-1865).
Enlighten your hearts with this reasoning: “What do these sorrows mean in comparison with the torments of hell, to which they will hand us over for our sins?”
Venerable Isaiah (IV century).
Don't make excuses for yourself and you will find peace.
Venerable Pimen the Great (IV-V centuries).
Often, falling into some kind of temptation, we begin to grumble: “Well, you can’t do that! After all, I’m also a human being, I can’t do it anymore!”, whereas we should say: “I’m not a human being, I’m human scum. My God, help me become a man!” I am not calling for us to strive for temptation ourselves. But when temptations come, we must meet them with endurance and prayer.
Elder Paisiy Svyatogorets (1924-1994).
The Lord Himself is near you, He strengthens you, helps you and even comforts you in times of need. How could you endure your sorrows and headaches if the Lord did not help and strengthen you?
Venerable Macarius of Optina (1788-1860).
Job's position is a law for every person. While you are rich, noble, and prosperous, God does not respond. When a person is in the pit, rejected by everyone, then God appears and Himself talks with the person, and the person only listens and cries out: “Lord, have mercy!”
Venerable Nectarius of Optina (1853-1928).
For whom is the burden of temptation light? Why is Saint Isaac the Syrian great before God, and he says: “Who is not this hard time, when man is drunk with the poison of temptation?..” That’s why you too: squeak, squeak, and be silent! It will pass! It will pass and not be remembered! And the fruit of these diseases will grow, ripen, and become beautiful. And how sweet it will be! How fragrant! How it will sparkle with all the colors of the rainbow, with all the beauties of precious stones! Every drop of sweat, every breath will be rewarded a thousandfold by our generous Hero Jesus.
Reverend Anatoly Optinsky (Zertsalov) (1824-1894).
When the hellish worm sucks your sinful heart, do not be faint-hearted and do not indulge in impatience, rushing like a madman in all directions, but be strong in spirit and endure the punishment for sin, surrendering to the will of God and saying: “Thy holy will be done, Lord. For my sins, I am worthy of eternal condemnation and torment, just do not grant me to be tempted more (1 Cor. 10:13) and strengthen me in enduring these temporary hellish torments, which You allowed me to endure, not wanting to subject me to eternal ones; Having punished me, have mercy again according to Your great mercy (Ps. 50:1). When tempted, say often: blessed be the name of the Lord from now on and forever (Job 1:21).
St. Righteous John of Kronstadt (1829-1908).
Prepare for tribulation - and the tribulation will be eased; refuse consolation, and it will come to the one who considers himself unworthy of it...
Out of embarrassment and despair, the enemy’s abuse strengthens against us, but if we look at this abuse with generosity, saying to ourselves: “Well! The Lord sees this battle and allows it - it means this is His holy will and it is for my spiritual benefit”; then the abuse weakens and diminishes.
In times of adversity, do not seek human help. Do not waste precious time, do not exhaust the strength of your soul searching for this powerless help. Expect help from God: by his wave, in due time, people will come and help you.
Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov (1807-1867).
Many of us are greatly mistaken in that we turn first to human, and not to God’s, help, and do not abandon this delusion until, having worked for a long time in vain, without success, we, of necessity, remember about God. Therefore, any help that is sought in the wrong order from people rather than from God is often fruitless by God’s order for the admonition of foolish seekers.
Don't seek comfort from people. And when you receive a little consolation from someone, expect double sorrow. Seek consolation and help from God alone.
Elder Jerome of Aegina (1883-1966).
Take a look at the very position on the Cross of the Savior. It's calm. During His crucifixion, everything was in terrible alarm: the earth shook, the sky darkened, the mountains gave way, the graves gave out the sound of the dead, people devoted to the Crucified One beat their chests and wept bitterly; the enemies, despite their apparent triumph - that they killed the Righteous One - were numb from the fear of their conscience. Our crucified Savior alone was completely at peace. From the Cross, like a King from the throne, He made orders in heaven, on earth, and in hell itself: he promised heaven to the repentant thief, on earth he arranged the fate of His weeping Mother, in hell he preached repentance to sinners who had not had time to reform.
Why is there such wonderful calm in the Savior amid the most severe suffering? From His complete devotion to the will of God the Father.
Archpriest Valentin Amfitheatrov (1836-1908).
Each person has his own sorrows in life, and it is important to develop a correct, Christian attitude towards them. A difficult time has come - a time of economic crisis, trials await us. There are clear indications in the Holy Scriptures about the necessity of tribulation for those seeking salvation. The Lord Himself said: “You will be in a world of sorrow” (John 16:33). Likewise, the apostles said: “Through many tribulations it is fitting for us to enter the Kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). More than ever, we now need to turn to the works of the holy fathers, who teach humility, patience in sorrows, teach us to remember that here on earth we have only a temporary refuge, and we must prepare for eternal life.
During their earthly life, people are given various positions by an incomprehensible fate: some enjoy wealth, fame, power, health; others are poor, so insignificant in human society that anyone can offend them; others spend their lives in sorrows, moving from one sorrow to another, languishing in illness, in exile, in humiliation. All these situations are not accidental: they, as tasks to be solved, as lessons for work, are distributed by the Providence of God so that each person in the position in which he is placed, fulfilling the will of God, works out his salvation.
Those who bear the burden of sorrows must bear it with humility, with submission to God, knowing that it has been placed on them by God. If they are sinners, then sorrows serve as retribution in time for their sins. If they are innocent, then sent or allowed sorrow, as if it befell them at the behest of God, with an all-good Divine purpose, prepares for them special bliss and glory in eternity. Murmuring about the sent sorrow, murmuring about God, who sent the sorrow, destroys the Divine purpose of sorrow: it deprives you of salvation, subjects you to eternal torment. The Lord loves and accepts whomever he loves, beats and punishes, and then delivers from sorrow. Without temptation it is impossible to draw closer to God.
Unsophisticated virtue, the holy fathers said, is not virtue! If you see someone called virtuous by Orthodox people, but he lives without any temptations, succeeds in worldly affairs, know: his virtue, his Orthodoxy are not accepted by God. God sees in them the uncleanness that He hates! He looks condescendingly at human uncleanness and heals it with various means; in whomever he sees demonic uncleanness, he turns away from him. Loving you and your son, bringing you closer to Himself, He allowed you to grieve. You will be convinced of this from the fact that after the tribulation, both for him and for you, “the path of God became clearer and closer.” My state of health is similar to yours: I couldn’t even go to church on Easter.
We must thank God for the punishment sent during earthly life: it gives hope of deliverance from executions in eternity, which constitute a necessary consequence of sinfulness. I am convinced both from the word of God and from the experiences of life that God will certainly send sorrow to whomever he loves. Because without sorrows the heart cannot die for the earth and come to life for God and eternity.
Hearing about you that you were constantly sick, I understood from this that the Lord paid special attention to you and wants to give you a blissful eternity. Thanksgiving in sorrows brings comfort and strength to endure and endure long. One should not wish for death. God does not send it because we have not prepared for it as we should. As much as you endure here with thanksgiving, you will enjoy spiritual consolation in your future life. The earthly sorrows sent by the Lord are the guarantee of eternal salvation, which is why they must be endured with patience, and patience is then poured into a person’s soul when a person thanks and praises the Creator for his sorrows.
We are pilgrims here on earth: both the good and bad situations of a person pass by, like a dream. Our treasure is the Lord. One who is in a sick state is like one who is shackled in heavy fetters from the outside and inside. But it is sent or allowed by God, who punishes anyone who accepts it. For this reason, illness is included in the labors by which our salvation is achieved. Every feat requires that it be correct. Then a person strives correctly in the work of his illness, when he thanks God for it. The Holy Fathers classify illness, accompanied by thanksgiving to God and glorification of God for His fatherly punishment, leading to eternal bliss, as two of the greatest monastic feats: silence and obedience.
I am writing to you because you are in an ill state. I know from experience the difficulty of this situation. The body's strength and abilities are taken away; together the strength and abilities of the soul are taken away; disorder of the nerves is communicated to the spirit, because the soul is connected with the body by an incomprehensible and intimate union, due to which the soul and body cannot help but influence each other. I am sending you a spiritual recipe, which I advise you to use the proposed medicine several times a day, especially in moments of intense suffering, both mental and physical.
When used, there will be no delay in revealing the power and healing hidden in medicine, which in appearance is the most humble. When you are alone, say slowly, out loud to yourself, enclosing your mind in words (as Saint John of the Climacus advises), the following: “Glory to Thee, my God, for the sorrow sent; I accept what is worthy according to my deeds; remember me in Your Kingdom." Since the essence of this exercise lies in concentrated attention, the body must be given a calm position so that body movements and the resulting heating of the blood do not interfere with the mind’s concentration. The best position is lying on a bed. And the Gospel says that the sick man in this position was presented to the Lord and received mercy from the Lord.
For the same purpose of convenient attention, it is commanded to enclose the mind in the words of prayer, and to pronounce the prayer extremely slowly. After saying the prayer once, rest for a while. Then say it again and rest again. Continue praying like this for five or ten minutes until you feel your soul calmed and comforted. You will see: after three prayers said in this way, you will begin to feel that peace is entering your soul and destroying the confusion and bewilderment that tormented it. The reason for this is clear: the grace and power of God lies in praising God, and not in eloquence and verbosity. Doxology and thanksgiving are acts taught to us by God Himself - they are by no means a human invention. The Apostle commands this work on behalf of God (1 Sol. 5:18). The person whom God chooses to serve Him is sent various sorrows.
During sorrows we must thank and glorify God, praying to Him to grant Him obedience and patience. Saint Isaac of Syria said very well, exhorting one to submit to God: “You are not smarter than God.” Simple and true. The life of a Christian on earth is a chain of suffering. You must fight with your body, with passions, with spirits of evil. In this fight is our hope. Our salvation is our God. Having placed one's trust in God, one must endure the time of struggle with patience. Temptations seem to trample a person, turning grain into flour. They are allowed to us according to the Providence of God, for our great spiritual benefit: from them we receive a contrite and humble heart, which God will not despise.
Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov) « On the patience of sorrows"
Sorrows are external temptations - difficult, unpleasant experiences for the soul that come to a person from the outside according to God's providence - as punishment for correction, for testing in faith, for spiritual improvement. Their causes are illness, material need, insults and injustices from people, etc.1. Without sorrows it is impossible to be saved
Rev. Anthony the Great says that it is impossible to achieve salvation without sorrow:No one can enter the kingdom of heaven without temptation; without temptations, no one would have been saved.
Abba Zosima states the same:
Destroy temptations and struggle with thoughts - and there will not be a single saint left. He who runs from saving temptation runs from eternal life.
Rev. Isaac Siri n explains why this is so:
“Blessed is the man who recognizes his weakness, because this knowledge becomes for him the foundation, root and beginning of all goodness. As soon as someone recognizes and actually feels his weakness, he raises his soul from the relaxation that darkens knowledge, and reserves caution. But no one can feel his weakness unless even a small temptation is allowed upon him by something that tires either the body or the soul.
...And to the extent that he approaches God with his intention, to the extent that God approaches him with His gifts... Therefore, the generous God withholds gifts of grace from him, so that this would serve as a reason for man to draw closer to God and so that for the sake of his needs man would continually remain before Exuding service for the benefit. ...And in other circumstances...he allows himself to fall into temptation, so that this test, as I have already said, serves as a reason for him to draw closer to God and so that he learns and has experience in temptations... no one can correct his deeds without humility and learn without temptation, and without learning no one achieves humility... Therefore, temptations are of necessity useful to people".
St. Theophan the Recluse speaks:
About the meaning of the cross, here is a brief general explanation: the Lord accomplished our salvation by His death on the cross; on the cross He tore to pieces the handwriting of our sins; by the cross he reconciled us to God and the Father; through the cross he brought down upon us the gifts of grace and all the blessings of heaven. But such is the cross of the Lord in himself. Each of us becomes a participant in his saving power only through our own cross.. Each person’s own cross, when united with the cross of Christ, transfers the power and effect of this latter to us, becoming, as it were, a channel through which from the cross of Christ every good gift is poured onto us and every gift is perfect. From this it is clear that Each person’s own crosses are as necessary in the matter of salvation as the cross of Christ is necessary. And you will not find a single one saved who was not a crusader. ...We can say this: look around you and within yourself, look at your cross, bear it as you should, united with the cross of Christ, and you will be saved.
2. Providence of God
The Holy Fathers teach that everything that happens in the world happens according to God's providence, wherein God's providence acts as good will and as God's permission. By the grace of God, what is undeniably good happens. By permission, that which is not indisputably good. Wherein there are two types of forgiveness: saving and admonishing permission and permission, meaning the rejection of a person by God and leading to complete punishment.St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov) explains:
“One thing is done according to the will of God; the other is done by God’s permission; everything that happens is done according to the judgment and determination of God. For this reason, the destinies of God are often called in Scripture the judgment of God. God's judgment is always righteous."
Rev. John of Damascus writes:
“What depends on Providence happens either by the good will of God or by permission. By the grace of God, what is undeniably good happens. By permission, that which is not indisputably good. Thus, God often allows a righteous person to fall into misfortune in order to show others the virtue hidden in him: this was the case, for example, with Job.
...Abandonment of a person by God is of two types: one saving and admonishing, the other meaning final rejection. Saving and admonishing abandonment occurs either for the correction, salvation and glory of the sufferer, or for arousing others to zeal and imitation, or for the glory of God. Complete abandonment occurs when a person, despite the fact that God has done everything for his salvation, remains, of his own free will, insensitive and unhealed, or, better said, incurable. Then he surrenders to final destruction, like Judas. May God protect us and deliver us from such abandonment.
... It should also be borne in mind that all sorrowful events, if people accept them with gratitude, are sent to them for their salvation and, without a doubt, benefit them.
His first desire is called preliminary will and good will and depends only on Him. The second desire is called subsequent will and permission and has its cause in us. In this case, permission, as we said above, is of two types: salvation and admonition, and permission, meaning the rejection of a person by God and leading to complete punishment. All this is not in our control.
As for those who are in our power, God wants good deeds by His preceding will and favors them, but He does not want bad deeds either by His preceding or by His subsequent will, but He allows free will to do evil; for what is done under compulsion is not rational and is not virtue.
God provides for all creation, showing us benefits and admonishing us through every creation, even through the demons themselves, as can be seen from what happened with Job and the pigs.”
Rev. Ephraim Sirin writes:
Everything is from God - both good and sorrowful. But one is by good will, and the other by economy and permission. By good will - when we live virtuously, because it pleases God that those who live virtuously be adorned with crowns of patience; according to the economy - when, having sinned, we are admonished; by allowance - when even those admonished we do not convert. God providentially punishes us who sin, so that we are not condemned with the world, as the apostle says: “We are judged by the Lord, we are punished, lest we be condemned with the world” (1 Cor. 11:32).
3. All sorrows occur according to the judgments of God
Nothing that happens to us in life happens outside of God's Providence.Saint John (Maksimovich) writes that suffering itself is God’s Providence for us:
“...Nothing external happens without God’s permission, a hair does not fall from the head. The fire of evil that is allowed must reveal and smelt the true gold of good.
... If everything that happens in the world, that is allowed by Providence, should serve to the metaphysical humility of a person (getting bread from the earth, dependence on everything around you, nightly sleepy exhaustion, strengthening yourself with dust - food extracted from the earth, infancy, old age, illness and death itself), then suffering is a consequence of this Providence. Itself is Providence".
Venerable Mark the Ascetic:
Whoever resists the sorrows that befall him, without knowing it himself, resists the command of God.
“Spiritual reason teaches that illnesses and other sorrows that God sends to people are sent out of God’s special mercy, like bitter healing treatments for the sick. They contribute to our salvation, our eternal well-being much more surely than miraculous healings.
God, allowing us temptations and handing us over to the devil, does not cease to provide for us, punishing us, does not cease to benefit us.”
Rev. Macarius of Egypt:
"...When the soul falls under various temptations, it is not surprised and does not despair, for it knows that, by God's permission, evil is allowed to test and punish it...
The Lord knows human weakness, that a person quickly becomes exalted, therefore he stops him and allows him to be in constant exercise and excitement. For if, when you accept even little, you become intolerable to everyone and become arrogant, then all the more you will become intolerable if they give you enough to eat once. But God, knowing your weakness, according to His discretion, sends you sorrows so that you become humble and seek God more zealously.”
St. Basil the Great writes:
“...since we are creations of the good God and are in the power of Him who arranges everything that concerns us, both important and unimportant, we cannot endure anything without the will of God; and if we endure anything, it is not harmful, or such that something better can be provided for.”
St. John of Tobolsk says that all misfortunes and disasters occur according to the will of God:
“...if we remove from the concept of sin its cause - deceit and self-will, then there will not be a single one of its bitter or evil consequences that would not occur according to the will of God or would be displeasing to Him. Both the sinful sorrows of a private person and the worldly, usually called natural, disasters, such as hunger strikes, droughts, pestilences and the like, often not directly related to the sin of a private person, occur by the will of God. And therefore all human disasters and sorrows positively occur according to the will of God for the sake of achieving the righteous goals of God's Providence; Sin alone is disgusting to God (just as evil is contrary to good, or a lie is contrary to truth), but is allowed by God for the sake of non-violation of personal human will, or his freedom.
…all the saints attributed everything that they encountered in life, pleasant or unpleasant, to the will, the action of God because they did not pay attention to the sins of others, but all human actions were viewed as God's gift or God's permission for their sins. The saints reasoned this way: the all-good God would never have allowed anything evil if He did not know that from there He would produce numerous and great benefits.
Many are deceived, out of their extreme ignorance, thinking that only evil arising from natural causes (namely: floods, earthquakes, crop failures, adverse atmospheric phenomena, epidemic diseases, sudden death, etc.) occurs by the will of God; for for the most part such misfortunes have no direct relation to sins. But malicious acts arising from the illegal intent of man, from untruth (such as: abusive words, ridicule, deception, forgery, theft, insults by action, robberies, robberies, murders, etc.), happen, in the opinion of the above-mentioned people, regardless from the will of God and His Providence, but solely due to human malice and the corrupted human will, which itself causes and inflicts all kinds of evil on its neighbors. And therefore, not only in the past, long-past time, but also in the present times, complaints are often heard: “The scarcity of food and the necessary means for life did not come from God, but from the covetous.” These complaints are the complaints of people who do not know God: they are not worthy of a Christian.
…all disasters...no matter how they happen, they all happen according to the will of God, are sent by His strong right hand, according to His vision and Providence. Beloved! God directed his hand to strike you; God has moved the tongue of the offender or slanderer to mock or slander you; God has given the wicked the power to overthrow you. God Himself, through the mouth of the prophet Isaiah, confirms this, saying: “I am the Lord, and there is no other; there is no God besides Me; I girded you, although you did not know Me... I form light and create darkness, I make peace and bring about disasters; I, Lord, I do all this" (Isa. 45: 5, 7)."
Rev. Macarius of Optina writes that every word that touches us, that is, temptation, “is a conviction sent from God to self-knowledge and correction.”
Rev. Macarius of Optina teaches to accept all temptations as sent by God:
With M.N. Your characters didn’t agree. In all this, I see the active Providence of God in the matter of your salvation. Believe without a doubt that God allowed this to happen for your trial; when without His will the power of our head does not perish (Luke 21:18), then what can be said about more than that? When you refer everything to God and accept sorrowful situations with self-reproach, considering yourself worthy of them, you will bear it comfortably and easily; but if, on the contrary, you reproach others and consider them guilty of your sorrow, then you will bring them more upon yourself and burden your cross... how do we recognize the passions hidden in us? And how can we destroy them? Not through the long-suffering of our neighbors towards us, but from our long-suffering towards them. They show us the passions that lie within us, but how? By God’s will, that is, God sends them to do something unpleasant and disgusting to us, so that they will learn that there are passions in us and take care to eradicate them, and consider the perpetrators of this as benefactors, according to the words of Abba Dorotheus, “for reproaching yourself.” , not your neighbor." Of course, it will soon be impossible to heal these diseases, but by recognizing your weakness and reproaching yourself, you will receive relief.
4. The meaning of suffering. Why does God allow us to have sorrows?
The Lord Jesus Christ said: “Woe to the world because of temptations, for temptations must come” (Matthew 18:7).Why does the Lord allow temptations and say that “temptations must come”?
The fact is that God allows temptations, sorrows and illnesses for our good. The omniscient Lord knows the innermost corners of our heart even without testing, but we do not see them. God allows temptation so that we ourselves see our shortcomings and weaknesses, seeing them, we begin to fight them, strengthen our will in spiritual struggle, overcome sin within ourselves and thus purify our souls for the Kingdom of Heaven.
“Blessed is the man who endures temptation, because, having been tried, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him” (James 1:12), says the Holy Scripture.
St. John (Maksimovich) writes that the “mystery of human suffering”, the meaning of suffering is “the true adoption of man by God,” “the path of filial love and dying for resurrection”:
“The mystery of Job is the mystery of suffering. ...Next to the knowledge of suffering in this book stands the knowledge of human adoption to God - without this second it is impossible to penetrate into the first.
...Here we see with our own eyes the amazing state of the Old Testament righteous man... that state is essentially a state of adoption by God, when everything that happens in the world, everything that God’s Providence does or allows, becomes “one’s own,” “native” for a person.. And if any of the people can rebel against God because of misfortune in the world, by this he spiritually separates himself, cuts himself off from the great care of God, melting the eternal out of the temporary and, therefore, does not recognize God’s world as his world. Man is called to participate in the life of this world as a co-worker with God. Judgment and governance of the world belongs to the One who is millions and millions of times wiser, fairer and more powerful than man. And he knows what is needed. This one the mystery of adoption, the trusting acceptance of the bitterness of a sick, not yet transformed world, a mystery that is fully revealed in the New Testament, the book of Job surprisingly reveals.
As soon as Job's soul heard the voice of God the Father and realized that it was the Father, she immediately humbled herself to the end, and in her humility began to learn the true secret of suffering, a secret that each of us can learn if we take this path of humility Job, the humility that allows suffering to refine the human spirit, polluted in the primordial fall of humanity.
all our righteousness before God is “like filthy rags.” There is no righteousness on earth. All the lofty words that the human tongue can utter are dust before God! A person who has achieved the first commandment of the Gospel - the bliss of spiritual poverty - will understand this law, will understand that a person must free himself from all “his own” (petty and metaphysically unclean!) concepts of “truth”, “justice”, “justice”, free himself even from the concept of his love, this split, unfaithful love; must free himself from all humanly autonomous comprehensions, which are now so weak and insignificant. In a word, man must truly die in God; then only he will be resurrected into a new life.”
The source of sorrows is always the love of God. " God is love"(1 John 4:8), and, correcting those who sin, He leads us to salvation as His, albeit erring, but beloved children. He does not turn away from sinners, but in every possible way directs them onto the path of salvation, loving each person as His child. And, although God’s punishments seem bitter to us, their fruit is beneficial, because if we often live with momentary feelings, unable to think about the future, then God cares about our eternal destiny.
Holy Bible speaks:
“Do not reject the Lord’s punishment, my son, and do not be burdened by His reproof;
for whom the Lord loves, He punishes and favors, like a father towards his son.”
(Prov. 3, 11-12)
“and you have forgotten the consolation that is offered to you as sons: my son! do not despise the Lord’s punishment, and do not lose heart when He reproaches you.
For the Lord punishes whomever he loves; he beats every son whom he receives.
If you suffer punishment, then God treats you as sons. For is there any son whom his father does not punish?
If you remain without punishment, which is common to everyone, then you are illegitimate children, not sons.
Moreover, [if] we, being punished by our carnal parents, were afraid of them, then should we not much more submit to the Father of spirits in order to live?
They punished us arbitrarily for a few days; and He is for our benefit, so that we may have a share in His holiness.
Any punishment at the present time seems not to be joy, but sadness; but afterwards he brings to those who are taught the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”
(Heb. 12:5-11)
“God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but when you are tempted, He will also provide the way of escape, so that you can endure it.”
(1 Cor. 10, 13)
“We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to [His] purpose.”
(Rom. 8:28)
“The Lord knows human weakness, that a person soon becomes arrogant, therefore he stops him and allows him to be in constant exercise and excitement. For if when you accept even little, you become intolerable to everyone and become arrogant, then all the more you will become intolerable if they give you enough to eat once But God, knowing your weakness, according to His discretion, sends you sorrows so that you become humble and seek God more zealously.
[Man] surrenders to enemies and temptations for exercise and training, as Job was in temptation, because even evil, although not by good intention, contributes to good.
[Souls]... not tempted and not tested by various sorrows from evil spirits, remain in infancy... and are still unsuitable for the Kingdom of Heaven.”
St. Theophan the Recluse:
Why did the Lord arrange it so that there is no one on earth without sorrows and hardships? Then, so that a person does not forget that he is an exile, and would live on earth not as a relative on his native side, but as a wanderer and alien in a foreign land, and seek a return to his true fatherland. As soon as a person has sinned, he is immediately expelled from paradise, and outside paradise he is surrounded by sorrows and deprivations and all kinds of inconveniences, so that he remembers that he is not in his place, but is under punishment and takes care to seek pardon and return to his rank.
Jerome. Job (Gumerov):
“The hand of God is often clearly visible in the illnesses that befall us. The Lord who loves us wishes us all bliss in the Kingdom of Heaven. But many people do not want to follow the path of salvation, they neglect the commandments, and stubbornly remain stuck in sin. They stubbornly do not see the signs of God’s attention and reject human help. For the sick soul of such people, the most effective medicine is serious illness.
Healthy people should always remember that the illnesses of people with whom we are connected in life also relate to us. The Lord gives us the opportunity to be saved through deeds of love and mercy towards the suffering and sick. No one should miss this opportunity that God gives us for salvation: I was sick and you visited Me (Matthew 25, 36).”
Rev. Silouan of Athos:
The Lord loves everyone, but allows sorrow so that people recognize their weakness and humble themselves, and for their humility they receive the Holy Spirit, and with the Holy Spirit - everything is good, everything is joyful.
Rev. Isaac the Syrian:
He who runs from temptations runs from virtue. I mean the temptation not of desires, but of sorrows.
St. John Chrysostom:
“Peace and joy usually lead to carelessness, while sorrow leads to care and forces the soul, distracted outwardly and distracted by many objects, to turn to itself.
This is why there are illnesses of the body, this is why there is poverty of fruits, this is why... and all kinds of sorrows, so that because of these disasters we always cleave to God and thus, through temporary sorrows, become heirs of Eternal Life.
...nothing disposes the soul to wisdom more than adversity, temptation and threatening sorrow.
Through sorrow, as if in some sacred place, the soul learns the insignificance of human nature, the brevity of real life, the corruption and impermanence of everyday things.”
The Holy Fathers, explaining the necessity of temptations for everyone, also show their reasons, rooted in the human heart:
Venerable Macarius of Egypt:
God, knowing your weakness, according to His discretion, sends you sorrows so that you become more humble and seek God more zealously.
The Lord knows human weakness, that a person quickly becomes exalted, therefore he stops him and allows him to be in constant exercise and excitement. For if, when you accept even little, you become intolerable to everyone and become arrogant, then all the more you will become intolerable if they give you enough to eat once. But God, knowing your weakness, according to His discretion, sends you sorrows so that you become humble and seek God more zealously.
God does not create the cross for man, that is, cleansing mental and physical suffering. And no matter how heavy the cross may be for some people, which he bears in life, yet the tree from which it is made always grows on the soil of his heart. When a person walks the straight path, there is no cross for him. But when he retreats from him and begins to rush first in one direction, then in the other, then different circumstances appear that push him again onto the straight path. These tremors constitute for a person
Venerable Nikon of Optina:
Venerable Simeon the New Theologian:
Just as clothing, stained with dirt and completely defiled by some kind of uncleanness, cannot be cleaned unless washed in water and washed for a long time, so the robe of the soul, defiled by the mud and pus of sinful passions, cannot be washed otherwise than by many tears and enduring temptations. and sorrows.
Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov):
“Our damaged nature constantly needs, as an antidote, sorrows: they extinguish in it sympathy for the sinful poison of passions, especially pride, the most poisonous and destructive passion among passions; they lead the servant of God out of a pompous, incorrect opinion of himself in humility and spiritual intelligence."
“We, by the nature of our fallen nature, are most concerned about the arrangement of our earthly position, and God arranges our eternal position, which we would forget about if our earthly position were not shaken by sorrows, if the sorrows sent from time to time by the Providence of God were not reminded us that everything temporary and earthly passes away and that our main concerns should be about the eternal. Scripture says: “The Lord loves him and punishes him.”
Venerable Isaac the Syrian:
“As the eyelids are close to each other (on the eyes), so temptations are close to people; and God wisely arranged this for your benefit, so that you would constantly knock on His door, so that the fear of sorrow would instill the remembrance of Him in your mind, so that you would draw closer to Him in prayer, and your heart would be sanctified by unceasing remembrance of Him. And when you beg, he will hear you; and you will understand that the one who delivers you is God, and you will know the One who created you, who provides for you, who preserves you, and who created two worlds for you: one as a temporary teacher and mentor, the other as a fatherly home and an eternal inheritance.”
“Blessed is the man who recognizes his weakness, because this knowledge becomes for him the foundation, root and beginning of all goodness. As soon as someone recognizes and truly feels his weakness, he raises his soul from the relaxation that darkens knowledge, and reserves himself with caution. But no one can feel his weakness unless even a small temptation is allowed upon him that tires either the body or the soul. Then, comparing his weakness with God’s help, he immediately recognizes its greatness.
So, one who walks the path of God must thank God for everything that happens to him, reproach and shower his soul with reproaches and know that this was allowed by the Provider not otherwise than due to his own negligence, or in order to awaken his mind, or because that he was proud. And therefore let him not be embarrassed, let him not give up his field and feat, and let him not stop reproaching himself, so that no greater evil befalls him; for there is no unrighteousness with God, who exudes righteousness.”
Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov):
“Whomever the Lord loves and whom the Lord desires to choose for a blessed eternity, he sends unceasing sorrows, especially when the soul chosen is infected with a love of peace. The effect produced by sorrows is similar to the effect produced by poison. Just as a body that has taken poison dies from its natural life, so does the soul that tastes sorrows dies for the world, for carnal life, which was born from the fall and constitutes true death. Therefore, whoever refuses sorrows refuses salvation: for the Lord Himself said that “those who do not follow Him with their cross are not worthy of Him.” , that “whoever wants to save his soul in this age will destroy it for eternity.” The words of Christ are immutable and will come true in every possible way, which is why one must be crucified, according to His word, or, more clearly, on the cross of His words, although the flesh cries out against the crucifixion.”
Venerable Joseph of Optina:
“You write that there are sorrows and sorrows, and all you think about is that sorrows. And sorrows lead us to Heaven: this is how God arranged it for the cleansing of sins and preventing major offenses, and for obtaining an ever-joyful, blissful life in Heaven. And you are offended by God, that He is, as it were, forcibly dragging you to Paradise. And you often, often compare these short-lived sorrows with the endless fiery torments of hell that you have earned through your sins.
You think that the Lord punished you for your sins. - Maybe so, or maybe it’s a test of your faith; and most likely for one reason or another. However, be that as it may, your job is to see God’s goodness and love for you in the temporary punishment that has befallen you.
One must suffer something for sins; if not here, then in the future life. Only in the hereafter the sorrows are very terrible."
Saint Theophan the Recluse:
Saving Divine Grace to awaken the sinner from sleep, directing his power to the destruction of the support on which someone establishes himself and rests his selfhood, - this is what it does: He who is bound by carnal knowledge plunges him into illness and, weakening the flesh, gives the spirit freedom and strength to come to its senses and sober up. He who is seduced by his beauty and strength is deprived of his beauty and kept in constant exhaustion. Those who rely on their power and strength are subjected to slavery and humiliation. He who relies heavily on wealth will have it taken away from him. He who is highly intelligent is disgraced as ignorant. Whoever relies on the strength of connections has them broken. Whoever relies on the eternity of the order established around him is ruined by the death of persons or the loss of necessary things.
“In the Christian life, temptations and tests are needed to test our spiritual state... Just as to test some things, for example silver, we need tools, so to test or test the soul we need people who, intentionally or completely unintentionally, by their actions in relation to would it be made clear to us and to others - whether we are obedient to God’s commandments announced to us in the Gospel or not - whether we live according to the spirit or according to the flesh?”
St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov):
... every sorrow reveals the hidden passions in the heart, setting them in motion.
Reverend Abba Isaiah:
Sorrows serve as an aid for us to keep God’s commandments.
Elder Paisiy Svyatogorets spoke about the causes and purposes of temptations:
God allows everything for our good. We must believe in it. God allows the devil to do evil so that man can fight. After all, if you don’t rub it, don’t knead it, there won’t even be a roll. If the devil had not tempted us, we might have imagined ourselves to be saints. And therefore God allows him to hurt us with his malice. After all, by striking us, the devil knocks out all the rubbish from our dusty soul, and it becomes cleaner. Or God allows him to pounce and bite us so that we run to Him for help. God calls us to Himself constantly, but usually we move away from Him and resort to Him again only when we are in danger.
Saint John Chrysostom:
“Nothing drives away carelessness and absent-mindedness more than grief and sadness; they concentrate the soul and turn it to itself.
When you see a wicked person in misfortune, be consoled not only because he is getting better, but also because many of his sins are being blotted out here.
Just as the earth needs to be plowed and dug, so the soul, instead of a spade, needs temptations and sorrows so that it does not become overgrown with weeds; so that she becomes less cruel, so that she does not become proud."
Jerome. Job (Gumerov), answering the question “what is the mechanism of such cleansing? Why does a person cleanse himself when he feels bad?” explains:
– Sorrows, first of all, crush the main source of sin - pride and arrogance. Only in the soul of a humble person can faith be born and strengthen. An unbeliever is unable to comprehend the meaning of the words of St. Apostle Paul: “I take comfort in weaknesses, in insults, in needs, in persecutions, in oppressions for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10). These words will seem paradoxical to him. They do not know that he who endures sorrows with thanksgiving receives grace from the Lord, which leads him to a state of bliss.
5. How to deal with sorrows
The Holy Fathers teach that sorrows must be endured with patience and gratitude, like healing medicines sent by God, - and then the Christian will reap abundant fruits: forgiveness of sins, God's mercy and help, spiritual revival and growth, purification of the heart, and ultimately, salvation.“He who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22), says the Word of God.
St. Theophan the Recluse writes that sorrows are a necessary means of our salvation, but they do not always lead a person to salvation, because one must learn to endure them so that they become saving:
“You can say this: look around you and within yourself, see your cross, carry it as it should, united with the cross of Christ, - and you will be saved.
Although everyone bears his cross reluctantly, and the cross for the most part is not simple, but complex, but not everyone looks at him through the cross of Christ; not everyone turns it into the dispensation of their salvation; That’s why not everyone’s cross is a saving cross.”
St. Theophan the Recluse instructs that sorrows must be borne with "compassionate, grateful and repentant patience", What murmuring only makes grief worse, and, conversely, humble submission to God’s Providence and repentant prayer attract God’s gracious help to the suffering:
“Keep in mind that when trouble comes, you can’t throw it off, like tight clothes, you have to endure it. Whether you endure it in a Christian way or not in a Christian way, - yet it is inevitable to endure; So it’s better to endure it in a Christian way. Murmuring does not relieve trouble, but only makes it worse, and humble submission to the determinations of God's Providence and complacency take away the burden from troubles. Realize that you are not worth such a misfortune - realize that if the Lord wanted to deal with you in all truth, then should such a misfortune be sent to you? Above all, pray, and the merciful Lord will give you strength of spirit, in which, while others will marvel at your troubles, it will seem to you: there is nothing to endure.”
Rev. Isaac the Syrian also teaches:
"Every difficult circumstance and every grief, if there is no patience with it, serves as a source of extreme torment, because patience in a person reflects adversity, and cowardice is the mother of torment. Patience is the mother of consolation and a certain strength, usually generated by the breadth of the heart. It is difficult for a person to find such strength in his sorrows without the Divine gift, acquired through the persistence of prayer and the outpouring of tears.
…There is only one cure for all this; with the help of only this, a person finds quick consolation in his soul. What kind of medicine is this? Humility of Heart. Without it, no one will be able to destroy the barrier of these evils; rather, he will find that disasters have overcome him.
...As you have humility of mind, you are given patience in your troubles; and as you endure, the severity of your sorrows lightens, and you accept consolation; as your consolation increases, your love for God increases; and as your love increases, your joy in the Holy Spirit increases. Our generous Father - from His true sons, when He deigns to alleviate their temptations - does not take away their temptations, but gives them patience in temptations. And they, with the hand of their patience, accept all these blessings for the perfection of their souls.”
The Holy Fathers write that the Lord Himself humbly consoles the mourner with His grace, helping to endure adversity as a necessary treatment for the soul:
Rev. Isaac the Syrian:
“More precious than any prayer and sacrifice before God are sorrow for Him and for His sake.
God is close to the grieving heart of those who cry out to Him in sorrow. Even if he sometimes plunges him into bodily deprivation and other sorrows, in the soul of the mourner the Lord reveals great love for mankind, commensurate with the cruelty of suffering in his grief.
So, he who walks the path of God must thank God for everything that happens to him, reproach and shower your soul with reproaches and to know that this was not allowed by the Provider otherwise than due to some kind of negligence of his own, or in order for his mind to awaken, or because he became proud. And therefore, let him not be embarrassed, let him not give up the field and feat, and let him not stop reproaching himself, so that no greater evil befalls him; for there is no unrighteousness with God, who exudes righteousness.”
Rev. Macarius of Optina:
Don’t grieve too much about the fact that you can’t be in church due to illness... The rank of one who is sick and giving thanks is great before God and even equal to one sitting in the desert, in complete obedience to the elder. Thank the Lord, who has given you the closest means to salvation.
St. John Chrysostom:“Nothing that happens to us will be able to sadden us if we offer intense and diligent prayer; through it we will get rid of everything that befalls us.
The ability to endure (temptations) depends on God’s help, which we acquire through our own disposition.”
Venerable Mark the Ascetic:
Let every involuntary sorrow teach you to remember God, and you will not lack incentives to repentance.
Rev. Sisoi the Great:
Whatever temptation happens to a person, he must to surrender himself to the will of God and confess that the temptation happened because of his sins. If something good happens, it must be said that it happened according to the providence of God.
Saint Gregory of Nyssa:
With every attack of temptation we have only one defense: repentance. And the one who repents is always the winner of the one who always attacks.
Venerable Seraphim of Sarov:
The body is the slave of the soul, and the soul is the queen. Therefore, it often happens that by the mercy of God our body is exhausted by illness. Because of illness, passions weaken, and a person comes to his senses... Whoever endures an illness with patience and gratitude is credited with it as a feat, or even more so.
Elder Paisiy Svyatogorets:
“...often, falling into some kind of temptation, we begin to grumble: “Well, you can’t do that!” After all, I’m also a human being, I can’t do it anymore!”, whereas we should say: “I’m not a human being, I’m human scum. My God, help me become a man!" I am not calling for us to strive for temptation ourselves. But when temptations come, we must meet them with endurance and prayer.
Spiritual life is very simple and easy. It is we ourselves who, by working incorrectly, complicate it. With a little effort and a lot of humility and trust in God, a person can be very successful."
St. Theophan the Recluse:
“When the Lord beats, isn’t it righteous to think that there is something right for what? So, look at what is there, for what they beat, and correct it.
Learn to see the mercy of God in sorrows and meet them calmly in devotion to the will of God or even with joy. Open the eye of your mind and see the crown coming from heaven on your head, if you remain unperturbed and calm."
St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov):
“As much as you endure here with thanksgiving, you will enjoy spiritual consolation in your future life. The earthly sorrows sent by the Lord are the guarantee of eternal salvation, why they must be endured with patience, and patience is then poured into the soul of a person when a person thanks and praises the Creator for his sorrows.
One who is in a sick state is like one who is shackled in heavy fetters from the outside and inside. But it is sent or allowed by God, who punishes anyone who accepts it. For this reason, illness is included in the labors by which our salvation is achieved. Every feat requires that it be correct. Then a person strives correctly in the labor of his illness, when he thanks God for it. The Holy Fathers classify illness, accompanied by thanksgiving to God and glorification of God for His fatherly punishment, leading to eternal bliss, as two of the greatest monastic feats: silence and obedience.
When you are alone, say slowly, out loud to yourself, enclosing your mind in words (as Saint John of the Climacus advises), the following: “ Glory to Thee, my God, for the sorrow sent; I accept what is worthy according to my deeds; remember me in Your Kingdom" ...After saying the prayer once, rest for a while. Then say it again and rest again. Continue praying like this for five or ten minutes until you feel your soul calmed and consoled. You will see: after three prayers said in this way, you will begin to feel that peace is entering your soul and destroying the confusion and bewilderment that tormented it. The reason for this is clear: the grace and power of God lies in the praise of God, and not in eloquence and verbosity. Doxology and thanksgiving are acts taught to us by God Himself - they are by no means a human invention. The Apostle commands this work on behalf of God (1 Thess. 5:18). ...
During sorrows we must thank and glorify God, praying to Him to grant Him obedience and patience. Saint Isaac of Syria said very well, exhorting us to submit to God: “You are not smarter than God.” Simple and true. The life of a Christian on earth is a chain of suffering. You must fight with your body, with passions, with spirits of evil. In this fight is our hope. Our salvation is our God. Having placed one's trust in God, one must endure the time of struggle with patience. Temptations seem to trample a person, turning grain into flour. They are allowed to us according to God’s Providence, for our great spiritual benefit: from them we receive a contrite and humble heart, which God will not despise.”
“Wherever I am, whether in solitude or in human society, light and consolation pour into my soul from the cross of Christ. Sin, which possesses my entire being, never ceases to tell me: “Get down from the cross.” Alas! I leave it, thinking to find truth outside the cross, and I fall into spiritual distress: waves of confusion consume me. Having come down from the cross, I find myself without Christ. How to help a disaster? I pray to Christ to take me to the cross again. Praying, I myself try to crucify myself, as taught by experience itself, that not crucified - not Christ's. Faith leads to the cross; brings down from him a false mind full of unbelief. As I myself act, I advise my brothers to do the same!..”
« The Holy Fathers advise us to thank God for the sorrows that are sent to us, and to confess in our prayer that we are worthy of punishment for our sins. In this way, the sorrow we accept will certainly serve us as a cleansing of our sins and a guarantee for receiving eternal bliss.”
“To endure sorrows complacently and courageously, one must have faith, i.e. to believe that all sorrow comes to us not without God’s permission. If the hair of our head does not fall without the will of the Heavenly Father, much less without His will anything more important cannot happen to us than a hair falling from our head. Further, complacency is born in sorrow when we surrender to the will of God and ask that it always be done to us. Thanksgiving also consoles us in sorrows, when we give thanks for everything that happens to us. On the contrary, grumbling, complaints, carnal disposition, i.e. according to the elements of the world, they only multiply sorrow and make it unbearable. Saint Isaac said that “that patient who resists the operator during an operation only multiplies his torment,” so let us submit to God not in word alone, but also in thought, heart, and deed.”
Saint Demetrius of Rostovsky he supports and encourages the suffering:
“Blessed is the man who endures temptation, because, having been tried, he will receive the crown of life” (James 1:12), says the post. One of the forty martyrs had no patience, and was immediately shed like water, but those who endured were crowned with incorruptible crowns. Once he failed to endure, he ruined everything, but those who endured to the end in little ways were crowned forever. The impatient person always seems to be out of his mind; if something unpleasant happens to him, not according to the will of his heart, he immediately attacks everyone, grumbles at everyone, considers everyone guilty, and not himself, and justifies himself in every possible way. But always be nailed to the cross of patience, endure everything with joy, even if the demons constantly whisper to you: come down from the cross of patience and suffering, enjoy freedom, just as the Jews said to Christ: “Come down from the cross... and we will believe.” You (Matthew 27, 40 and 42). You should never weaken or shy away from suffering; but always remain on the cross with patience and courage. Just as Moses, when he held his hands outstretched crosswise, defeated Amalek, but when he lowered them, he was defeated (Ex. 17:11), so you, if you always remain in constant patience and courage, will overcome the enemy, the mental Amalek; if you become weak and lazy, you will be defeated by him.
Abba Moses:
The brother asked Abba Moses, what should a person do when any misfortune happens to him or when any enemy thought invades? The elder answered: “He must cry before the goodness of God so that it will help him, and soon he will feel calm if he prays wisely.”
Abba Dorotheos writes “about the fact that one must endure temptation with gratitude and without embarrassment,
"...believing that nothing happens without the providence of God. And what is God's providence is completely good and serves for the benefit of the soul, for everything that God does to us, He does for our benefit, loving and having mercy on us. And we We must, as the Apostle said, give thanks in everything (Eph. 5:20; 1 Thessalonians 5:18) for His goodness, and never be sad or faint-hearted about what happens to us, but accept everything that happens to us without embarrassment. with humility and hope in God, believing, as I said, that everything that God does to us, He does according to His goodness, loving us, and does it well, and that it cannot be good otherwise than in this way.
...we know about God that He loves and spares His creation, that He is the source of wisdom and knows how to arrange everything that concerns us, and that nothing is impossible for Him, but everything serves His will. We must also know that whatever He does, He does for our benefit, and we must accept it, according to what was said above, with gratitude, as from a Benefactor and good Master, even if it was sorrowful. For everything happens according to righteous judgment, and God, Who is so merciful, does not despise even the slightest of our sorrows. ...It is better to endure, strive and pray to God, for it is impossible for someone who fulfilled passions not to have sorrow from them.
...a person should not be faint-hearted in the sadness that comes from the temptation that happened to him, and should not shy away from it, but endure it with humility, considering that he should have endured it. Let him recognize himself as unworthy to be freed from the burden, but more worthy that the temptation should continue and strengthen against him. And whether he is aware of his guilt or is not currently aware of it, he must believe that with God nothing happens without judgment or unrighteously...
... “Through many tribulations it is fitting for us to enter into the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22).
Sorrows attract the mercy of God to the soul... the same thing happens with the soul: carelessness, carelessness and peace relax and dissipate it; temptations, on the contrary, strengthen and unite with God, as the Prophet says: “Lord, in sorrow I remember Thee” (Is. 33:2). Therefore, as we said, we should neither be embarrassed nor lose heart in temptations, but we must endure and give thanks in sorrows, and always pray to God with humility, so that He would show mercy to our weakness and cover us from every temptation for His glory "
If grief is associated with condemnation, persecution, hostility or enmity on the part of a neighbor, then a Christian needs to reproach only himself for the temptation, remember all the good in this neighbor and pray for him.
The Holy Fathers, following the Word of God, teach that We must accept the insults people cause to us as saving medicines sent from God, and not blame or hate those who offend us, but, on the contrary, see them as our benefactors, showing us our passions and weaknesses so that we can improve.
Rev. Macarius of Optina:
"If you remember that every word from each other that touches and shakes the depths of your heart is a conviction sent from God to self-knowledge and correction, and add humility and love to this, then instead of a guarantee of unworldliness you will feel gratitude to each other.
When we sin before God, we lose peace, and he returns by repentance- by the mercy of God. Likewise, we are deprived of peace by accepting sorrow and being hostile to people, and when we extinguish this flame through self-reproach, then peace will also be established.
Thanks be to the Lord, who preserves peace and harmony among you... where there is true self-reproach, there (the arrows of the enemy) will achieve nothing, and victory will always remain on your side, with the help of God, to the humble one who looks upon him."
St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov):
“Whoever sees the Providence of God with the eye of faith, during the temptations inflicted by people, will not pay any attention to these blind instruments of Providence and with his spiritual mind will remain solely in the hands of God, calling on Him alone in his sorrows.”
Abba Dorotheus:
We... if we hear an offensive word, we act like a dog, at which when someone throws a stone, it leaves the thrower and runs to gnaw the stone. This is what we do: we leave God, who allows adversity to come upon us to cleanse us of our sins, and we turn to our neighbor, saying: why did he tell me this? Why did he do this to me? And while we could receive great benefit from such cases, we do the opposite and harm ourselves, not realizing that by the providence of God everything is arranged for the benefit of everyone.
Venerable Anthony the Great:
Be wise: silence the lips of those who slander you. Do not be offended if someone speaks badly about you - this is the action of unclean spirits trying to create obstacles for a person to receive spiritual intelligence.
Rev. Macarius of Optina instructs his spiritual daughter:
When you refer everything to God and accept sorrowful situations with self-reproach, considering yourself worthy of them, you will bear it comfortably and easily; but if, on the contrary, you reproach others and consider them guilty of your sorrow, then you will bring them more upon yourself and burden your cross... how do we recognize the passions hidden in us? And how can we destroy them? Not through the long-suffering of our neighbors towards us, but from our long-suffering towards them. They show us the passions that lie within us, but how? By God’s will, that is, God sends them to do something unpleasant and disgusting to us, so that they will learn that there are passions in us and take care to eradicate them, and consider the perpetrators of this as benefactors, according to the words of Abba Dorotheus, “for reproaching yourself.” , not your neighbor." Of course, it will soon be impossible to heal these illnesses, but by recognizing your weakness and reproaching yourself, you will receive relief.”
St. John of Tobolsk:
To calm ourselves down when causing offense, we know only one sure way: when someone has offended or insulted you, do not pay attention to the anger of the offender, but turn to the just God who allowed your opponent to offend you, and do not repay him with evil for the evil done to you : for it was allowed by God to achieve good and fair goals, although unknown to you at the time. All the holy saints of God adhered to this custom: they did not search for who had offended them and for what, but always turned their hearts to God, humbly recognizing the justice of God’s allowance; and therefore they considered the insults inflicted on them as benefits for themselves, and their opponents as benefactors, saying: these are our true benefactors.
Rev. Macarius of Optina:
We see and undoubtedly believe that the Providence of God, which cares for every creature, and at the same time for us, arranges it to be this way for our spiritual benefit, leading us away from something useless or tempting our faith, and punishing others for sins, and with submission to His will we bear the burden imposed on us by His justice. People who cause us sorrow should be revered as the instrument with which God acts in the matter of our salvation, and we should pray for them. You cannot find consolation for yourself by any other means, and even more so when you demand from people that they love you, but, looking through the veil of pride, do not blame yourself...
I don’t know why you are afraid of persecution from a famous person? Can anyone insult you if God does not allow it? And when something happens, we must accept it with submission to the will of God, humble ourselves and consider those who insult us as instruments of God’s Providence: for this the Lord will deliver us from their hands.
Rev. Lev Optinsky:
Where have you left the Providence of God, which cares about everyone, and especially about you, and arranges everything for the good, and through permissive cases gives us a means to recognize our passions and eradicate them, and you still blame people.
Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk:
Our true enemy is the devil, who teaches people to persecute us. And therefore, for the most part, he is the cause of our embitterment, and not people. He persecutes us through people and embitters us, and we should hate him, and sympathize with people for listening to him.
St. rights John of Kronstadt:
"If you want to be humble, then consider yourself worthy of all malice and slander from others. Do not be irritated when you are reproached or slandered. Say: “Let your will be done, Holy Father!” Remember what the Savior said: “A servant is not greater than his Master: if they have reviled Me, they will revile you also... If the world hates you, know that it hated Me before you” (John 13:16; 15:18).
Remember the saying of the Holy Scripture: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21). When they are rude to you, they irritate you, they breathe contempt and malice at you, do not repay in kind, but be quiet, meek and affectionate, respectful and loving towards those who behave unworthily in front of you. If you become embarrassed and begin to object with excitement, to speak rudely and contemptuously, it means that you yourself are overcome by evil... So, “do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21). Let the person who insulted you understand that he did not insult you, but only himself. It’s a pity that he is so easily overcome by his passions and is mentally ill. The ruder and more irritable he is, the more meekness and love you show towards him. So you will surely defeat him. Good is always stronger than evil and therefore is always victorious. Remember also that we are all weak and are easily overcome by passions. Because be meek and forgiving towards those who sin against you. After all, you are sick with the same thing as your brother. Forgive the debts of your debtors, so that the Heavenly Father will forgive your debts.
A person who is angry with us is a sick person. We need to put a band-aid on his heart - love. You need to caress him, talk to him kindly, and if anger is not rooted in him, but only a temporary outbreak occurs, then watch how his heart melts from your love. A Christian needs to be wise in order to overcome evil with good.
You don’t want to pray for the person you despise, but that’s why you pray because you don’t want to; That is why you should resort to the Doctor, because you yourself are sick with anger and pride, just as the one you despise is sick. Pray that the Lord will teach you kindness and patience, that He will strengthen you to love your enemies, and not well-wishers, only that He will teach you pray for ill-wishers as sincerely as for well-wishers".
Rev. Nicodemus the Holy Mountainer teaches that a Christian, if he wants to win the invisible battle with the enemy, must fight anxiety and confusion of the heart, must not allow sorrow to prevail over the heart:
“Just as every Christian has an urgent duty, when he has lost peace of heart, to do everything in his power that can contribute to its restoration; so no less than that, it is imperative that he not allow any accidents of current life to disturb this world, I mean: illnesses, wounds, death of relatives, wars, fires, sudden joys, fears and sorrows, memories of previous misdeeds and mistakes - in a word, everything that usually worries and worries the heart. Therefore, it is imperative to avoid anxiety and worry in such cases, succumbing to them, a person loses self-control and is deprived of the opportunity to clearly understand events and correctly see the appropriate course of action, and both give the enemy access to agitate him even more and direct him to some step that is difficult to correct or completely irreparable.
I don’t want to say: don’t allow sorrow, because it is not in our power, but rather: don’t allow sorrow to dominate your heart and agitate it, keep it outside, outside the heart, and hasten to soften and tame it so that it doesn’t prevented you from thinking sensibly and the right to act. This, with God’s help, is in our power if we have strong moral and religious feelings and dispositions.
...and the common remedy against this...is. This means is faith in the good Providence, which arranges the course of our life with all its contingencies, in the personal good of each of us, and complacent submission to the will of God, expressed in our situation, according to which in the depths of the soul one would call: God’s will be done! As the Lord willed, so it came to pass and came to pass for our good.
This good is recognized and felt differently in different persons. Another realizes: it is the goodness of God that leads me to repentance; another feels: for my sake, the Lord sent this to me to cleanse me from them, I bear God’s penance; the third comes to the thought: the Lord is testing me, whether I sincerely serve Him. ...And they are all of such a quality and strength that no matter which of them comes to the heart, each one can greatly calm the rising storm of sorrow and establish peaceful complacency in the heart.
And here is a general means for you to pacify your heart when sorrows attempt to disturb it: having restored as strongly as possible faith in the good Providence of God for you and revived in your soul God-devoted submission to the will of God, bring to your heart the thoughts mentioned above and force it to feel that the present sorrowful accident either the Lord tests you, or imposes a cleansing penance on you, or encourages you to repent, either in general or in particular about some forgotten wrong matter. As soon as the heart feels any of this, grief will immediately subside, and will give it the opportunity to subsequently absorb the other two feelings; nevertheless, together they will sooner establish such peace and complacency in you that you will not be able to help but cry:
"Blessed be the name of the Lord forever!" Like oil on the waves of the sea, these feelings are on a sorrowful heart: the waves subside and there is great silence. So calm the heart when it is alarmed to any degree. But if you, through long labor and spiritual deeds, so implant the above-mentioned feelings in your heart that they will fill it relentlessly, then no sorrow will disturb you, because such a mood will be for you the most effective preventive measure against that. It’s not that sorrowful feelings won’t come, they will come, but they will immediately recede, like the waves of the sea from a strong cliff.”
Saint Theophan the Recluse:
“But I say to you: do not resist evil” (Matthew 5:39), otherwise, give yourself up as a sacrifice to the waywardness and malice of men. But you can’t live like this? Don't worry. Whoever gave this commandment is also our Provider and Guardian. When, with complete faith and with all your heart, you wish to live in such a way as not to resist any evil, then the Lord himself will arrange for you a way of life that is not only tolerable, but also happy. Moreover, in reality it happens that resistance irritates the enemy more and encourages him to invent new troubles, while concession disarms him and humbles him. This is why it happens that if you only endure the first onslaughts of anger, people will take pity and leave you alone. And resistance and revenge kindle anger, which passes from one person to the family, and then from generation to generation.
Jerome. Job (Gumerov) explains that suffering is not valuable in itself, but only by how exactly we transfer them, answering the question “ There are people who suffer a lot, but do not get better. Why doesn't their suffering purify them?»:
« Suffering is only salutary when a person endures it in a Christian way. People who live without God often, on the contrary, become embittered.”
If the temptation was the result of a specific sin, then in order to cancel the effect of the spiritual laws that a person brought upon himself, he needs to examine his conscience and repent of the sin he has committed.
St. Paisius Svyatogorets said:
“However, there is a significant difference between natural and spiritual laws. Natural laws are “not compassionate” and a person cannot change them. But spiritual laws are “compassionate”, and a person can change them. Because [in the case of spiritual laws] he is dealing with his Creator and Maker - with the Most Merciful God. That is, quickly realizing how “high” he has flown with his pride, a person will say: “My God, I have nothing of my own, and I’m still proud?! Forgive me!" - and immediately the gentle hands of God pick up this person and gently lower him down, so that his fall remains unnoticeable. Thus, the person is not crushed by the fall, because he was preceded by heartfelt contrition and inner repentance.
The same thing happens in the case of the Gospel law: “Everyone who takes a knife with a knife will perish” (cf. Matt. 26:52). That is, if I hit someone with a sword, then according to spiritual law I must pay for it by having them hit me with a sword. However, if I realize my sin, if my own conscience “beats me with a sword” and I ask God for forgiveness, then spiritual laws cease to operate, and I, like a healing balm, accept His love from God.
That is, in the depths of God’s judgments - and His judgments are an abyss - we see that God "changes" when people change. If a disobedient child comes to his senses, repents and is tormented by his conscience, then the father lovingly caresses and consoles him. Man can change God's decision! This is no joke. Are you doing evil? God hits you on the back of the head - Do you say “sinners”? He gives you His blessings.
Some people repented of their sin and God forgave them. Spiritual laws have ceased to operate... If a person repents, then he is not punished: Christ has mercy on him.”
Saint Theophan the Recluse writes about the need for attention and sobriety:
“These temptations are both external - sorrows, humiliation; and internal - passionate thoughts that deliberately descend like animals from chains. Therefore, how much we need to pay attention to ourselves and strictly analyze what happens to us and in us in order to see why it is so and what it obliges us to do."
The Optina elders often showed people the reason for their temptations, so that they repentance could stop the action of spiritual laws. For example, we read about Rev. Ambrose Optinsky:
“One day a young man from the bourgeoisie came up to him with his arm in a sling and began to complain that he could not cure it. The elder had another monk and several laymen. Before he had time to finish: “It hurts, it hurts a lot...”, the elder interrupted him: “And it will hurt, why did you offend your mother?”
Rev. Macarius of Optina wrote to his spiritual son:
“Why know, and maybe That's why you allowed yourself to be tempted because you had a subtle and secret opinion about yourself which led you to delight; then, in order to prevent it from happening, sorrows followed you. Do not blame anyone as the reason for them, but see here the Providence of God, testing you, and people are only the instruments of Providence.
You can’t avoid sorrows anywhere; for they are the products of our own passions, to expose them, so that we, with the help of God, take care of their healing.
Our passions torment us through incidents, as St. writes. Apostle James: God is not the tempter of the evil; everyone is tempted from his own lust by attraction and deception (James 1: 13, 14). When we consider ourselves, we ourselves are to blame for any sorrow; And the tree from which our cross is made grew on the soil of our heart.... So all our sorrows that happen externally show the face of our inner man; but to those who love God all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28).”
But you also need to know it is not always necessary to search for the causes of sorrows, because in this case you can fall into embarrassment and despair. If the cause of grief is not visible to us, then we just need to endure and humble yourself, believing that everything happens for good and out of God’s love for us, and the Lord will not leave the humble.
So, St. Feofan the Recluse writes:
“Everything is from God: illness and health, and everything that is from God is given to us for our salvation. So you too, accept your illness and thank God for the fact that he cares about your salvation. What exactly is sent by God that serves for salvation, you don’t have to look for it, because maybe you won’t know. God sends other things as punishment, like penance, and others as discipline, so that a person will come to his senses; otherwise, to save you from the trouble that a person would get into if he were healthy; another thing is for a person to show patience and thereby deserve a greater reward; other, to cleanse from some passion, and for many other reasons.
When you remember your sins, say: “Glory to You, Lord, that You imposed penance on me as punishment!” When you remember that before you did not always remember God, say: “Glory to You, Lord, that You have given me the reason and the knowledge to remember You more often!” When the thought comes to you that if you were healthy, you would do something different and not good, say: “Glory to Thee, Lord, that You do not allow me to sin,” and so on. So be complacent!
There is no sin in being treated, even though the disease is from God: for God gives healing intelligence and God created medicines. Therefore, when resorting to a doctor and medicine, you will not resort to what is outside of God’s ways and institutions. These are conspiracies - they are not God’s, there is no point in going there. But what exactly you should do, I cannot tell you; I only indicate what will not be against the will of God. Save yourself!
“Look around, and perhaps you will see God’s good intentions for you in the sorrow that has befallen you: either the Lord wants to cleanse some sin, or take you away from a sinful deed, or give you an opportunity to show your patience and fidelity to Him, or He Himself wants then he will surprise you with the greatness of His mercy - something of this will surely come to you; Well, apply it to your wound, and its burning sensation will diminish. If you do not see what exactly the Lord wants to give you through your grief, arouse in your heart a general, unthinking belief that everything is from God, and that everything that comes from Him serves for our good, and interpret to your restless soul: it pleases God, endure and believe that whomever He punishes is like a son to Him. And even without him, who can resist His will?
Rev. Joseph Optinsky:
“You think that the Lord punished you for your sins. - Maybe so, or maybe it’s a test of your faith, but most likely - for one reason or another. However, be that as it may, your business is to see God’s goodness and love for you in the temporary punishment that has befallen you. For the Lord, the Most Merciful, wants through temporary sorrows to save you from the most terrible eternal torments, which are scary to think about. Therefore, cry to the Lord with the righteous Job: “Blessed be the name of the Lord from now on and forever!” (Cf.: Job 1, 21).”
Schema-abbot Ioann (Alekseev):
“You write about your illnesses, that they were sent by God for your sins. No, that's not how you should think. The destinies of the Lord are incomprehensible, and our limited minds cannot understand them; to whom what illnesses and sorrows are given by God to us sinners.”
St. Gregory the Theologian speaks:
“...one is punished for a vicious life,...and the other is tempted for his virtue.... Who can explore in everything the depth of the wisdom of God, with which He created everything and controls everything as He wants and as He knows? (Words, verse 14).
Jerome. Job (Gumerov), following patristic teaching, writes that there is no need to persistently search for a specific reason for the sorrow that has befallen us, but it’s enough just to check your conscience and accept grief in a Christian, humbly way:
“When illness befalls us, we should not try to explain it by any specific sin. First of all, we could be wrong. And most importantly, it is not useful. You need to repentantly examine your conscience. Check our entire life, past and present. Only the correction of our entire life will help us acquire healing grace. If you feel that your soul is troubled by illness, then tell it: is this illness not easier than the hyena into which you will fall if you are not firm and constant in patience (Venerable Isaiah the Hermit).”
6. Reasoning regarding sorrows
The Holy Fathers taught treat temptations with reason: not only accept them with humility, but also try to overcome them as much as possible, for example, to be treated for illnesses, to defend the Fatherland from an attacking enemy, to support others in enduring sorrows, to make excuses for accusations if spiritual strength is not enough in order to endure them without damage to the spiritual structure, or to keep silent about the regrettable if a neighbor is tempted on this occasion.So, Reverends Barsanuphius and John advise answering accusations, taking into account the spiritual interests of your neighbor:
"Question 764. You teach that it is good in any case to reproach oneself. But when someone reproaches me as guilty against him, and I do not know my guilt, what should I do (in this case)? For if I want to admit myself guilty, then this will serve to confirm his grief towards me, as if I had really sinned against him; if, on the contrary, I begin to justify myself to him, saying that this matter was different, then this will be self-justification, how can I bear (this ) reproach? Enlighten me, Holy Father, what should I do (in this case)?
Answer. First, reproach yourself in your heart, and bow to your brother, saying: forgive me for the Lord’s sake. And thus, with humility ( not in order to justify himself, but in order to heal him and rid him of suspicion) tell him: My Father! I don’t know that I want to offend you in anything, or sin against you in anything, and therefore (I ask you) do not think of me like that. If even after this he is not convinced, then tell him: I have sinned, forgive me.
Question 765. If I really sin against him, and he, having heard about this, becomes sad: is it good to hide the truth in order to remove his grief, or (should I) admit my sin and ask for forgiveness?
Answer . If he has reliably learned this, and you know that this matter will be investigated and (your act) will be revealed, then tell him the truth and ask for forgiveness, because your lie will irritate him even more. If he did not know (reliably), and you see that the matter will not be investigated, then It would not be indecent to remain silent, so as not to give room for grief. For the Prophet Samuel, when he was sent to anoint David as King, wanted (together) to make a sacrifice to God, but he was afraid of Saul, so that he would not recognize his main goal; and God said to him: Take the young woman with you, and say: I am going to devour the Lord (1 Sam. 16:12). So, having hidden his intention, the Prophet announced to him only the second. So, keep silent about what is regrettable (for your neighbor), and the matter will end well.”
St. John of Tobolsk speaks:
“... all human disasters and sorrows positively occur according to the will of God for the sake of achieving the righteous goals of God’s Providence... In the same way, God’s Providence is vigilant about us, and vigilantly vigilant, so that even our slightest bodily constraints do not go unnoticed by Himself. Consequently each of us, in the face of bodily adversity, should reason like this: this illness or other adversity, whether it occurred from my carelessness, or from human malice, or from something else, - in any case, did not happen without God's Providence, which determined it according to my strengths, so that its beginning, its severity (weakening or strengthening) depends on Him. Likewise, the method of healing and healing depends on the Providence of God. It admonishes the doctor and points out the means, or counteracts everything, for both good and bad, life and death, poverty and wealth are from the Lord (Sirach. 11, 14). Likewise, in all the adventures that happen to us, we must reason that they were foreseen and allowed by God.
It is very prudent and pious to reason, that every evil, misfortune or misfortune is for us a saving punishment sent to us from above, but God is not the cause of our guilt, i.e. sin, which inevitably entails punishment according to the truth of God.
...What ruinous wars and so on troubles do not occur without the will of God, this is clear (as we indicated earlier); but it does not follow from this that we should neither arm ourselves against our enemies nor resort to healing our illnesses, considering this to be opposition to the will of God. Let's explain this using the example of a disease: For whatever immediate reason it began, there is no doubt (as noted above) that it was the will of God. However, the patient does not know God’s intention about the duration of his illness, and therefore the patient is not prohibited from resorting to various means of healing himself from the disease. And when, after using many healing remedies, he no longer receives recovery, he can be sure that it is God’s will that he endure a very long and severe illness. So humbly reason, every sick brother, that God wants to keep you still in your illness. But since you do not know whether God intends for you to suffer until death, you can without sin resort to means of healing to obtain health or at least to alleviate the disease...
One should think about enemies and wars in the same way. God repeatedly allowed enemies to enslave the people of Israel, so that this people would not commit outrages and would not forget about their God; and the Israelites, until they realized the will of God, resisted their enemies.”
7. Is there temptation beyond your strength?
God's providence allows each person only such temptations as are necessary for his salvation and which he can bear with benefit for himself.The Lord, who knows the heart, does not send temptations that exceed our strength.
Therefore, a Christian must accept not only physical sorrows as from the beneficent hand of God, but also the evil that people cause.
Venerable Ambrose of Optina says that our sorrows “grow” from the passions of our heart and therefore everyone has their own, necessary for him:
God does not create the cross for man, that is, cleansing mental and physical suffering. And no matter how heavy the cross may be for some people, which he bears in life, yet the tree from which it is made always grows on the soil of his heart. When a person walks the straight path, there is no cross for him. But when he retreats from him and begins to rush first in one direction, then in the other, then different circumstances appear that push him again onto the straight path. These tremors constitute for a person cross. Of course, they are different, who needs which one.
Venerable Nikon of Optina:
Our sorrows are not similar in appearance to our guilt, but spiritually they rightly correspond to them.
St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov):
God, knowing exactly the condition of everyone, and how much strength each has, allows each to be tempted.
Elder Paisiy Svyatogorets:
“God allows temptations according to our spiritual condition.”
In temptations, the grace of God supports the ascetic, who places his hope and trust in Him, so that the power of experience does not exceed human strength.
Rev. Macarius of Egypt:
“...God’s mind knows to what extent each soul must be subjected to temptation in order for it to become well-qualified and useful for the Kingdom of Heaven.
God, knowing exactly the condition of everyone, how much strength each has, allows to be subjected to temptation to the same extent....
God never allows a soul that trusts in Him to be so exhausted by temptations that it reaches despair...
The evil one grieves the soul not to the extent that he has desires, but to the extent that God allows him to.”
St. Basil the Great:
God, according to a special economy, gives us over to sorrows, according to the measure of each person’s faith, sending us a measure of trials.
The Holy Fathers explain why it sometimes seems to us that the temptation sent is beyond our strength:
Abba Dorotheus:
We only sin in temptations because we are impatient and do not want to endure minor sorrow or endure anything against our will, while God does not allow anything to happen to us beyond our strength, as the Apostle said: God is faithful, who will not leave you to be tempted more than you can(1 Cor. 10:13). But we do not have patience, we do not want to endure even a little, we do not try to accept anything with humility, and therefore we become burdened, and the more we try to avoid misfortunes, the more we suffer from them, we become exhausted and cannot free ourselves from them.
Rev. Macarius of Optina:
...God sends tribulations to people according to the strength of each (1 Cor. 10, 13); and what we cannot bear must be blamed on ourselves; as I noted to you St. Isaac 51 Word... But, I see, everything seems to you that you cannot bear the tenderness of your feelings; therefore, there is no longer any need to reproach yourself for allegedly being like this by nature. Is God really unrighteous that he sends you unbearable sorrows? no! By the way, it doesn’t hurt you to read from St. Abba Dorotheus “it is undeniable and grateful to endure temptations”... But we will also look at examples that are often before our eyes; for example, let's take the violent part: whoever first strives against it legally, little by little comes to the dispensation of meekness, that is, he forces himself to meekness, self-reproach, patience with insults, annoyances, attacks and other things, from this the violent part softens. But if, on the contrary, he never forces himself to endure and hold back rage in anything, but rewards it on the contrary, or does not suppress it in himself with self-reproach and patience, then, over time, it intensifies even more in him and becomes, as it were, natural or natural, He has evil habits, and can no longer bear a single word, but gets irritated and blames, not himself, but others; and yet he is always deprived of peace and tranquility.
Rev. Nikon Optinsky:
Rev. Isaac the Syrian:
« The Provider balances temptations with the strengths and needs of those who receive them. Both consolation and defeat, light and darkness, battles and help, in short, cramped space and space, dissolve in us. And this serves as a sign that a person is prospering with God’s help.”
Only in one case does God allow temptations that exceed human strength- if this person himself suffers from the passion of pride. This happens because the proud person does not see his sins and passions, and the only thing that can lead him to the correct and saving dispensation of a humble view of himself is a fall into sin. God allows such people to fall, so that at least through this they will come to their senses and be saved.
Etc. John Climacus
“Where the Fall took place, there pride was first established; for the herald of the first is the second.
The prodigal can be corrected by people, the wicked by angels, and the proud by God Himself.
He who is captivated by pride needs the help of God Himself; for human salvation is vain for such a thing.
The punishment of the proud is his downfall, pester - demon; and the sign of his abandonment from God is insanity. In the first two cases, people were often healed by people; but the latter is incurable from people.”
Etc. Isaac the Syrian:
“Before contrition is pride,” says the Wise One (Proverbs 16:18), and before talent is humility. The measure of pride visible in the soul is the measure of contrition with which God admonishes the soul. I don’t mean pride when a thought appears in the mind or when a person is temporarily overcome by it, but pride that constantly resides in a person. A proud thought will be followed by contrition, and when a person has loved pride, he no longer knows contrition.”
(Word 34)
“The temptations that happen by God’s permission to shameless people, who in their thoughts exalt themselves before the goodness of God and insult God’s goodness with their pride, are the following: obvious demonic temptations that exceed the limits of mental strength: the taking away of the power of wisdom that people have, the restless feeling of a prodigal thought in themselves, allowed to affect them to humble their exaltation, rapid irritability, the desire to put everything according to one’s own will, bickering in words, giving reprimands, a heart that neglects everything, a complete delusion of the mind, blasphemy against the name of God, holy fools, worthy of laughter, or better yet, tears, thoughts that people neglect them, their honor turns into nothing, and secretly and openly, in various ways, shame and reproach from demons are inflicted on them, finally, the desire to be in communication and dealing with the world, constantly talking and recklessly talking idle, always looking for news and even false prophecies, promising much beyond one’s strength. And this is the essence of spiritual temptation.
Among the temptations of the body are: painful, complex, prolonged, incurable seizures, constant encounters with bad and godless people. Or a person falls into the hands of offenders, his heart is suddenly, and always without reason, set in motion by the fear of God; He often suffers terrible, body-crushing falls from stones, from high places and from something similar; finally, he feels the impoverishment of what helps the heart with Divine power and the hope of faith; in short, everything that is impossible and beyond their strength befalls both themselves and those close to them. Yet this, which we have outlined, belongs to the temptations of pride.
The beginning of these appears in a person when someone begins to seem wise to himself in his own eyes. And he goes through all these disasters as he assimilates such thoughts of pride.”
(Word 79)
Venerable Macarius of Optina:
“You know where the fall is, even if only in thoughts, pride preceded it. Conquer this hydra with its seven heads with the help of God.”
Rev. Macarius of Optina writes that one possessed by pride cannot see his sins:
“When you don’t notice anything about yourself, isn’t it driven by a spirit of pride? But the humble see their sins like the sand of the sea.
I sincerely rejoice at the change in your dispensation, that is, protection from laughter, idle talk and blasphemy; but it must be noted that in this case arrogance, vanity, conceit and the fiercest pride do not creep into the heart, which blinds a person and does not allow him to “see his sins” and “have a contrite and humble heart.”
You, wanting to please God, want to quickly ascend to the heights of virtues and think this is possible from you, which, I think, proves your spiritual pride... This reason provides a convenient opportunity for the enemy to attack you strongly, with God’s permission.
From the incidents you described and the consequences of them, your exalted Self is visible! You couldn’t believe yourself that you weren’t peaceful on N.N.! - i.e. that she could not sin. So arrogance took hold of you, or wanted to take hold of you. Are you tougher than Peter? but he also suffered rejection. How blinding pride is, preventing you from seeing and knowing your weaknesses. We read that in any case humility and the word forgive are necessary; but you need to show it in your deeds, but you spent two days in self-justification and didn’t say “I’m sorry.” St. Climacus writes: “Having rejected correct or incorrect reproof, you have rejected your salvation”... However, there is nothing to be timid about, you are in battle, you have fallen and risen, and by falling we are punished for humility. For know that where the fall followed, pride preceded it. I reminded you that you cannot always be on Tabor, you also need Golgotha; otherwise it is not useful to have only spiritual pleasures, without grief; this is a dangerous path! You mention the emptiness and barrenness of life - this thought is not empty, but also comes from pride. Tell me what do you want to see in yourself? Any grace-filled gifts? spiritual consolations? tears? joy? admiration of the mind? But you didn’t have time to come to the monastery, and you climb into heaven, and the fathers command such people to be thrown down. You see how proud we are, everyone wants to see that we are Me and not nothing. It’s not enough that there will be emptiness, but we will also suffer many falls until we come to terms with it. How little is your concept still in the spiritual mind; you do, and do not look for talents; Moreover, look at your sins like the sand of the sea, and grieve over them... is it our business to look for fruits in ourselves at the wrong time; it is a sign of pride; and even in emptiness and spiritual sorrow one must descend into the depths of humility, and not say: “Where should we look for salvation?” That’s the trouble, that we all want to see sacredness in ourselves, and not humility; in words we seem to resign ourselves. It is not the beginning, but the end that crowns the matter. Walk more quietly, you'll get there sooner.
You write about L., that while she was fasting, she was preparing in your cell and that her fear did not go away; She doesn’t understand what her pride is? This is such a passion that the proud do not see themselves as possessed by this vice, just as that old man, from whom it was ordered to tear out his soul, did not rest God within himself for even a single hour; Peter of Damascus has this in his 24th Word; and her pride is proven by the fruits of fear, etc., as in the 79th Word of St. Isaac the Syrian says, and St. Climacus: “The proud will be overcome by terrible events.” But God is able to grant her knowledge of her illness and then healing.”
An instructive example of the fall of a proud ascetic -. It teaches not only that fall awaits everyone who loses humility and sobriety, but also that everyone who falls can rise again.
8. Should not seek sorrows and temptations
“Watch and pray,” said the Lord, “so that you do not fall into temptation” (Matthew 26:41).The Lord Jesus Christ instructed Christians not to seek temptations, but, on the contrary, to pray to God: “lead us not into temptation.” This means that in the Lord’s Prayer we ask, first, that God would not allow us to be tempted; secondly, that He, if we need to be cleansed and tested through temptation, does not completely give us over to temptation and do not allow us to fall.
Do not seek temptations, succumbing to arrogance and risking falling into sin, but, if possible, avoid them and live soberly, so as not to incur temptation and sorrow, the Holy Fathers also teach:
Rev. Isaac the Syrian:
“...temptations are necessarily useful to people. But I don’t say this in the sense that a person should voluntarily relax himself…»
St. John Chrysostom:
“Through sorrow, God exercises the soul in virtue, for when the soul chooses virtue, despite the difficulty and not yet receiving a reward, then he shows favor and great zeal towards it. ... Sorrow especially disposes us to wisdom and makes us strong ... A great good sorrow, but we must not bring it upon ourselves.
Do not submit to temptation when acts of piety go according to your desire, - Why incur unnecessary dangers on yourself that do not bring any benefit?"
St. Tikhon of Zadonsk:
Let us not rush recklessly into attack, but rather avoid it. If the Lord, Who with His omnipotent power could do everything, but for the time being avoided temptations, how much more should we, the weak, do so. Not to look for temptations, but to endure the temptation that comes, not to lose heart in it and not to weaken - this is the property of a courageous and generous heart.
St. Basil the Great:
One should not throw oneself into temptations ahead of time, before God’s permission, but on the contrary, one must pray so as not to fall into them.
9. Temptations for good deeds
The Word of God warns us:My son! if you begin to serve the Lord God, then prepare your soul for temptation: guide your heart and be strong, and do not be embarrassed during your visit
(Sir. 2, 1-2).
What kind of praise is it if you endure being beaten for your misdeeds? But if, while doing good and suffering, you endure, this pleases God. For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, so that we would follow in His footsteps (1 Pet. 2:20, 21).
Venerable Abba Dorotheos:
Whoever does a deed pleasing to God will certainly be faced with temptation; for every good deed is either preceded or followed by temptation, and what is done for the sake of God cannot be solid unless it is tested by temptation.
Saint Theophan the Recluse:
After the Baptism of the Lord, when the Spirit descended on Him in the form of a dove, He was brought down “into the wilderness to be tempted” (Matthew 4:1). This is the common path for everyone. Saint Isaac the Syrian notes in one place that as soon as you taste grace-filled consolation or receive some gift from the Lord, wait for temptation. Temptations hide the lightness of grace from a person’s own eyes, which usually eat up everything good with conceit and self-exaltation. These temptations are also external - sorrows, humiliation; and internal - passionate thoughts that deliberately descend, like animals from chains. Therefore, how much we need to listen to ourselves and strictly analyze what happens to us and in us in order to see why it is so and what it obliges us to.
Venerable Isaac the Syrian:
Not the lover of virtue who does good with struggle, but the one who joyfully accepts the disasters that follow.
Venerable Barsanuphius the Great:
If someone, having done a good deed, sees that his thoughts do not meet with sorrow, then he should not be careless, as if it will pass without sorrow; for every good deed belongs to the way of God, and He who said: narrow is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life (Matthew 7:14). Even if sorrow does not happen in the midst of good deeds, but after it It is impossible not to grieve a person. When someone does good with zeal, he does not feel sorrow; when he does it without diligence, then he feels it. Sometimes (a person) does not even know that sorrow befalls us in many ways. And if we look carefully, we will certainly find it, either covered by vanity (for this is also the cause of sorrows), or by some person hindering us, or by the fact that later we again need what we used for the benefit of our neighbor, that is, seeing that We have nothing left in our hands, we come to repentance.
Innocent (Borisov), Archbishop of Kherson:
Not doing good just because something unfavorable may happen from it means refusing to always do good.
10. Temptations and sorrows happen to those who strive for salvation
The Word of God instructs that those who strive for God will inevitably bear the burden of temptations and sorrows for the sake of their salvation, and calls them " visitation of God»:My son! If you begin to serve the Lord God, then prepare your soul for temptation: guide your heart and be strong, and do not be embarrassed when you visit
(Sir. 2, 1-2).
Rev. Ephraim the Syrian:
It is impossible for anyone who wants to be saved to live... without temptations and sorrows.
Saint John Chrysostom:
There is much benefit from temptation, and none of those for whom God cares much is without sorrow...
St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov):
“The sorrowful situation during earthly life is an institution of the Lord Himself for the true slaves and servants of the Lord.
The Lord foretold to His disciples and followers that they would be sorrowful in the world, that is, during the completion of their earthly life.
Sorrows sent to man by the Providence of God are a sure sign of man’s election by God.
The path leading to Eternal Life is narrow and sad; few walk on it, but it is the inalienable and inevitable property of all those who are being saved.”
St. Theophan the Recluse:
Get out of your head that you can, through a life of comfort, become what we should be in Christ. If true Christians experience joy, it is completely by accident; the most distinctive character of their life is suffering and illness, internal and external, voluntary and involuntary. Through many sorrows one must enter into the kingdom, and into that which appears within. ...We can say this: consolation is evidence of the indirect path, and sorrow is evidence of the right path.
Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk:
It is known without any doubt that it is impossible for true Christians to exist in this world without sorrow. This is how God’s word testifies: “Many are the sorrows of the righteous” (Ps. 33:20); “in the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33); “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12). For “narrow is the way” that leads them into life (Matthew 7:14). Well, do you want to be the only one without sorrow and from the narrow path to the spacious one that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13), to cross and thereby exclude yourself from the number of true Christians? Read the sacred history from the beginning of the world - and you will see that all the saints drank the cup of the sorrow of the cross, and now those who wander in the world drink, and will drink until the end of the world. It is enough for you to console yourself that you are their “partner in sorrow” (Rev. 1:9), that “you share in the sufferings of Christ” (1 Pet. 4:13).
Rev. Isaac the Syrian:
This is the will of the Spirit, that His beloved should remain in labor. The Spirit of God does not dwell in those who live in peace. This is what distinguishes the sons of God from others, that they live in sorrows, while the world prides itself on luxury and peace. God did not wish that His beloved should rest while they were in the body, but wants them now to remain in sorrow, in hardship, in labor, in poverty, in nakedness, in need, in humiliation, in insults, in a weary body, in sad thoughts. This is how what was said about them is fulfilled: In the world you will have tribulation (John 16:33). The Lord knows that those who live in peace are not capable of loving Him, and therefore denies the righteous temporary peace and pleasure.
11. Why do the innocent suffer?
Jerome. Job (Gumerov) answers the question " If suffering is a punishment for sin, why do the innocent suffer?“From the time the Fall occurred and human nature was damaged, suffering entered the life of mankind. Both the sinful and the righteous suffer. The former suffer for their sins and iniquities, the latter in order to unite with the Lord. For followers of the Savior, sorrows serve to complete purification, just as gold is purified from impurities in fire. Sorrows and illnesses are a cure for sinful passions. The holy fathers often wrote about this: “The flesh is afflicted so that the soul can be healed.
Particular mention must be made of bodily illnesses, which often visit saints and righteous people. This shows God’s care for their spiritual perfection.“If you, being righteous, fell into illness, then through this you will prosper from less to greater things. You are gold, and through the fire you became purer” (St. Syncletikia). The Fatherland tells about one old man who was often exposed to illness. It happened that he did not get sick for one year. The elder was very sad, saying: “My Lord has forsaken me and did not visit me.”
Let us repeat here the inspired words Saint John (Maximovich) about the meaning of suffering, answering the question why suffering is necessary for the salvation of any person.
St. John (Maksimovich) writes that the “mystery of suffering” of a person, the meaning of suffering is “the true adoption of a person to God,” “the path of filial love and dying for resurrection”:
“The mystery of Job is the mystery of suffering. ...Next to the knowledge of suffering in this book stands the knowledge human adoption to God, - outside of this second it is impossible to penetrate into the first.
... Here we see with our own eyes the amazing state of the Old Testament righteous man ... This state is essentially a state of adoption by God, when everything that happens in the world, everything that God’s Providence does or allows, becomes “one’s own”, “native” for a person. And if any of the people can rebel against God because of misfortune in the world, by this he spiritually separates himself, cuts himself off from the great care of God, melting the eternal out of the temporary and, therefore, does not recognize God’s world as his world. Man is called to participate in the life of this world as a co-worker with God. Judgment and governance of the world belongs to the One who is millions and millions of times wiser, fairer and more powerful than man. And he knows what is needed. This mystery of adoption, the trusting acceptance of the bitterness of a patient who has not yet been transformed by us ra, a mystery that is fully revealed in the New Testament - the book of Job amazingly reveals.
As soon as Job's soul heard the voice of God the Father and realized that it was the Father, she immediately humbled herself to the end, and in her humility began to know the true secret of suffering, a secret that each of us can learn if we take this path of Job’s humility, the humility that allows suffering to remelt the human spirit, contaminated in the primordial fall of humanity.
... Job didn’t say anything sinful. We heard his speech and were amazed at the purity of his words, his true desire for God. But as soon as Job heard the true voice of the Heavenly Father, he feels the need to repent even of all his pure and good speeches! This is the amazing knowledge that Job received when he heard the voice of the Heavenly Father! Job understood, as the ancient prophet says, that all our righteousness before God is “like filthy rags.” There is no righteousness on earth. All the lofty words that the human tongue can utter are dust before God! A person who has achieved the first commandment of the Gospel - the bliss of spiritual poverty, will understand this law, will understand that a person must free himself from all “his own” (petty and metaphysically unclean!) concepts of “truth”, “justice”, “justice”, free himself even from the concept of your love, this split, unfaithful love; must free himself from all humanly autonomous comprehensions, which are now so weak and insignificant. In a word, man must truly die in God; then only he will be resurrected into a new life.
...the crown of mercy for man in eternity... is that the Lord adopts man and includes him in His way of the cross of righteousness in the old world, and suffering for His servants, suffers in his sons, extends the limits of His Suffering Theanthropic Body to the bodies of all his sons and suffering His Divine-Human Soul upon their souls.
...What we are going to is too big. What we leave here is too insignificant. In this world all our virtues are insignificant, all our understanding of truth is insignificant.
And therefore there is no higher beauty on earth than the suffering of truth, there is no greater radiance than the radiance of innocent suffering».
12. Why are not all sinners sent to serious illnesses?
St. John Chrysostom answers the question "... How can we explain the fact that some of the evil people are punished here, while others are not?" So:“If God is impartial - which He really is - then why does He punish one and allow another to die without punishment? This is even more incomprehensible than what was said before. But if you kindly want to listen to me, then I will allow this too perplexity. How? God does not punish everyone here so that you do not despair of the resurrection, and do not stop expecting judgment, in view of the fact that everyone has already received reward here; He also does not leave everyone without punishment, so that you do not think again , that the universe is not governed by Providence. He both punishes and does not punish. When He punishes, He makes it clear that from those who were not punished here, He will demand an account there; When He does not punish, He makes you believe that after departing from this life there will be a terrible judgment. If He did not want to give everyone their due, then here too he would neither punish nor reward anyone. ... So, having realized all this, let us believe that after departing from this life we will face a terrible judgment, we will give an account of all our deeds and, if we remain in sins, we will be subjected to torture and execution, and if we decide to pay even a little attention to ourselves, then we will be rewarded with crowns and unspeakable blessings..."
Hieromonk Job (Gumerov):
“Why are not all sinners sent to serious illnesses? Because the Lord knows the hearts of people. Some resist the truth even after trials that have befallen them. They can add new, even more serious sins to existing sins.: despondency, despair, embitterment, murmur. The Lord does not want to aggravate their fate. In relation to such people it is clearly visible manifestation of Divine love».
«... when we are borims, it means that we are in conflict", writes Rev. John Climacus- and on the contrary, if a Christian had no temptations, this always forced him to look carefully at how he lives, to look for what is wrong in his spiritual life.
WITH Saint Mark the Ascetic speaks:
“What is the need for the devil to fight with those who always lie on the ground and never get up.”
He directly writes that if someone has no sorrows, then this is an alarming sign:
« If someone clearly sins and does not repent, he is not subjected to any sorrows until the very end, then know that his trial will be without mercy… Anyone who wants to get rid of future sorrows must willingly endure the present. For in this way, mentally changing one thing into another, through small sorrows he will avoid great torment.
When, as a result of an insult, your womb and heart are irritated, do not be sad that the evil hidden within you has been providentially set in motion. But joyfully cast down the thoughts that arise, knowing that just as they are destroyed upon their appearance, the evil that lies beneath them and sets them in motion is destroyed along with them. If thoughts are allowed to persist and appear frequently, then evil usually intensifies.».
St. John Chrysostom speaks:
“When you see that a person lives in wickedness, and, however, enjoys great prosperity and does not suffer any disaster, then pity him more, because he, having been exposed to illness and the most serious infection, intensifies the disease, becoming worse from joy and immoderation ; for it is not punishment that is evil, but sin; it removes us from God; and punishment brings us to God and stops His wrath."
Jerome. Job (Gumerov) answers the question:
“In addition, there are people who, it seems, do not suffer at all, but sin a lot. It turns out that God does not want to cleanse them? Why is there no suffering for those who need it most?
– God loves everyone and wants everyone to be saved. But he knows everything hidden in everyone’s soul. He knows in advance how a person will perceive the suffering sent to him: some will stop sinning and begin to correct themselves, while others will become embittered. Such people will add even more terrible ones to their existing sins: grumbling and blasphemy against God. In hell, torment corresponds to the severity of crimes. Therefore, if trials are sent to such sinners, their future fate will be even more painful. The Lord even loves sinners and does not want them to increase their punishments.”
St. Ignatius Brianchaninov:
“To the person whom God chooses to serve Him, various tribulations are sent.”
“Those who bear the burden of sorrows must bear it with humility, with submission to God, knowing that it has been placed on them by God. If they are sinners, then sorrows serve as retribution in time for their sins. If they are innocent, then sent or allowed sorrow, as if it befell them at the behest of God, with an all-good Divine purpose, prepares for them special bliss and glory in eternity. Murmuring about the sent sorrow, murmuring about God, who sent the sorrow, destroys the Divine purpose of sorrow: it deprives you of salvation, subjects you to eternal torment. The Lord loves and accepts whomever he loves, beats and punishes, and then delivers from sorrow. Without temptation it is impossible to draw closer to God.
Unsophisticated virtue, the holy fathers said, is not virtue! If you see someone called virtuous by Orthodox people, but he lives without any temptations, succeeds in worldly affairs, know: his virtue, his Orthodoxy are not accepted by God. God sees in them the uncleanness that He hates! He looks condescendingly at human uncleanness and heals it with various means; in whomever he sees demonic uncleanness, he turns away from him. Loving you and your son, bringing you closer to Himself, He allowed you grief.”
13. Sorrows continue until the death of a person
Temptations and sorrows are sent to us by God throughout our entire lives, intensify as a Christian improves, become strongest in the hour of death, and end only with life.Rev. Macarius of Egypt:
“When... the soul enters this city of Saints, then only will it be able to remain without sorrows and temptations...
And the spiritual suffer temptations, because arbitrariness still remains in them, and their enemies attack them while they are in this age.”
Elder Paisiy Svyatogorets:
We need to clearly understand that we are at war with the devil himself and will continue to fight with him until we leave this life. While a person is alive, he has a lot of work to do to make his soul better. As long as he is alive, he has the right to take spiritual exams. If a person dies and gets a bad mark, then he is removed from the list of examinees. There are no retakes anymore.
St. Theophan the Recluse:
“...The final, as it were, cleansing of our entire composition, its purification as if in fire, is accomplished by the Lord Himself. Namely: from without - with sorrows, from within - with tears. It cannot be said that they appear only at the end, and that they did not exist before. No, they begin from the first time, from the very beginning, and accompany a person in the form of various troubles and heartbreak, and the more a person grows, the more they intensify. But this is how the Lord introduces them into us, allowing and, as it were, blessing the ordinary course of external and internal affairs for our good. Towards the end, He deliberately arranges them, gives them tears, brings sorrow - either together, or one after the other, and then one before, then the other, and even one for one, and another for the other. Sorrows are fire, tears are water. This is baptism by water and fire. In Saint Isaac the Syrian this is depicted by the ascension to the cross, or the final crucifixion of the outer man. This moment, as they say, is the most tempting, similar to the one that Abraham had when he sacrificed his son: in the mind there is darkness, in the heart there is a joyless longing, from above there is the aspiration of anger, from below there is a ready-made hell; a person sees himself perishing, hanging over the abyss. From here some come out in triumph, others fall and return to climb this mountain again. Those who have passed this stage, as having ascended to heaven, are no longer earthly, but heavenly, taken up by the Divine Spirit and rushed by it, like the wheels in Ezekiel’s vision. God is in them and act. Their condition is incomprehensible to thought.
...So it's at the end. Until that time, along with other methods, as the strongest means of purification, the constant sorrows and troubles created by God and the spirit of contrition given by Him should be felt as constant. In strength it is equal to the leader and, in case of his deficiency, can sufficiently replace him, and indeed replaces him in a believer and humble person. For in this case, God Himself is the Leader, and He is, without a doubt, wiser than man. Saint Isaac the Syrian describes in detail how gradually the Lord introduces the person being purified more and more into purifying sorrows and how he warms up the spirit of contrition in him. On our part, all that is required is faith in good providence and a ready, joyful, grateful acceptance of everything sent from Him. The lack of this takes away the purifying power from sorrowful cases and does not allow it to reach our hearts and depths. This is in relation to sorrows. In relation to contrition - careful recognition of one’s sins, one’s disorder, through observation of oneself and what happens in us, and then frequent confession, with sincere repentance and pain. Without external sorrows it is difficult for a person to resist pride and conceit, and without tears of contrition how to get rid of the internal egoism of pharisaical self-righteousness..."
14. Comfort to the grieving
In the world you will have tribulation; but take heart: I have overcome the world.(John 16:33).
We also glory in our sorrows, knowing that from sorrow comes patience, from patience experience, from experience hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit given to us.
(Rom. 5:3-6).
St. Theophan the Recluse:
“It’s hard for you now, but haven’t you seen joyful days before? God willing, and you will see again. Be patient! The sky above you will clear up. In life, as in nature, there are sometimes bright and sometimes dark days. Has it ever happened that the menacing cloud did not pass? And was there anyone in the world who would think so? Don’t think so about your grief, and you will delight yourself with hope.
Hard for you. But is this an accident without cause? Raise your head a little and remember that there is a Lord who cares for you like a father and does not take his eyes off you. If grief befalls you, it is not otherwise than with His consent and will. No one like He sent it to you. And He knows very precisely what, to whom, when and how to send; and when he sends, he sends for the good of the one who is subject to grief. So look around, and you will see God’s good intentions for you in the sorrow that has befallen you. Either the Lord wants to cleanse some sin, or take away a sinful deed, or cover it up with a smaller grief from a greater one, or give you an opportunity to show patience and fidelity to the Lord, so that later he can show you the glory of His mercy. Some of this certainly comes to you. Find out what exactly it is, and apply it to your wound like a plaster, and its burning sensation will be quenched. If, however, you do not clearly see what exactly God wants to give you through the grief that has befallen you, build up a general, unthinking belief in your heart that everything is from the Lord, and that everything that comes from the Lord is for our good; and interpret to the restless soul: this is what pleases God. Be patient! Whoever He punishes is like a son to Him!
Most of all, pay attention to your moral state and corresponding eternal fate. If you are a sinner—as, of course, you are a sinner—then rejoice that the fire of sorrow has come and will burn away your sins. You keep looking at the mountain from the ground. And you are transported to another life. Stand in court. Look at the eternal fire prepared for sins. And from there, look at your grief. If he has to be condemned there, what sorrows would you not be willing to endure here, just so as not to fall under this condemnation? I would wish that they cut and burn every day now, rather than fall into indescribable and incessant torment. Isn’t it better, so as not to experience this there, now and not bear so much grief so that through this you can get rid of the eternal fire? Say to yourself: because of my sins, such blows were sent to me, and thank the Lord that His goodness leads you to repentance. Then, instead of fruitless grief, recognize what sin you have, repent and stop sinning. When you settle down like this, you will of course say: I still don’t have enough. For my sins I’m not even worth it!
So, whether you bear a common bitter share, or you experience private sorrows and sorrows, endure them complacently, gratefully accepting them from the hand of the Lord, as a cure for sins, as a key that opens the door to the kingdom of heaven.”
Saint John (Maximovich):
“As soon as Job’s soul heard the voice of God the Father and realized that it was the Father, she immediately humbled herself to the end, and in her humility began to learn the true secret of suffering, a secret that each of us can learn if we take this path the humility of Job, the humility that allows suffering to refine the human spirit, polluted in the primordial fall of humanity.
... Job didn’t say anything sinful. We heard his speech and were amazed at the purity of his words, his true desire for God. But as soon as Job heard the true voice of the Heavenly Father, he feels the need to repent even of all his pure and good speeches! This is the amazing knowledge that Job received when he heard the voice of the Heavenly Father! Job realized, as the ancient prophet says, that all our righteousness before God is “like filthy rags.” There is no righteousness on earth. All the lofty words that the human tongue can utter are dust before God! A person who has achieved the first commandment of the Gospel - the bliss of spiritual poverty, will understand this law, will understand that a person must free himself from all “his own” (petty and metaphysically unclean!) concepts of “truth”, “justice”, “justice”, free himself even from the concept of your love, this split, unfaithful love; must free himself from all humanly autonomous comprehensions, which are now so weak and insignificant. In a word, man must truly die in God; then only he will be resurrected into a new life.
...the crown of mercy to man in eternity... is that the Lord adopts man and counts him among His way of the cross of righteousness in the old world, and suffering for His servants, He suffers in His sons, extends the limits of His Suffering Theanthropic Body to the bodies of all His sons and the suffering of His Theanthropic Soul to their souls. This is how a new world is born. This is the great secret of building the Church, the New World on the blood of the Lamb and lambs.
...What we are going to is too big. What we leave here is too insignificant. In this world all our virtues are insignificant, all our understanding of truth is insignificant.
And therefore there is no higher beauty on earth than the suffering of truth, there is no greater radiance than the radiance of innocent suffering.”
St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov):
“The narrow path lifts you up from the earth, leads you out of the darkness of vanity, leads you to Heaven, leads you to paradise, leads you to God, places you before His Face in the unfading light for eternal bliss.”
“Do not indulge in sadness, cowardice, hopelessness! Tell me, most honest father, to your despondent thoughts, tell your heart pierced by grief: “The cup that the Father gives me, shouldn’t the imam drink from it?” Caiaphas does not serve this cup, Judas and the Pharisees do not prepare it: the Father does everything! People who arbitrarily follow the suggestions of their hearts, acting autocratically, do not cease to be instruments, blind instruments of Divine Providence, according to the infinite wisdom and omnipotence of this Providence. Let us leave people are definitely on the side - they are strangers! Let us turn our gaze to God, let us cast our rising and restless thoughts at His feet, let us say with reverent submission: “Thy will be done!” ... Saint Tikhon of Voronezh, accused of hot temper, was forced to move from the episcopal throne to the walls of a quiet monastery, and the monastery, the stay in which the holy shepherd had the appearance of exile, inspired him to devote himself to prayer and other monastic deeds. Holy deeds brought him incorruptible and indestructible treasure of righteousness in Christ, glory from Christ in heaven and on earth. I was always amazed by the fate of St. Tikhon; his example always sent out comforting and instructive rays into my heart, when my heart was surrounded by darkness produced by the accumulating clouds of sorrows. I am convinced that only monastic activities can firmly console a person who is in the crucible of temptations. ... thoughts ... drawn from the Holy Scriptures and in the writings of the holy fathers, I was nourished and supported. Without such strong support, could I have withstood the face of the sorrows that the all-good Providence allowed me, with which I cut off He called me out of love for the world into love for Himself... In these sorrows I see God’s goodness towards me; I confess a gift from above, for which I must thank God more than for any earthly, imaginary happiness I see in others. And this imaginary happiness, no matter how low (it is carnal!), could be even enviable if it were durable and eternal. But it is wrong, it is instantaneous - and how they are tormented by its betrayals, by the loss of it, those spoiled by it. It must certainly be destroyed, taken away by an inexorable and inevitable death: the disaster with which the pupils of imaginary, earthly happiness suddenly meet at the gates of eternity is incomparable to anything!”
Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov):
We sometimes want our requests and prayers to be fulfilled immediately, not thinking that God knows better than us what is more beneficial for us and when to give us consolation. We cry, groan, calling ourselves unhappy and as if innocently suffering all our lives, not remembering the instructions of the Lord's apostle: The Lord punishes whomever he loves; he beats every son whom he receives (Heb. 12:6). Through enduring sorrows and bodily suffering, the Lord heals our soul, preparing it for the future life, teaches us humility and unfeigned trust in His mercy. Visiting sorrows clearly indicates that the Lord paid special attention to you at this time. He wants to make you wise for salvation, gives you the opportunity to show Him how rich you are in faith, hope and love - these essential Christian virtues, without which it is impossible for a person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Saint Theophan the Recluse:
Get used to seeing the mercy of God in sorrows and meet them calmly in devotion to the will of God or even with joy. Open the eye of your mind and see the crown coming from heaven onto your head, if you remain unperturbed and calm.
Rev. Ambrose Optinsky:
Illness is not a misfortune, but a lesson and a visit from God; the sick Venerable Seraphim was visited by the Mother of God; and we, if we humbly endure the disease, are visited by Higher Powers.
St. Theophan the Recluse:
If a person endures the trials he encounters with thanksgiving to God, then they will help him achieve eternal salvation.
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“Don’t accept sorrow and you won’t see sweetness”
Russian proverb
“...When sorrows are found,...
Saint Theophan the Recluse
“Nowadays people have become proud and are saved only through sorrow and repentance...”
Venerable Silouan of Athos
Saint John Chrysostom (347-407):“God sends people a much lighter punishment for their sins than they deserve.
Salvation does not consist only in not doing evil, but also in courageously enduring evil.
The path to heaven is narrow; sorrow puts us on this narrow path; but he who does not endure tribulation cannot walk on it.
If you do not want to endure sorrow for the Lord, then you will still endure sorrow, but for other reasons, without any benefit for yourself. For the envious, the covetous, attached to a harlot, vain and devoted to every other vice endures many sorrows and sorrows... So, since the leader of both lives must necessarily grieve, then why not choose a life that, along with sorrow, brings countless crowns? »
Saint Basil the Great (330-379):“He who avoids grief deprives himself of experience.
Let you have one thing to avoid – sin, and one refuge in misfortunes – God.”
Venerable Dorotheos of Palestine (620):“It is great philanthropy, brothers, that we are punished while in this world; but we, not knowing what is happening there, consider the things here to be grave.”
Venerable Isaac the Syrian (7th century):“Whoever avoids sorrows is, undoubtedly, completely separated from virtue. If you desire virtue, then surrender yourself to all sorrow. For sorrows give birth to humility».
Venerable Thalassius (7th century):“Every sin is committed for pleasure, and all forgiveness of sins is obtained through suffering and sorrow.”
Venerable Leo of Optina (1768-1841) spoke about the inevitability of sorrows: “If you admit that you are a sinner, then you know that the sinner’s wounds are many.(Ps. 31:10), and when she is righteous, then again it is written: much sorrow to the righteous(Ps. 33, 20). No matter where you turn, you cannot live without grief.”
Venerable Macarius of Optina (1788-1860) to the question “what are sorrows for?” answered: “I believe: either to punishment for our previous sins, for, according to the word of the holy Apostle: here we are punished so as not to be condemned with the world (1 Cor. 11:32), or to the test of our faith and hope in the Lord, or Finally, let us not, having been without sorrows, fall into some other sins.
In every place we are presented with the fulfillment of God’s commandments, which is associated with sorrow. Running from sorrow is running from salvation.
When we look at the innocent suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ, who endured reproaches, annoyances, spitting, beatings, dishonor, desecration, crucifixion, a crown of thorns, a pierced rib, piercings of the hands and feet of the most pure, we will see that the essence of our sorrows is caused by insults and contempt. But He left us an image, so that we may follow His footsteps (1 Pet. 2:21), and although not completely, we partake in His passions in part, when we valiantly and resignedly endure the sorrows He sends to us.”
Venerable Anthony of Optina (1795-1865):
“Of course, it would be easier with a full belly and a soft down jacket, turning over and straight into the bright paradise; but a path has been laid there from the Cross, for the kingdom of God is achieved not through one or two, but through many sorrows!”
Venerable Ambrose of Optina (1812-1891):“Every Christian is tested in some way: one by poverty, another by illness, another by various bad thoughts, another by some kind of disaster or humiliation, and another by various bewilderments. And this tests the firmness of faith, and hope, and the love of God, that is, what a person is more inclined to, or is still nailed to earthly things, so that through such trials a Christian person can see for himself what position and disposition he is in, and involuntarily humble himself.
They do not give rewards for joy, but only for sorrows and deeds.
Many wish for a good spiritual life in the simplest form, but only a few and rare actually fulfill their good desire - namely those who firmly adhere to the words of the Holy Scriptures, that through many tribulations it is necessary for us to enter the kingdom of heaven (Acts 14, 22) , and, calling on God’s help, they try to meekly endure the sorrows and illnesses and various inconveniences that befall them, always keeping in mind the words of the Lord Himself: If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments (Matthew 19:17).
Whoever wants to be saved endures sorrows, and whoever deviates from the path of salvation also does not avoid sorrows. Therefore, it is better to endure the sorrows of God for the sake of one’s salvation and for the cleansing of one’s sins, rather than to suffer senselessly, for unknown reasons.”
Rev. Anatoly Optinsky (Zertsalov) (1824-1894):“But your patience should not be unreasonable, that is, joyless, but patience with reason - that the Lord looks into all your deeds, into your very soul, as we look into the face of a loved one, i.e. clearly, carefully He sees and tests: what kind of person will you be in sorrow?
There will, perhaps, be little sorrow - then there will be little gain, little learning. And this is a bad merchant who rejoices that there are few people at the auction and he is little bothered by demanders and sellers! Moreover, you yourself mature so much through experience that you come to wonder: why do the same sorrows now seem different? Be patient, grow old, take a closer look and you will see that in reality much is not what it seems to us.”
Rev. Joseph of Optina (1837-1911):
“Sorrow is a good sign; By 
They show that we are standing on a narrow path. Humble yourself more and reproach yourself.
One must suffer something for sins; if not here, then in the future life. Only in the hereafter the sorrows are very terrible.”
Jacob, Archbishop of Nizhny Novgorod (1792-1850):« As a hammer breaks a stone, so sorrows crush rudeness, insensitivity, pride and fearlessness of the heart.».
Saint Theophan, recluse Vyshensky (1815-1894):« Salutary Divine grace for awakening the sinner from sleep, directing its power to destroy the support on which someone establishes himself and rests with his selfhood - this is what it does.
He who is bound by carnal knowledge plunges him into illness and, weakening the flesh, gives the spirit freedom and strength to come to his senses and sober up. He who is seduced by his beauty and strength is deprived of his beauty and kept in constant exhaustion. Those who rely on their power and strength are subjected to slavery and humiliation. He who relies heavily on wealth will have it taken away from him. He who is highly intelligent is disgraced as ignorant. Whoever relies on the strength of connections has them broken. Whoever relies on the eternity of the order established around him is ruined by the death of persons or the loss of necessary things.
When the Lord strikes, isn’t it righteous to think that what is right is for a reason. So, look at what is there, why they beat you, and correct it.
Please keep in mind, when sorrows occur, that It is the Lord who is paving the way for you to His kingdom, or even more, taking you by the hand and leading you. Therefore, do not rest your feet and do not shout, but endure sorrows complacently and with gratitude.”
Hegumen Nikon (Vorobiev) (1894-1963):“God is Love, and Love cannot allow harm to its beloved. That is why everything that happens to a person, sad or joyful, is tolerated for our good, although we do not always understand this, or better yet, we never see or understand it. Only the All-Seer, the Lord, knows what we need to acquire eternal blissful life.
Believe that every moment the Lord wants to give you the greatest benefits, but you cannot accept them without harm to yourself.
If the Lord Jesus Christ suffers grievously for our sins, then shouldn’t we grieve for our sins? If the groom is suffering, is it proper for the bride to dance and have fun at this time?.
The saints said that if a person knew what joy it would be for those who inherit the kingdom of God, he would agree to be crucified on the cross every day for the rest of his life, just so as not to lose eternal bliss. But the Lord does not require such suffering from us. He only wants us to believe in Him and humbly endure everything that He sends for our purification.”
Venerable Silouan of Athos (1866-1938):
« Nowadays people have become proud and are saved only by sorrows and repentance, but rarely does anyone achieve love.”.
Schema-abbot Ioann (Alekseev) (1873-1958):“Don’t imagine God as a very strict judge and punisher. He is very merciful, he took on our human flesh and suffered as a man, not for the sake of saints, but for the sake of sinners like you and me.”
Holy Scripture on Patience of Sorrows
Beloved! do not shy away from the fiery temptation sent to you to test it as a strange adventure for you, but as you participate in Christ’s sufferings, rejoice, and at the revelation of His glory you will rejoice and triumph(1 Pet.4, 12-13).
The Lord punishes whomever he loves; beats every son whom he receives(Hebrews 12:6)
If you remain without punishment, which is common to everyone, then you are illegitimate children, not sons. Moreover, if we, being punished by our carnal parents, were afraid of them, then should we not much more submit to the Father of spirits in order to live? They punished us arbitrarily for a few days; and He is for our benefit, so that we may share in His holiness. Any punishment at the present time seems not to be joy, but sadness; but afterward he brings to those who are taught the peaceful fruit of righteousness(Hebrews 12:8-11).
Our momentary light suffering produces eternal glory in immeasurable abundance.(2 Cor. 4:17).
