“He who has not yet attained divine knowledge energized by love is proud of his spiritual progress. But he who has been granted such knowledge repeats with deep conviction the words uttered by the patriarch Abraham when he was granted the manifestation of God: 'I am dust and ashes' (Gen. 18:27).” Has BeensChristianSpiritualLove IsProgressDivineProudConvictionDustGrantedManifestationRepeatsOrthodoxAshesOrthodox ChristianAbrahamSpiritual ProgressPatriarch Author:Maximus the Confessor
“The patient endurance of the saints exhausts the evil power that attacks them, since it makes them glory in sufferings undergone for the sake of the truth. It teaches those too much concerned with a life in the flesh to deepen themselves through such sufferings instead of pursuing ease and comfort; and it makes the flesh's natural weakness in the endurance of suffering a foundation for overwhelming spiritual power. For the natural weakness of the saints is precisely such a foundation, since the Lord has made their weakness stronger than the proud devil.” MadeChristianSpiritualSufferingEvilNaturalLordTeachToo MuchProudComfortGloryWeaknessDevilConcernedStrongerFoundationPatientSakeSaintFleshEaseEnduranceOrthodoxOverwhelmingOrthodox ChristianSpiritual Power Author:Maximus the Confessor
“God Himself heals the proud. This means that inner sorrows (by which pride is healed) are sent to us by God, for the proud man will not suffer anything from others. But the humble person will endure everything, and will always say, 'I deserve this.'” MenMeanPersonsChristianSufferingPrideProudSorrowDeserveEndureHumbleHealOrthodoxHealedProud ManHumble Person Author:Ambrose of Optina
“The Lord does not show Himself to a proud soul. The proud soul, no matter how many books it reads, will never know God, since by its pride it does not give place for the grace of the Holy Spirit, while God is known only by the humble soul.” KnowsInspirationalGivingDoeBookSoulMatterShowsChristianSpiritReligiousKnownLordGracePrideProudHolyHumbleHoly SpiritOrthodoxKnowing God Author:Silouan the Athonite
“Draw nigh to the righteous, and through them you will draw nigh to God. Communicate with those who possess humility, and you will learn morals from them. A man who follows one who loves God becomes rich in the mysteries of God; but he who follows an unrighteous and proud man gets far away from God, and will be hated by his friends.” MenInspirationalChristianReligiousMoralRichMysteryHumilityProudDrawsCommunicateGod LoveHatedOrthodoxRighteousFar AwayBecome RichProud ManMystery Of God Author:Isaac of Nineveh
“To judge sins is the business of one who is sinless, but who is sinless except God? Who ever thinks about the multitude of his own sins in his heart never wants to make the sins of others a topic of conversation. To judge a man who has gone astray is a sign of pride, and God resists the proud. On the other hand, one who every hour prepares himself to give answer for his own sins will not quickly lift up his head to examine the mistakes of others.” ThinkingMenWantInspirationalGivingHeartHandsChristianHoursReligiousSinAnswersMistakeGoneJudgingPrideProudConversationLiftsOrthodoxMultitudesTopics Author:Gennadius of Constantinople
“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
“Obedience is necessary not only for monks, but for all people. Even the Lord was obedient. The proud and self-regarding do not allow grace to live in them, and therefore they never have spiritual peace, while in the obedient soul the grace of the Holy Spirit enters easily and gives joy and peace. Whoever bears even a little grace in himself joyfully submits himself to all direction. He knows that God directs even the heavens and the netherworld, and himself, and his business, and everything in the world, and therefore he is always at peace.” PeopleKnowsWorldInspirationalGivingLittlesSoulSelfChristianSpiritualJoySpiritHeavenReligiousLordGraceBearsProudHolyObedienceHoly SpiritOrthodoxSubmitMonkObedientSpiritual Peace Author:Silouan the Athonite
“Whoever has become a servant of the Lord fears only his Master. But whoever is without the fear of God is often afraid of his own shadow. Fearfulness is the daughter of unbelief. A proud soul is the slave of fear; hoping in itself, in comes to such a state that it is startled by a small noise, and is afraid of the dark.” InspirationalSoulStatesChristianReligiousDarkLordMastersProudDaughterShadowSlaveNoiseServantOrthodoxUnbelief Author:John Climacus
“Everyone who asks something of God and does not receive it doubtless does not receive it for one of these reasons: either because they ask before the time, or they ask unworthily, or out of vainglory, or because if they received what they asked they would become proud or fall into negligence.” IfsInspirationalDoeReasonChristianFallAsksReligiousProudOrthodoxNegligence Author:John Climacus
“Whoever has a spiritual gift and compassionate toward one who does not have it guards his gift through his compassion. But whoever is proud of his gift loses it through self-opinion.” InspirationalDoeSelfChristianSpiritualLosesReligiousCompassionOpinionProudOrthodoxCompassionateSpiritual GiftsSelf Opinion Author:Marcus Eremita