The Scripture explained this matter in a verse which was repeated twice, within close proximity in the same Book, and this is: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”, A person may cling to this way which appears right, yet in it—and in his clinging [to it] — there is utmost harm to him. And perhaps this way which appears right to him is of the deception of the demons. On this point specifically, Abba Isaac and St. Evagrius have copious explanations, in that the one who clings to his thought, who directs himself according to his own will, may persuade himself that this thought is from God and that the Spirit is the One who inspired this thought in him!
11. How dangerous is the state of those who say that they receive their knowledge from God directly, and that they are discipled unto Christ directly. And therefore they refuse to be discipled unto people. At the same time, they cannot be sure whether the thought, which came to them, is from God or not! What is marvelous is that those who say such words are neither prophets nor one of the twelve. Nor can they say as Paul the Apostle said,
“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you.”
17. There are perhaps many sources of the thought which you think is from God. It may be your own thought or your own inclination. It may be a thought settled in your subconscious from things you previously read and heard. And it may be a deception of the devil. You need to tarry and deliberate, to read the Scriptures, and to ask and seek guidance.
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Come, Follow Me
Author: SO GOOD QUOTES
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Frankness
You want to be sincere in defending the Truth. But your frankness often hurts people, they become upset and take a stand against you…
Take a good look at yourself. With how many people have you employed this hurtful ‘frank’ manner and done a lot of damage for no reason?! What is more, you have not won their souls for the Lord either.
You ought to have spoken gently and wisely, with consideration for the feelings of others, as our Lord spoke to the Samaritan woman, so that he won her soul without hurting her feelings (John 4) .
If God were to send an angel to speak to everyone about his actions, the hidden ones and those that are plain to see, could anyone bear it?
We thank God that He does not use this method, this hurtful ‘frankness’, with us, out of His great love and kindness and His sympathy for people’s feelings
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Experiences in Life
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Coping with Being Honoured
Saint Antonius the Great said: “Many people can endure being insulted, but they cannot bear to be honoured. For to be able to endure being honoured is harder than to put up with insults .”….
Being honoured might push some people towards pride so that they feel superior to others or ignore them, or mistreat them. It may make them change their surroundings, friends and way of life. It might induce them to become conceited and talk arrogantly with people…
All this goes to show that they have not been able to cope with being honoured since it has changed their character and behaviour towards others. As the poet said, “When my friend’s family becomes a rich family, I can be sure that I have lost my friend.”
As for the person who is inwardly strong, or the person who is as humble as the Virgin Mary, then being honoured cannot change him.
Whatever position he gains, whatever wealth or titles, power or knowledge, and however much the people praise him, he remains the same…
It is a wonder how in spite of all this he does not lose his simplicity and humility or his good relationship with people and does not abandon his former friends or seek a new environment which he considers more in keeping with his new dignity… !
—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Experiences in Life
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You mustn’t wage your Christian struggle with sermons and arguments, but with true secret love. When we argue, others react. When we love people, they are moved and we win them over. When we love, we think that we offer something to others, but in reality we are the first to benefit.
— St Porphyrios
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You understand that many of our faults are voluntary in different degrees, though they may not be committed with a deliberate purpose of failing in our allegiance to God. One friend sometimes reproaches another for a fault not expressly intended to be offensive, and yet committed with the knowledge that it would be so. In the same way, God lays this sort of faults to our charge. They are voluntary, for although not done with an express intention, they are still committed freely and against a certain interior light of conscience, which should have caused us to hesitate and wait.
—François Fénelon, Spiritual Progress
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As the holy fathers say, when the intellect forgets the purpose of a religious observance, the outward practice of virtue loses its value. For whatever is done indiscriminately and without purpose is not only of no benefit – even though good in itself – but actually does harm. Conversely, what appears to be evil is really good if it is done for a godly purpose and accords with God’s will. The action of a man who goes into a brothel to rescue a prostitute from destruction is a case in point.
Hence it is clear that someone who occasionally shows compassion is not compassionate, and someone who occasionally practices self-control is not self-controlled.
—St John of Damaskos -
Always keep the same measure of self-control; otherwise through irregularity you will go from one extreme to another.
—St. Thalassios the Libyan
SO GOOD QUOTES 