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That there is little patience... perhaps this is a consequence of poor health and impressionability. And this must be endured, i.e. that there is little patience. But it will get stronger over time, just don’t give in to impatience (1, p. 21). 2. It’s better to live in close quarters than in wide spaces. “In your patience gain your soul.” It is better to live in close quarters than in wide spaces. The one like yours is the easiest. The fruit from it is no less significant and lasting, as from other difficult ones, and this is the great mercy and condescension of God (1, p. 124). 3. The importance of patience in spiritual life It’s hard to endure everything, no matter what happens. But heaviness is felt only during times of misfortune or misfortune. After everything is smoothed out. What you now endure will also be smoothed out. Be inspired. Everything will pass. Meanwhile, strengthen your faith that everything is from the Lord. It’s not just a major misfortune, but every meeting is from Him. And He has one thing in mind – our salvation. Accept everything as life-giving medicine, although bitter, but useful. When the Lord strikes, isn’t it righteous to think that there must be a reason? So, look at what is there, why it hits, and correct it. Sorrows are sent to the righteous to test them, but to us, rather, as punishment and a call to repentance. If you believe that the Lord is a doctor and a doctor who will not waste medicine, then when the faulty is turned away - not in deeds, but in feelings and thoughts - then sorrows will cease (2, pp. 203-204). 4. Against lust. We must be consoled by future happiness What confuses you in your surroundings and what you are unable to remove, leave it to the will of God, humbling yourself, as you wrote from Peter of Damascus, before the finger of God, who does not allow anything for us from which we cannot derive spiritual benefit for ourselves. Therefore, in such cases, it is only appropriate to sit down and consider what the Lord would like to teach me with them, praying together so that He does not neglect to enlighten your mind and let it see tangibly the intentions of God. When this is achieved, then the cry will naturally come from the heart: “Glory to Thee, Lord!” And at the same time, all bitterness that has crept into the heart will disappear. Why is this and that not allowed, etc.? Because the Lord finds it unnecessary, useless, and maybe even harmful for you. Make sure this is the case. And calm down. The future happiness with which you are trying to console yourself, what is it? Here or beyond? If it’s here, then, of course, there’s nothing to expect from it. And if it’s the future, then I don’t understand how it can’t be comforting (2, pp. 207–208). 5. On the perfection of patience Patience is absolutely a matter of necessity, i.e. it must be maintained properly so that it is not lacking in anything. The perfection of patience is to endure complacently, and even more so with joy, and to thank God for the circumstances that force one to endure, as for a direct and essential good. Restore the faith that by enduring falsehoods, you become partakers of the rank of martyrs, and rejoice in this. For it is so truly. And by allowing grief and self-pity to seem closed, you belittle the value of what the Lord gives you into your hands (2, pp. 213–214). 6. He who endures to the end will be saved You concluded your lines: “In the meantime, be patient.” Yes, be patient, Cossack, you will be an ataman. Keep this promise in your thoughts and heart... just in other words... gain your soul with patience, i.e. save. For he who endures to the end will be saved. Who is this? Who, despite the opposition to his good intentions from the everyday situation and the entire external flow of life, follows the path steadily according to the way he decided, with the sole purpose of pleasing God. Know this and do as you write. And thank God (4, p. 144)! 7. Reprimand for lack of patience You are offended. To be offended by some kind of inattention means to consider yourself worthy of attention and, therefore, to value yourself highly in your heart, otherwise, to be arrogant. Is this good? Is it our duty to endure, even if it is in vain? Certainly. When will we start doing it? After all, when the commandment to endure is given, then we must endure every unpleasant case, without letting it pass, and endure it with joy, without violating peaceful relations. And you and I will miss such an opportunity today, but we will miss it tomorrow. You will say: this is a trifle, what can we endure? But if we couldn’t endure such little things, how could we endure more? It would be nice to start with something small (4, p. 235). 8. How to fulfill the commandment to hit the cheek The Lord said: when they hit you on the cheek, offer another; and then a fly flew by and caught it with its wing, and then we reared. Tell me, are you ready to fulfill this commandment of the Lord about hitting the cheek? That's right, you say: ready. But the case that was written about represents exactly this. The emphasis on the cheekbone is not literal, it just needs to be understood. This should mean any general act of our neighbor, by which, as it seems to us, we are not given due attention and honor, by which we feel humiliated, from which, as they say, our ambition suffers. Every such action, no matter how small: a glance, a face, etc., is an emphasis on the cheek; and not only must I endure it, but I must be prepared for even greater humiliation, which will correspond to the substitution of another cheek. What you had would be like being hit on the cheek - lightly. What are you doing? Framed someone else? No, not only did they not set me up, on the contrary, they gave back. After all, they gave you back, they already made you feel that you have something. Therefore, you and I - don’t touch me. And it became, where are we going? And how can we be considered disciples of Christ when we do not fulfill the commandments? You would only judge: are you worth any attention? If you had this feeling of unworthiness in your heart, you would not feel any resentment. I consider this small case to be quite big for both your internal and external ones. Please take a closer look and make sure. And what else could it be?! Grace will recede. Then what will we do? Then all the reinforcement will go away, and desire and passions, like hungry dogs, having broken free from the chain, will begin to gnaw and torment - just turn around. They didn’t tolerate the small one, they will have to endure the big one. God bless you! Oh! Look! The bird will fly away; who knows whether it will be given into hands again (4, pp. 235–236)? What happened to the people of Athos that they don’t send “Invisible Warfare”? It’s true, there is nothing to do but write to yourself: “Patience - so much, humility - so much... respect for the affairs of others - so much... Crush everything in the mortar of prudence, pour tears into a glass... and take a teaspoon as soon as the grumbling of impatience appears... That’s the recipe (6, p. 136). 10. Patience is part of martyrdom Everything that you suffered in these circumstances and are still suffering is a piece of martyrdom for the sake of suffering in vain. Do not deprive yourself of this honor and do not be burdened. - Can you bear with it?! God will give you patience. Apply your will to God’s gift and endure willingly and joyfully, and it is your job to have patience completely (6, p. 197). 11. Patience in life is the background in the picture Patience in life is like the background in a painting: it is required everywhere. But real patience is a gift from God and is given to those who seek it and, even if through force, strain to retain it in the face of confusion, troubles and attacks. The spirit of true patience is surrendering oneself completely to the will of God, with a readiness to accept everything as from the hand of the Lord, with full confidence that everything is soul-saving for us, although how is invisible to us. These elements of patience must be renewed more often in the mind and heart or in any prayer; patience will always be ready, no matter how necessary. And as soon as something unfavorable appears, he immediately hurries to stand on the stone of surrendering himself to God (6, p. 207). I know a little how hard it is to endure slander. She is mud, but mud is healing. Be patient; the time will come... The Doctor of Souls will remove this mustard. And they reviled the Lord... “a eater and a drinker”... “a friend of tax collectors and sinners”... “having demons”... To be a participant in the reproaches of the Lord is great glory! Humble yourself with this - humble yourself, but do not lose your moral strength of spirit and keep in mind that, without being condemned by your conscience, you can always boldly look up to the Lord or boldly stand before His face. What is more valuable?.. Do your own thing; and how others look at you, do not consider it important. For only God's judgment is true. People don’t know themselves well, much less others (6, p. 212). When you find sorrows, what else can you do but endure? Establish yourself in the thought that without God nothing happens and that therefore everything happens for our good. It is up to us to take proper advantage of everything that happens. But if we show only patience, then good self-control is self-control before God (8, p. 17). Continue to manage sorrowful feelings with patience, and even more so by surrendering all your fate to the Lord, drawing consolation from the confidence that everything happens according to God’s will and everything is for our good - the present (8, pp. 19-20). We must endure everything complacently, without losing heart, out of the faith that everything comes from the All-Good Lord and everything is for our true good (8, p. 23). It was not in vain that St. Paul: “I will require patience.” And be patient. Through patience the soul is acquired - it is bought as if at a bargain (8, p. 19). 15. There is no patience without will When you endure, it means you endure. And why does it hurt, how could it be otherwise? If it weren't for the pain, there would be nothing to endure. It’s true, your heart is very impressionable and deeply affected by what happens. This is not due to arbitrariness, therefore it is not blamed. Guilt will come from what happens as a result of feelings. If you are angry, annoyed, scolding, complaining. If, even though it hurts, you endure without grumbling, then it’s impossible to do otherwise, depending on your mood (8, p. 37) You might be interested in: