“When you want to direct someone toward the good, first put him at peace bodily and honor him with words of love. For nothing inclines such a man to shame and induces him to cast of his vice and be changed for the better as do bodily goods and honor, which he sees in you. Then, with love tell him a word or two, and do not be inflamed with anger toward him. Do not let him see any cause of enmity toward you. For love does not know how to lose its temper.” KnowsMenWantInspirationalFirstsDoeTwoChristianCausesLosesReligiousKnow HowChangedHonorDirectShameCastsVicesOrthodoxGoodsTemperEnmityIncline Author:Isaac of Nineveh
“If you are remembering evil against someone, then pray for him; and as you remove through prayer the pain of the remembrance of the evil he has done, you will stop the advance of the passion. And when you have attained brotherly love and love for mankind, you will completely cast this passion out of your soul. Then when someone else does evil to you, be affectionate and humble toward him, and treat him kindly, and you will deliver him from this passion.” IfsInspirationalDoeSoulDoneChristianPainRememberPassionEvilReligiousPrayerMankindPrayingAnd LoveTreatsCastsHumbleYour SoulRemoveOrthodoxRemembranceAffectionateBrotherlyBrotherly Love Author:Maximus the Confessor
“A soul that is nurtured by hatred toward man can not be at peace with God, Who has said: If you forgive not men their sins, neither shall your Father forgive your sins (Matt. 6:15). If a man does not want to be reconciled, you must at least guard yourself from hating, praying with a pure heart for him, and speaking no evil of him.” IfsMenWantInspirationalHeartDoeSaidSoulChristianHateEvilFatherReligiousSinPrayingPureHatredForgivingOrthodoxCan NotPure HeartPeace With God Author:Maximus the Confessor
“I ask you to try something. If someone grieves you, or dishonors you, or takes something of yours, then pray like this: "Lord, we are all your creatures. Pity your servants, and turn them to repentance," and then you will perceptibly bear grace in your soul. Induce your heart to love your enemies, and the Lord, seeing your good will, shall help you in all things, and will Himself show you experience. But whoever thinks evil of his enemies does not have love for God and has not known God.” IfsThinkingInspirationalTryingHeartDoeSoulHelpingShowsChristianTurnsEvilAsksReligiousKnownLordEnemyGraceSeeingLove YouBearsPrayingCreaturesAll ThingsPityYour SoulGod LoveServantGrievingOrthodoxRepentanceGood WillDishonorLove Your Enemies Author:Silouan the Athonite
“The prayer of one who does not consider himself a sinner is not accepted by the Lord.” InspirationalDoeChristianReligiousPrayerLordAcceptedSinnerOrthodox Author:Isaac of Nineveh
“Give your intentions in prayer to God, Who knows everyone, even before our birth. And do not ask that everything will be according to your will, because a man does not know what is profitable for him. But say to God: Let Thy will be done! For He does everything for our benefit.” KnowsMenInspirationalGivingDoeDoneChristianAsksReligiousPrayerBirthBenefitsIntentionOrthodoxProfitableThy Will Be Done Author:Gennadius of Constantinople
“If someone has repented once of a sin, and again does the same sin, this is a sign that he has not been cleansed of the causes of the sin, wherefrom, as from a root, the shoots spring forth again.” IfsInspirationalDoeChristianCausesReligiousSinSpringRootsOrthodox Author:Saint Basil
“Whoever hates his sins will stop sinning; and whoever confesses them will receive remission. A man can not abandon the habit of sin if he does not first gain enmity toward sin, nor can he receive remission of sin without confession of sin. For the confession of sin is the cause of true humility.” IfsMenInspirationalFirstsDoeChristianHateCausesReligiousSinHumilityHabitGainsAbandonOrthodoxConfessionCan NotEnmitySinningRemissionTrue Humility Author:Isaac of Nineveh
“It is a great good to be given over to the will of God. Then the Lord alone is in the soul, and no other thought, and she prays to God with a pure mind. When the soul is entirely given over to the will of God, then the Lord Himself begins to guide her, and the soul learns directly from God ... A proud man does not with to live according to the will of God. He likes to direct himself, and does not understand that man does not have enough understanding to direct himself without God.” MenInspirationalMindDoeSoulEnoughChristianGivenUnderstandingReligiousLordProudPrayingPureDirectGuidesLikesGods WillOrthodoxPraying To GodWithout GodProud Man Author:Silouan the Athonite
“In the measure to which a man cuts off and humbles his own will, he proceeds toward success. But insofar as he stubbornly guards his own will, so much does he brings harm to himself.” MenInspirationalDoeChristianReligiousCuttingHarmOrthodox Author:Ephrem the Syrian
“Whoever sees in himself the traces of hatred toward any man on account of any kind of sin is completely foreign to the love of God. For love toward God does not at all tolerate hatred for man.” MenInspirationalKindDoeChristianReligiousSinHatredAccountsGod LoveOrthodoxTolerate Author:Maximus the Confessor
“Who is far from love is a bad state, and to be pitied. He passes his days in a delirious dream, far from God, deprived of light, and he lives in darkness ... Whoever does not have the love of Christ is an enemy of Christ. He walks in darkness and is easily lead into any sin.” InspirationalDoeStatesDreamLightChristianChristReligiousSinWalksLove IsEnemyDarknessOrthodoxDeprivedDelirious Author:Ephrem the Syrian
“The mind of a man that loves God does not fight against things or thoughts about them, but against the passions that are connected with these thoughts. That is, he does not struggle against a woman, or against one who has insulted him, and not against the images of them, but against the passions that are aroused by these images.” MenInspirationalMindDoeChristianFightingPassionReligiousStruggleConnectedGod LoveOrthodoxInsultedInsulted Him Author:Maximus the Confessor
“If a man does not argue with the thoughts that the enemy secretly sows in us, but by prayer to God uproots conversation with them, this is a sign that his mind has attained wisdom, and that he has found a short path.” IfsMenInspirationalMindDoeChristianFoundReligiousPrayerEnemyPathConversationArguingOrthodox Author:Isaac of Nineveh
“The Lord bears all the weaknesses of men, but He does not bear a man who is always murmuring, and does not leave Him without chastisement.” MenInspirationalDoeChristianReligiousLordBearsWeaknessOrthodoxChastisementMurmuringWeakness Of Man Author:Isaac of Nineveh
“No one can sense his own weakness is at least a small temptation is not allowed to afflict either his body or his soul. Then, comparing his weakness to the help of God, a man comes to know its magnitude. But whoever does not know that he needs God's help, let him make many prayers. Insofar as he multiplies them, in that measure will he be humbled.” KnowsMenInspirationalNeedsDoeSoulHelpingBodyChristianReligiousPrayerWeaknessTemptationCompareOrthodoxMagnitudeNeed God Author:Isaac of Nineveh
“Without temptations, it is not possible to learn the wisdom of the Spirit. It is not possible that Divine love be strengthened in your soul. Before temptations, a man prays to God as a stranger. When temptations are allowed to come by the love of God, and he does not give in to them, then he stands before God as a sincere friend. For in fulfilling the will of God, he has made war on the enemy of God and conquered him.” MenInspirationalGivingDoeMadeWarSoulChristianSpiritReligiousLove IsEnemyDivinePrayingStrangerGods WillTemptationYour SoulGod LoveOrthodoxSincereFulfillingDivine LovePraying To GodSincere Friends Author:Isaac of Nineveh