Humble yourself and you will see the glory of God within yourself. ( St. Seraphim of Sarov )

When people curse us, we must consider ourselves unworthy of praise, imagining that if we were worthy, everyone would be bowing down to us. We must always, and before everyone, humble ourselves, according to the teachings of St. Isaac the Syrian: "Humble yourself and you will see the glory of God within yourself."

St. Seraphim of Sarov

“Ask with tears, seek with obedience, knock with patience. ( St. John Climacus )

“Ask with tears, seek with obedience, knock with patience. For thus he who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”

St. John Climacus – "The Ladder of Divine Ascent" (Step 28)

Be patient my brethren ( Father Seraphim Rose )

Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. And let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing. (James 1:2-4)

"By taking one small step at a time, and nobody not thinking that in one big step we are going to get any place, we can walk straight to the Kingdom of Heaven––and there is no reason for any of us to fall away from that ."
 
Fr. Seraphim Rose

Self justification is a large sin ( Elder Ambrose of Optina )

When you are being plagued, never ask what for and why. You will never find that in the Scripture. Instead, it says: "If somebody strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him. It is really difficult to strike one on the right cheek and should be understood as: if somebody starts to denigrate you or provoke you unjustifiably, that will mean hitting you on your right cheek. 

Do not grumble but bear this blow patiently, and turn your left cheek, that is, remembering your past faulty deeds. If in this time you are innocent, then you have sinned greatly in the past; with this you will be convinced that you deserve punishment. Self justification is a large sin."

Elder Ambrose of Optina

Patience is needed to weather the storm ( Abba Dorotheus )

When a person — crushed with grief — sins, then what benefit does he receive from this grief? The point is that the reason why we sin is because we are impatient and do not want to endure anything that goes against our will. However, God would never send us anything beyond our strength, just as the Apostle says: "God is faithful, Who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able" (1 Cor. 10:13). But we do not have patience, do not want to endure even a little, do not attempt to accept everything with humility and therefore become overburdened. And the more we attempt to avoid these attacks, the more we suffer from them, get exhausted and are unable to rid ourselves of them. Does this section refer to sailors or swimmers, or does it matter? Something similar occurs with temptation. When a person endures temptation with patience and humility, it passes by without harming him. If he starts to be fainthearted, agitated and begins to blame others, then he will be burdened needlessly, inflicting upon himself even greater temptations without receiving any benefit.

Abba Dorotheus

Have Patience ( Elder Nikon of Russia )

May God's blessing always be with you. Never despair. 

May Christ's Cross always serve to remind you of God's boundless love toward fallen man.

The Lord loves you ! Have patience with the Lord.


Elder Nikon of Russia

Patience my son ( St. Gregory of Sinai )

With regard to patience the Lord says, 'You will gain possession of your souls through your patient endurance,' (Luke 21:19). He did not say 'through your fasting' or 'through your vigils'. I refer to the patience bestowed by God, which is the queen of virtues, the foundation of courageous actions. It is patience that is peace amid strife, serenity amid distress, and a steadfast base for those who acquire it. Once you have attained it with the help of Christ Jesus, no swords and spears, no attacking armies, not even the ranks of demons, the dark phalanx of hostile powers, will be able to do you any harm.




St. Gregory of Sinai

THE VALUE OF PATIENCE(PART 6) ( St.John Chrysostom )

Do you remember what happened when the Apostle Paul was visiting the Philippians?
He was apprehended, brutally hit with rods, thrown
in a dark jail, and had his feet tightened in shackles. Even in this state, around midnight, while the guards were sleeping, he was chanting and praising God (Acts 16:16-25). What courage! What patience! What long suffering! We are not impressed so much with the numerous miracles recorded in the Scriptures that he performed, as
we are astounded with the patience he displayed during his sufferings:when he was whipped, when he was ridiculed, and when he was stoned. "
And, having stoned Paul, they drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead," we read in the
Acts (Acts 14:19).




Yet another time the following occurred: "And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely" (Acts 16:23).




How content, how satisfied, how honored must
St. Paul have felt knowing that he was beaten and imprisoned on account of Christ! But pay close attention to the miracle that followed: "And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that
the foundations of the prison were shaken: and

immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed." (Acts 16:26). Do you see how these amazing bonds of St. Paul were able to loosen the bonds of others? "And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the
prisoners had been fled." (Acts 16:27). How did St. Paul react in this situation?






He yelled loudly to the guard, "Do thyself no harm: for we are all here." (Acts 16:28).Do you see the modesty and humility of the apostle? He did not say, "All these things took place because of me!"
Rather, as a simple prisoner amongst the other captives he confirmed that, "We are all here." If St. Paul would have remained silent, the guard would have committed suicide. How much compassion and tenderness did the Apostle Paul show! He preferred to remain in bondage instead of allowing
another person to lose his life. At that very moment,
those very same bonds revealed their awesome power once more, for they made the prison officer
kneel down before the prisoner. "Fearfully," state the Acts, "he fell to the feet of Paul" (Acts 16:29).





He who was free was suddenly found before the feet of him who was in bondage. He who had tied the apostle was now begging the apostle to loosen him from the bonds of ignorance and fear. "What
must I do to be saved?" he asked (Acts 16:30).
Tell us, O guard: didn't you tie him up? Didn't you throw him in jail? Didn't you secure his feet tightly in shackles? Why are you now trembling? Why are you panicking? Why are you crying? Why did you take out your sword to end your life? "I didn't know," he would respond to us, if he was present here, "I did not know that the servants of Christ, even when they are bound, have such great power!" What are you saying, O man? Christ’s apostle
received authority from the Lord to open the
heavens, and you think he would be incapable of opening the doors of the prison? He frees them who have been bound by the devil, and you believe a single chain would be capable of keeping him tied up? He frees souls who are bound by sin, and you imagine that he wouldn't be able to free his own body? It was for this very reason that he was tied
beforehand, prior to loosening the bonds of the prisoners: so you can learn that the servants of Christ have much greater power—even when they are bound—than them who are free.



St.John Chrysostom

THE VALUE OF PATIENCE(PART 5) - St. John Chrysostom

Let us never forget that all the saints, prophets, righteous, apostles, martyrs, and confessors did not enjoy comfort and prosperity, indulgence and
pleasure, human honor and glory, but on the
contrary, they experienced poverty and deprivation, pain and suffering, ridicule and debasement, torture and bitter death. In every time period, all the people of God who want to keep His commandments and live according to His will taste the demonic darts of jealousy and malice.
 

If you also desire to follow the Lord, you must keep in mind that you will face dangers, you will suffer persecution, and you will taste bitter poison. The
wise Sirach clearly warns us: "My son, if you have decided to serve the Lord, prepare your soul for temptation”(Sirach 2:1). The Apostle Paul also makes the following unmistakable confirmation: "And all they who desire to live godly in
Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Tim. 3:12). For this reason, when you do something good and you receive something bad in return, not only should you not be sad but you should also rejoice. Not only should you not be discouraged, but you should become more eager to execute good works. In this manner you will also be crowned with the incorrupt wreath of eternal life, just as Christ's
disciples were. Now they participate in His heavenly glory; whereas,while they were still on the earth,they experienced nothing other than persecution and sorrows. "For we have become a spectacle unto the world," writes one of these
apostles. "We hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are slapped, and we wander from place to place
homeless...When we are reviled, we bless. When we are persecuted, we are patient. When we are defamed, we respond with love.
 

We have become as the filth of the world" 
(1 Cor. 4:9-13).
Do you know who gives us this awe-inspiring description concerning the sufferings and the patience of the apostles? It is the apostle who suffered more than all the rest, the Job of the New Testament, the divine SaintPaul. From the day that Christ appeared to him up until the martyrdom with which he concluded his life, he knew nothing other than trials and sorrows. A short while prior to being
apprehended, he said the following words to the presbyters of Ephesus: "At the instruction of the Holy Spirit, I go unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there. I only know this: In every city I go to, the Holy Spirit informs me that bonds and afflictions are in store for me." (Acts 20:22-23).
 


"Well, since bonds and afflictions are waiting for you, then why are you going there?" we could ask the Apostle Paul. To this he would reply, "This is
precisely why I am going there. So I can be apprehended and chained; in order to be imprisoned and accused—even to die for Christ." "Hold on, Apostle! Aren't you embarrassed to go all over the world bound as a criminal? When people see you in this state, aren't you afraid they may attribute weakness to the God Whom you preach and thus not believe in Him?" Now the Apostle Paul will respond to us with a verse from one of the epistles he wrote to the Philippians: "The things
which happened unto me have actually turned out
unto the furtherance of the gospel. So that my bonds in Christ have become evident in all the palace, and in all other places. And most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear" 
(Ph. 1:12-14).
Do you see how the bonds have greater power than even the resurrection of the dead? He was tied and imprisoned in Rome, and yet he made most of its
citizens become his followers. When he was tied and imprisoned in Jerusalem, he made the ruler
Felix tremble with fear (cf. Acts 24:25) and king Agrippa stand in amazement (Acts 26:28). When he was in chains on the ship, he exercised control over
the sea and calmed even the fierce storm, and thus he saved two hundred and seventy six people from certain death (Acts 27:1-44). 

St. John Chrysostom

THE VALUE OF PATIENCE(PART 3) by St. John Chrysostom

The greatest testimony of the magnificence of Job's patience comes from the devil himself. Do you remember the first dialogue he had with the Lord when Job was still living in prosperity? "Have you
noticed my servant Job," God asked Satan. "There is no one like him in the earth. He is a perfect and upright man; he fears Me, and he despises evil"
(Job 1:8). What did Satan respond arrogantly?
"Does Job perhaps fear You without a reason? Haven't You protected his house, and all that he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his flocks have multiplied in the land. But stretch Your hand and take away all that he has! Then
You will see that he will curse You to Your face!" (Job 1:9-11).




Do you see the shameless objection that the devil set forth when Job was carrying out so many good works? "Does he perhaps respect you without a
reward?" However, when the righteous man patiently endured these unheard-of misfortunes that came upon him, the devil covered his face in shame and made a run for it, unable to come up with any further argument or counter with even the slightest excuse.






Therefore, when you see a righteous person who has done many good things being tested by innumerable misfortunes, do not be surprised. And when you see someone else who gives alms and does other God-pleasing deeds falling into temptations and dangers, do not be scandalized. He hit the devil hard, and this is why the devil retaliated by tossing him into hardships. "Why does God allow such a thing to occur?" you may ask. The answer is: in order for the righteous man to receive more crowns and for the devil to receive more punishment. Of course, it is good when someone gives alms and struggles with zeal to execute virtue when everything is going his way. It is much greater, however, when someone continues to struggle with fervent zeal and remains unshaken in the face of misfortune. For this reason, just as a sinner will suffer worse punishment in the next life if he does not experience anything bad in this life, similarly the righteous person will enjoy greater honor and bliss in the next life when he endures various sorrows in this life.






Perhaps you will tell me that you live in perpetual poverty and misfortune. Well then, bring Job tο mind, this unshakable pillar of patience. Who ever ended up poorer than him? Even the poorest people find refuge and shelter somewhere; he, however, lived under the open sky. Even the poorest people have a piece of clothing to wear; he, however, was naked. Who ever experienced greater anguish? He had ten children, and he lost them all in a single moment! Who was ever plagued by a worse illness? His entire body became infested with parasites and filled with wounds. Despite the fact that each one of these hardships individually is difficult to endure, how did this man of steel shoulder all of them
simultaneously—especially without even a trace of
human support? You see, all of us have some person to encourage and console us in times of sorrow.





Job, however, had no one. On the contrary, he drank yet another bitter cup that contained the following:the betrayal of his friends; the ungratefulness of the people whom he had helped; the indignation and desperation of his wife; the
sneers and ridicule of his fellow citizens.If you consider all the above, you can begin to appreciate the grandeur of Job's soul; for having suffered more than any other person in the world, he said none of the things that usually come out of the mouth of faint-hearted souls. "Is this why I taught my children to be good and to fear God? So I can
be deprived of them unjustly with their untimely
death? Is this why I gave charity to the poor and
helped them in need? So I can lose all my belongings? Is this why I clothed the homeless and supported the sick? So I can end up sitting on a dunghill, naked and tormented by illness? This is how God decided to reward me for all the good
things I did?" Such statements did not slip out of Job's mouth. Instead of these words, he only uttered the following, which is more valuable than any other sacrifice: "The Lord gave me everything, and the Lord took it away. Blessed be His name!" (Job 1:21).



St. John Chrysostom

Being patient ( Fr. Seraphim Rose )

Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. And let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing. (James 1:2-4)

"By taking one small step at a time, and nobody not thinking that in one big step we are going to get any place, we can walk straight to the Kingdom of Heaven––and there is no reason for any of us to fall away from that ."
Fr. Seraphim Rose

THE VALUE OF PATIENCE(PART 2) —by St. John Chrysostom—

They who endure misfortune without complaining
are rewarded even more than them who eagerly do good deeds. Job is proof of this; for he became known to the world more on account of the trials he suffered than on his virtuous accomplishments. Everyone, of course, admired him when he was living happily and carrying out good works. What exactly did he do? He himself describes his actions:
“For I saved the poor from the hand of the oppressor and helped the orphan who had no helper. The perishing man and the widow’s mouth blessed me for standing by them. I put on righteousness and clothed myself with judgment like a robe. I was the eye of the blind and the foot of the lame” (Job 29:12-15). Nevertheless, if the entire world knows him today, after so many
centuries, it is not because he distributed his wealth to the poor but because when he lost his wealth he did not become disheartened; it is not because he
clothed the naked with garments fabricated from the wool of his sheep but because when fire fell from the sky and burnt his entire flock he glorified God.
Initially,he was compassionate as he cared for the poor; later, he became a philosopher as he glorified God for his misfortune. Initially he would help others; afterwards, he praised the Lord. He didn’t think to himself, “Why did this happen to me? Why did I lose my flocks and livestock, which provided food to thousands of poor people?
If I was unworthy of enjoying such wealth, why didn’t God at least spare my sheep for the poor?” No such thought crossed Job’s mind. On the
contrary, realizing that God allows everything to take place for our own benefit, He thanked the Lord. It is not so extraordinary if someone thanks God when everything is going his way; rather, it is truly wondrous, extraordinary, and praiseworthy when someone patiently and gratefully endures even the harshest trials and difficulties.
If they who have become rich by taking advantage of others and unjust means are overcome with sadness when they lose even a small portion of their
wealth, how much praise is due to Job who did not lose his faith in God and did not stop thanking Him, when he witnessed all his possessions—which he had acquired justly with his own sweat disappearing in one fell swoop?
Not one person was there to encourage or support him! Even his wife, swayed by the pain of her soul,
pierced him with her bitter and discouraging words:
“How long will you continue being patient?” she would ask. “How long will you wait and hope for
your suffering to come to an end? Look! Your memory has been wiped out from the earth! Your sons and daughters, whom I gave birth to with pangs and whom I raised with such difficulty have perished. You yourself are sitting on a dunghill full
of worms, spending your nights in the open air without a roof over your head.
I, on the other hand, go about as a wanderer and a beggar from place to place and from house to house, waiting for the sun to set in order to rest from the labors and pains that now beset me.
Go ahead! Blaspheme God and die!” (Job 2:9-14).
The words of this woman in desperation could have
shattered a rock—but not Job. If we consider how frequently men who suffer no hardship are beguiled
by women, then we can understand how courageous and God-loving Job was, who remained vigilant and uninfluenced by his wife’s lamenting and reasoning, even though he had been struck by so many afflictions.
“Why have you spoken as one of the foolish women?” he sternly replied.
“If we accepted good things from the Lord’s hand, shall we not endure evil things?” (Job. 2:15).
Through his response, this blessed man shows us that he was no less inferior than Christ’s Apostles. I dare say he was even superior than them!
Because the Apostles received consolation with the thought that they were suffering on account of the Lord. Job, however, had no such assurance.
Moreover, Job was not disdained, ridiculed, and despised by his enemies (as the Apostles were), but by his friends, his servants, and people whom he had previously helped—which was incomparably
more painful. 

by St. John Chrysostom

THE VALUE OF PATIENCE (PART 1) by St. John Chrysostom

If we want to speak about patience, we must speak of the righteous Job. 

Job was a God-fearing man with many children and enormous wealth. His name was known throughout the eastern parts of the world. Everyone held him in high esteem and admiration. 

Unexpectedly, he lost everything: his wealth, his
children, and his health. From the height of fortune he fell into the depth of misfortune; from distinction to unimportance. 

Not only did he have to deal with extreme poverty,
a serious illness, the anguish due to the death of his children, the ruthlessness of the bandits, and the ungratefulness of his friends, but he also had to contend with ridicule and slander. All possible misfortunes fell upon him.
 

Worse of all,he was unprepared for them. Whoever is born and grows up in poverty is accustomed to enduring difficulties and prepared to live in deprivation. 

Similarly, whoever loses some of his children, no matter how much he grieves for their death, still
finds consolation in the children that remain. 

Job, however, who had enjoyed life-long prosperity became destitute overnight, and then witnessed the death of all his ten children simultaneously. As they were eating and drinking at the home of their eldest
brother, a great gust of wind suddenly came from the desert, the house was razed to the ground, and all of them were buried under the rubble. 


Job’s pain was exceedingly great on account of his
unexpected and utter poverty. His spiritual anguish was indescribable due to the sudden, tragic death of his children. And if that wasn’t enough, he himself became seriously ill. He was filled with painful and
putrid wounds from head to toe.

He then sat on a dunghill,took a piece of ceramic tile and began to scratch them in order to feel some relief. If someone brought him a little bit of food, he would not touch it. “For I see my food as filth,”
he would say (Job 6:7). The repugnant stench of his wounds and the incurable pain of his soul dismissed all desire for food.
 
How can I find words to describe his unbelievable misfortunes? I see him sitting on a pile of dry manure. Blood and pus are oozing from his wounds.
Countless worms are eating away at his flesh. He has no consolation from anywhere. No one shows him any compassion. His servants ignore him. His
friends criticize him. Even the common folk mock him.
“But now they laugh me to scorn, men younger than I,” he says with deep sorrow. “But now I am their lyre, and they have me as their byword. They detest me and keep their distance. They do not hesitate to spit in my face” (Job 30:1-10).

What a dreadful misfortune indeed! What an unbearable calamity! And yet, as soon as the loving and merciful Lord revealed to Job the cause of his
sufferings, “There is no other reason I have allowed you to suffer other than for your righteousness to appear” (Job 40:8), immediately the righteous man felt such relief that he no longer believed anything
bad had happened to him. 

St. John Chrysostom

THE VALUE OF PATIENCE (PART 1)—by St. John Chrysostom—

If we want to speak about patience, we must speak of the righteous Job.


Job was a God-fearing man with many children and enormous wealth. His name was known throughout the eastern parts of the world. Everyone held him in high esteem and admiration.
Unexpectedly, he lost everything: his wealth, his
children, and his health. From the height of fortune he fell into the depth of misfortune; from distinction to unimportance.
Not only did he have to deal with extreme poverty,
a serious illness, the anguish due to the death of his children, the ruthlessness of the bandits, and the ungratefulness of his friends, but he also had to contend with ridicule and slander. All possible misfortunes fell upon him.




Worse of all, he was unprepared for them. Whoever is born and grows up in poverty is accustomed to enduring difficulties and prepared to live in deprivation.
Similarly, whoever loses some of his children, no matter how much he grieves for their death, still
finds consolation in the children that remain. Job, however, who had enjoyed life-long prosperity became destitute overnight, and then witnessed the death of all his ten children simultaneously. As
they were eating and drinking at the home of their eldest brother, a great gust of wind suddenly came from the desert, the house was razed to the ground, and all of them were buried under the rubble.
Job’s pain was exceedingly great on account of his
unexpected and utter poverty. His spiritual anguish was indescribable due to the sudden, tragic death of his children. And if that wasn’t enough, he himself became seriously ill. He was filled with painful and
putrid wounds from head to toe.
He then sat on a dunghill,took a piece of ceramic tile and began to scratch them in order to feel some relief.
If someone brought him a little bit of food, he would not touch it. “For I see my food as filth,”
he would say (Job 6:7). The repugnant stench of his wounds and the incurable pain of his soul dismissed all desire for food.
How can I find words to describe his unbelievable misfortunes? I see him sitting on a pile of dry manure. Blood and pus are oozing from his wounds. Countless worms are eating away at his flesh. He has no consolation from anywhere. No one shows him any compassion. His servants ignore him. His friendscriticize him. Even the common folk mock him.“But now they laugh me to scorn, men younger than I,” he says with deep sorrow. “But now I am their lyre, and they have me as their byword. They detest me and keep their distance. They do not hesitate to spit in my face”
(Job 30:1-10).




What a dreadful misfortune indeed! What an unbearable calamity! And yet, as soon as the loving and merciful Lord revealed to Job the cause of his
sufferings, “There is no other reason I have allowed you to suffer other than for your righteousness to appear” (Job 40:8), immediately the righteous man felt such relief that he no longer believed anything
bad had happened to him.

The Great Virtue of Patience- ( Fr. Seraphim Rose )

Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. And let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing. (James 1:2-4)

"By taking one small step at a time, and nobody not thinking that in one big step we are going to get any place, we can walk straight to the Kingdom of Heaven––and there is no reason for any of us to fall away from that ."


Fr. Seraphim Rose

Elder Paisios - Patience is a virtue

What are we to do when faced by an angry family member? Elder Paisios advises us to keep quiet and say the Jesus prayer.

He says,

Look, when someone is steaming with anger, no matter what you say, it will come to nothing. It is better to keep quiet and say the Jesus prayer. With prayer, he'll calm down, and you can then communicate with him. You see, even fishermen don't go fishing unless the sea is calm; they wait patiently for the storm to pass. So, why are we so impatient with others? Where does patience come from? The Elder tells it it come from love.

He says,

Patience stems from love. In order to endure the other person, you must feel deep compassion and pain for him... I have seen beasts turn into lambs. With trust in God, everything evolves normally and spiritually. Most of the difficulties we face in family life stem from insignificant things. When we look back on them, even those that lead to a divorce, we often see the causes are do to little things. What is required of us to not let these little things overwhelm us.

The Elder says,

The greatest scandals, not only in families but also in the state authority, stem from the most insignificant things. In the family one person must be humble before the other; one must imitate the other's virtues and also be patient and endure the other's peculiar idiosyncrasies. How can this be possible? He continues:

To make this possible, it helps to think of how Christ sacrificed Himself for our sins and that he bears with us all – billions of people – even though He is without sin. However, when we suffer from the idiosyncrasies of the others, we are paying off the debt of our own sins. God in His goodness has arranged things perfectly, so that with our gifts, we can help each other, and with our faults, we can be humbled by each other. For every person has some gifts; but everyone also has some faults which one must struggle to over come. For harmony in a family or in a community, we need to constantly be aware that we are all sinners including ourselves. We have to develop patience and not let the failings of others overcome us. We must remember the sacrifice that Christ made for us and how he endured immense pain for our salvation. This is our path as well. Through our patience that comes our of true love, others will also feel this love and become encourage to also learn to love. We need to help each other overcome our limitations. When we are aroused to anger by someone's behavior we are only adding to the difficulty. When we are humble and recognize our own errors and develop patience we will find a way to endure and overcome all obstacles to harmony in life. In the end for those with patience, this harmony is found in heaven with Christ. Follow His example and we will always be right.

Keep these words of Elder Paisios in mind:

A spiritual person must face all things with divine justice by looking to see what will benefit the other person. For when one is weak and makes a mistake, then he is somewhat entitled to a little leniency, because there are extenuating circumstances. But when one who is in a better spiritual condition doesn't display any understanding, then he will be at greater fault.
Reference: Elder Paisios of Mount Athos Spiritual Counsels IV: Family Life, pp 51-54; 61-62

How to Develop Patience ( Elder Paisios )

 

Patience is something most us us long for.  Too often we find ourselves upset because something does not happen how and when we want it to. But how can we develop greater patience?


Elder Paisios gave some good advice about how to develop patience to one of his followers.  When he was asked about how to acquire patience, he went into his cell and brought out a bag of candy.  


He gave to him and said: 
"Take two a day.  However, do not chew them. Be patient and wait until they melt in your mouth."


Do you see the wisdom he uses here?  He takes something so simple, eating candy, something that is an everyday thing, and turns it into a spiritual exercise. He makes the exercise simple and doable.  You too can find many of these opportunities in your daily life to help develop virtues such as patience.




Reference: Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain, p 144

The Work of Patience and Humility

Often, when we are overtaken with boredom regarding our spiritual practices, we will also find we are easily overtaken with despair when confronted with events that do not go as we desire. This is an indication of our spiritual immaturity. We need both patience and humility because they are important works in our spiritual life.


Saint Seraphim says,
A lofty and sound soul does not despair over misfortunes, of whatever sort they may be. Our life is as it were a house of temptations and trials; but we will not renounce the Lord for as long as He allows the tester to remain with us and for as long as we must wait to be revived through patience and secure passionlessness!
All the trials of this life are opportunities for our spiritual growth. Even the most difficult situation provides a chance to demonstrate our love and gratitude for all God's works. This is how we learn to practice patience.

Saint Seraphim tells us,
One should always endure any trial for the sake of God with gratitude. Our life is a single minute in comparison with eternity.
Saint Paul says,
The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Rom 8:18).
Saint James says,
"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." (James 1:2-4 NKJV)
Humility goes with patience. It is about our willingness to accept whatever comes our way, instead of holding on to the notion that the life of this world should operate by our own ideas or standards. When we are demeaned by others challenging our personal honor we should make an effort to forgive them. We should consider that we are unworthy of this honor we think we possess. It is our work to learn to humble ourselves always.

Saint Seraphim says,
Let us love humility and we shall see the glory of God; for where humility issues forth, there the glory off God abounds.



Reference: Little Russian Philokalia, Vol 1, pp 34 - 37

Patience and Humility

One should always endure any trial for the sake of God with gratitude.
Our life is a single minute in comparison with eternity and therefore, according 
to the Apostle, the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be 
compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us ( Rom.8:18 ).

Bear it in silence when an enemy offends you and open your heart
to the Lord.


Little Russian Philokalia , St. Seraphim

The Work of Patience and Humility ( St.Seraphim of Sarov )

Often, when we are overtaken with boredom regarding our spiritual practices, we will also find we are easily overtaken with despair when confronted with events that do not go as we desire. This is an indication of our spiritual immaturity. We need both patience and humility because they are important works in our spiritual life.


Saint Seraphim says,


A lofty and sound soul does not despair over misfortunes, of whatever sort they may be. Our life is as it were a house of temptations and trials; but we will not renounce the Lord for as long as He allows the tester to remain with us and for as long as we must wait to be revived through patience and secure passionlessness!


All the trials of this life are opportunities for our spiritual growth. Even the most difficult situation provides a chance to demonstrate our love and gratitude for all God's works. This is how we learn to practice patience.


Saint Seraphim tells us,


One should always endure any trial for the sake of God with gratitude. Our life is a single minute in comparison with eternity.


Saint Paul says,


The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Rom 8:18).


Saint James says,


"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." (James 1:2-4 NKJV)


Humility goes with patience. It is about our willingness to accept whatever comes our way, instead of holding on to the notion that the life of this world should operate by our own ideas or standards. When we are demeaned by others challenging our personal honor we should make an effort to forgive them. We should consider that we are unworthy of this honor we think we possess. It is our work to learn to humble ourselves always.



Saint Seraphim says,


Let us love humility and we shall see the glory of God; for where humility issues forth, there the glory off God abounds.


Reference: Little Russian Philokalia, Vol 1, pp 34 - 37