It is very important for a person to be aware of his weakness and be sincere in his relationship with God. For example, say to God: “Lord, forgive me, it’s boring and difficult for me to pray.” The Lord loves sincerity, conscientiousness, and responsibility of a person very much. But very often we go to God not as we are, but by putting on a lot of expensive clothes from our excuses.
As we know, Adam and Eve lost Paradise not because they sinned, but because they began to make excuses. Elder Paisios says terrible words: he who constantly makes excuses has a demon as his elder. When we turn to God with such words: “Lord, it’s hard for me to pray because my wife is not listening to me, because my colleague lied to me, because the children do not obey me, and the like,” we put the responsibility on everyone but ourselves.
Some saints said something quite similar: “The world is bad because I am not good. When I become good, the world will be corrected.” A good God expects from each of us not what we cannot, but what we are able to do. The Lord will not demand from us what He did not sow. He will not ask a lame person why he did not become a sprinter, an illiterate person why he did not become a writer. The beginning of spiritual life is self-correction, it is “the creation of a factory of good thoughts,” as Elder Paisios said.
Those who come to the Holy Mountain for holiness find holiness, those who come to see nature find beautiful views. Everyone who comes to the Holy Mountain finds what he was looking for.
If I come to Moscow, I ask where the monasteries and temples are, and another asks where are the entertainment centers, discos, and so on. A person is looking for what is akin to him. If we put on black glasses, we will see everything in black, green - in green, red - in red. If I am a crafty person, then I will see everyone as crafty; if I am kind, I will see everyone as good; if I am a suspicious person, then I will suspect everyone. - Archimandrite Arseniy ( cell of
Belozerka )
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.