On Passions and Virtue

  If you have ought against any, or any against you, make peace. If you do not do this, anything that you bring to God will not be accepted (Mark 11:25, Matt. 5:23-24). If you fulfill this commandment of the Lord, then you can pray to Him boldly, saying "Lord, forgive me my debts, as I forgive my brother’s, fulfilling Your commandment! And the Lover of Mankind will answer: "If you have released him, I will release you: if you have forgiven, I forgive your debts."

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   Do not think, that you alone carry more sorrows than anyone else. As no one living on earth can avoid its air, thus a person, living in this world, cannot avoid being tempted by sorrows and illnesses. He who is occupied with the earthly, will feel earthly sorrow; he who strives for the spiritual, will suffer about the spiritual. But the latter will be blessed, because their fruit is plentiful in the Lord.

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   God does not permit the soul hoping in Him and patient, to be tried in such measure that it comes to despair, that is to fall into such temptations and sorrows, that it cannot bear them (1 Cor. 10:13). And the evil one cannot tempt the soul and burden it with sorrow as he will, but only as much as permitted by God. Let the soul only bear it courageously, holding on to hope in faith and awaiting God’s help and hope; and it is impossible for it to be abandoned.

Ven. Ephraim of Syria