572. Понуждай себя на доброе дело, и Господь поможет понести свой крест. Великие Оптинские Старцы и теперь не престают духовно воспитывать приходящих к ним. Будешь себя нудить, и исправление подвинется вперед

M. St. O. n. G.I.H.B.n. p.n. God's mercy be with you. Rejoice in the Lord and give Him thanks for everything. Dear child of the Heavenly Father, Mother Agrippina! I received your letter. I hasten to answer that God sent it, and forgive me for the past. It’s not because I didn’t answer them because I forgot you. No, my joy, not like that: due to lack of time. Calm down, my child. For fulfilling your penance, may the Lord forgive you, and may He strengthen you, and may He help you to stretch forward. Force yourself even a little to do a good deed, and the Lord will help you bear your cross. Don't fight off Optina. I believe that everyone who comes to Optina Pustyn in their extreme need will find satisfaction by the grace of God and through the prayers of our great fathers: Leo, Macarius, Ambrose... They raised many, many people spiritually for the Heavenly Fatherland, and now they do not stop spiritually educating and caring for them. Especially those who come to Optina to worship their St. remains. Those who rush on all sides will only end up being broken worse; it is better to stick to one side, and more often you need to say to yourself: “Poor Agrippina, think carefully about why you left the world and why you came to the monastery.” This one doesn’t live like that, and this one doesn’t live like that. What do you care about others, because you came to the monastery not for others, but for yourself. Now, if they talked like this more often, they wouldn’t judge others. And each one, look at yourself and you will be responsible only for yourself, and not for others. Ask any mother who is pushing towards different fathers, I assure you that they are not dead either, but only the enemy flatters them, and takes their souls, and takes them captive, and does with them as he pleases. Try to take more care of yourself, do not make friends with many, unless from one, and then from the spiritual life. Now, if you say: “There is no correction,” what a weirdo you are, “there is no correction.” Listen to an example for you: when you come to the needlework and sit down at your needlework, fold your hands one on top of the other, and sit like that all day, and in the evening look at your correction, that is, your needlework, how much you have worked. Of course, nothing. So it is with correction: if you force yourself, the correction will move forward. You say: you are chattering and spinning about what good can come out of this. Of course, there can be nothing but destruction, but tell me who makes you spin. - Of course, you yourself, because you are inattentive to your salvation and forget the purpose of your entry into the monastery and why you put on monastic robes. I repeat to you several times, my child, be attentive to your salvation, as Fr. John of Kronstadt: “The end is already at the door, repent, sinners.” Are you going to St. church, do not talk to anyone other than God, pray the rosary, listen with attention in the church, wherever you go - pay attention, sit at handicrafts - pay attention, do with your hands - pray with your mind, heart and lips. Moreover, it is advisable to go and get some fresh air in the evening - this is good. Take a deep breath of God’s fresh, life-giving air and again keep your attention in prayer. Verb incessantly: “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner.” If you behave this way, you will humble yourself in everything and before everyone and will soon see God’s special help. You will be a faithful and shameless heir to Heavenly Jerusalem, which I sincerely wish for you. You might be interested in: