When you have been insulted, cursed, or persecuted by someone, do not think of what has happened to you, but of what will come from it, and you will see that your insulter has become the cause of many benefits to you, not only in this age, but in that which is to come.
We must receive the one who curses us as a messenger from God, rebuking our hidden evil thoughts, so that we, seeing our thoughts with exactness, might correct ourselves. For we do not know how many hidden evils we have; Only a perfect man can understand all of his own shortcomings.
Every sin that is left without repentance is a sin unto death, for which if even a saint shall pray, he shall not be heard.
Whoever prays for those who hurt him lays the demons low; but he who opposes his affronter is bound to the demons.
God tested Abraham. That is, he sent him afflictions for his benefit, not so that he could find out what sort of man he was, for God knows everything, but so that He give him the means to perfect his faith.
He who willingly accepts chastening by affliction is not dominated by evil thoughts against his will; whereas he who does not accept affliction is taken prisoner by evil thoughts, even though he resists them.
God values deeds according to their intentions. For it is said, "The Lord grant unto you according to your heart" (Ps. 19:5) ... Therefore, whoever wants to do something but can't is considered as having done it by God, who sees the intentions of our hearts. This applies to both good and evil deeds alike.
Do not try to decide a difficult matter by means of disputing, but that which is enjoined by the spiritual law, namely patience, prayer, and thoughtful hope.
No one is as good and merciful as the Lord. But even He does not forgive the unrepentant.
If someone falls into any sin and is not sincerely grieved about it, it is easy for him to fall into the same thing again.
Every affliction tests our will, showing whether it is inclined to good or evil. That is why an unforeseen affliction is called a test, because it enables a man to test his hidden desires.
The sign of sincere love is to forgive wrongs done to us. It was with such love that the Lord loved the world.
Do not think about or do anything without a spiritual purpose, whereby it is done for God. For If you travel without purpose, you shall labor in vain.
Guard your mind from self-praise and flee a high opinion of yourself, so that God does not allow you to fall into the opposite passion to the virtue for which you boast, for man does not accomplish virtue alone, but with the help of God who sees all.
Because God's justice is inexorable, it is hard to obtain forgiveness for sins committed with complete deliberation.
One who has sinned cannot escape retribution in any other way than by repentance corresponding to his sin.
It is harmful to remember previous sins in detail. For if they bring you sorrow, they will estrange you from hope, but if they are remembered without sorrow, they will introduce the previous defilement. If you want to bring to God an uncondemned confession, then don't remember your sins in detail, but manfully endure the suffering that is coming because of them.
The devil makes small sins seem smaller in our eyes, for otherwise he can't lead us to greater evil.
One evil receives strength from another. In the same way, good deeds also sprout one from another, and the one in whom they are found grows larger.
When the mind forgets the purpose of Christian life, then even the clear fulfillment of virtue becomes profitless.
Whatever we do or say without prayer always ends up either sinful or harmful and convicts us through the deeds in some mysterious way.
Failure to do the good that is within your power is hard to forgive. But mercy and prayer reclaim the negligent.
He who seeks forgiveness of his sins loves humility, but if he condemns another he seals his own wickedness.
We cannot with all our heart forgive someone who does us wrong unless we possess real knowledge. For this knowledge shows us that we deserve all we experience.
In the spiritual life we can do nothing worthy without repentance, but the Lord has much mercy on us because of our intentions. He who compels himself and holds on to repentance until the end, even if he sins is saved because he compelled himself, for the Lord promised this in the Gospel.
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