#optina

It would be hard to live on earth if there was no one to help us get through life... But above us is God Almighty Himself, Love itself... Why should we fear and grieve, why should we shy away from the hardships of life, assume and try to understand... ?

The more complicated and difficult it is to live, the less we should do these things... Give yourselves up to God's will and God will not disappoint you. Give yourselves up not with words, but with deeds... That is why life has become difficult, because people confuse it with their 'cleverness'.

Instead of turning to God's help, they started turning to their own reason and trusting in it.

Do not fear troubles, nor suffering, nor all temptations: all these mean God's testing, which is for your benefit.

Before your end, thank God not for joys and happiness, but for troubles and suffering. The more of these there are in your life, the easier you will die and your soul will ascend to God.

A Procession with the Kaluga Icon of the Mother of God

,,You complain that you are tormented by a laziness that you cannot uproot in any way. This temptation attacks those who assume the spiritual struggle. To escape from laziness, the Fathers recommend that we cultivate within ourselves the remembrance of death and the Judgment—with its two parts: eternal hell and eternal happiness.

The [Church] Fathers say that when the remembrance of death combines with deep humility, it draws so much holy grace upon us that we are permanently freed from laziness.

Suddenly, in an unforeseen way, the Lover of Mankind (the Lord) has untangled the complicated snarls of the dark temptations that surrounded you. At the same time, He has granted you so much strength that you now receive all trials with gratitude, not only the present ones, but also those that might happen to you in the future.

Such is the heart of a person who, with the help of God, has died to the alluring temptations of this world, who has been freed from all vain ambitions, from any sensual pleasure, and from interest in gold and silver. "