Слово 61. О том, что полезно человеку для приближения его в сердце своем к Богу, какая истинная причина сокровенно приближает к нему помощь и какая опять причина приводит человека в смирение

Blessed is the man who recognizes his weakness, because this knowledge becomes for him the foundation, root and beginning of every good improvement. As soon as someone recognizes and truly feels his weakness, then he raises his soul from the relaxation that darkens this knowledge, and becomes rich in caution. But no one can feel his weakness unless even a small temptation is allowed upon him, something that tires either the body or the soul. Then, comparing his weakness with God's help, he immediately recognizes its greatness. And also, when he considers the many measures he has taken, caution, abstinence, protection and protection of his soul, in which he hoped to find confidence for it, and does not find it - even his heart, from fear and trembling, does not have silence, then let him understand and know then that this fear of his heart reveals and shows the indispensable need for him of some other helper. For the heart, with the fear that strikes it and struggles within it 529, testifies and makes known the lack of something; and this proves that it cannot live with hope, because, as it is said, God’s help saves. But he who knows that he needs God’s help makes many prayers. And to the extent that he multiplies them, the heart is humbled. For everyone who prays and asks cannot help but humble himself. “But God will not despise a contrite and humble heart” (Ps. 50:19). Therefore, the heart, until it humbles itself, cannot stop soaring; humility brings it together. And as soon as a person humbles himself, mercy immediately surrounds him. And then the heart feels Divine help, because it acquires a certain power of hope awakening in it. When a person feels that Divine help will help him, then his heart is immediately filled with faith. From this he understands that prayer is a refuge of help, a source of salvation, a treasure of hope, a pier that saves from anxiety, a light for those in darkness, a support for the weak, a cover during temptations, help in a decisive moment of illness, a shield of deliverance in battle, an arrow sharpened against enemies, and simply say: it is revealed that all the multitude of these blessings has access through prayer; and therefore from now on he delights in the prayer of faith. His heart rejoices from hope and does not remain in its former blindness and with the simple broadcast of his lips. But when he understands this in this way, then he will acquire in his soul prayer like a treasure, and out of great joy the form of his prayer will change into voices of gratitude. And here is the word spoken by the One who determined each thing to have its own image: “Prayer is joy that sends thanksgiving.” He understood this prayer to be performed in the knowledge of God, that is, sent from God; because then a person does not pray with difficulty and fatigue, like any other prayer that a person prays before experiencing this grace; but with heartfelt joy and amazement, he constantly exudes grateful movements with innumerable genuflections - and from many excitements to knowledge, from surprise and amazement at the grace of God, he suddenly raises his voice, singing songs and glorifying God, sends thanks to Him and in extreme amazement sets his tongue in motion. Anyone who has reached here in reality, and not dreamily, has actually put many signs in himself and through long self-examination has recognized many features, he knows what I am saying; because this is not disgusting 530. And from now on, let him stop thinking about vain things, let him remain relentlessly before God in unceasing prayer, with fear and fear, so as not to lose God’s great help. All these benefits are born in a person from the knowledge of his own weakness. For, out of a great desire for God’s help, he approaches God, remaining in prayer. And to the extent that he approaches God with his intention, to the same extent God approaches him with His gifts and does not take away grace from him for his great humility, because he, like a widow before the judge, relentlessly cries out to protect him from his rival. Therefore, the generously loving God withholds gifts of grace from him, so that this would serve as a reason for a person to draw closer to God and so that for the sake of his needs, a person would constantly remain before the One who pours out what serves for good. And God fulfills some of his requests very quickly, namely those without which no one can be saved, while others are slow to fulfill. And in other circumstances, the enemy reflects and dispels the scorching power from him, 531, and in others he allows him to fall into temptation, so that this test, as I have already said, would serve as a reason for him to draw closer to God, and so that he would learn and have experience in temptations. And here is the word of Scripture: The Lord forsook many nations, did not destroy them, and did not deliver them into the hands of Joshua the son of Nun, in order that the children of Israel might be taught by them, and that the tribes of the children of Israel might heed their lessons and learn warfare (see Judges 3:1–2). For a righteous man who has not recognized his weakness, his deeds are as if on a razor’s edge, and he is not at all far from falling and from the corrupting lion, I mean the demon of pride. And he who does not know his weakness lacks humility; and whoever lacks it has not reached perfection; and those who have not reached it are always in fear, because its city is not established on iron pillars and on copper thresholds, that is, on humility. No one can acquire humility otherwise than by the means in which a contrite heart and humble thoughts about oneself are usually acquired. That is why the enemy often finds a trace of a reason to seduce a person. For without humility a person’s work cannot be accomplished, and the seal of the Spirit has not yet been attached to the handwriting of his freedom; it would be better to say that to this day he is a slave, and his work has not surpassed fear; because no one can correct his deeds without humility and come to his senses without temptation; and without admonition no one achieves humility. Therefore, the Lord leaves the saints reasons for humility and contrition of heart in fervent prayer, so that those who love Him will draw closer to Him through humility. And he often frightens them with the passions of their nature and the inclinations of shameful and unclean thoughts, and often with reproaches, insults and reproaches from people; sometimes - illnesses and bodily ailments; and at other times - through poverty and scarcity of necessities, then through the torment of strong fear, abandonment, the obvious abuse of the devil, which usually frightens them, then through various terrible incidents. And all this happens in order to give them reasons for humility and so that they do not fall into the sleep of negligence, either because of the illnesses in which the ascetic is, or for the sake of future fear. Therefore temptations are necessarily useful to people. But I do not say this in the sense that a person should voluntarily relax himself with shameful thoughts, so that remembering them would serve as a reason for him to humility, and as if he should try to fall into other temptations; but - in the sense that he should be sober in doing good at all times, guard his soul and think that he is a creature and therefore easily subject to change. For every creature requires God’s power to protect itself, and anyone who demands protection from another reveals thereby natural weakness. And whoever has recognized his weakness must, of necessity, humble himself in order to receive what he needs from the One who is able to give it. And if he had known and seen his weakness from the beginning, he would not have been negligent. And if he had not been careless, he would not have fallen into sleep and, in order to awaken himself, would not have been delivered into the hands of those who insulted him. So, one who walks the path of God must thank God for everything that happens to him, reproach and shower his soul with reproaches and know that the Provider allowed this to happen only because of his own negligence, in order to awaken his mind, or because he became proud. And therefore, let him not be embarrassed, let him not give up the field and feat, and let him not stop reproaching himself - so that no greater evil befalls him; because there is no unrighteousness with God, who exudes righteousness. Let this not happen! To him be glory forever! Amen. That is, it is not contrary to the truth. You might be interested in: