Category: FAITH

In each difficulty that he faces and for each problem, he has hope that God will save him. No matter how hard it is and how late God will be, this person has hope that God will come, even in the last hours of the night. Therefore, he does not ever lose hope.

—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Words of Spiritual Benefit Vol. III

Do not look at a problem but look at God to solve it. Your feelings that God is standing with you in your difficulties will give you hope and strength.

—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Experiences in Life

Tomorrow is Better for You

Don’t live in your present day if it is too wearisome for you, but live for your tomorrow.

In this tomorrow see the hand of God reaching out to you to calm you.

And on the morrow you will see many solutions to your problems.

If your today is dark, then your tomorrow will open before you windows of light.

The Saints lived for their tomorrows, for their eternity, and hung all their hopes upon it.

David lived for his tomorrow when Saul was pursuing him. And so did Jonah when he was in the belly of the fish…

Joseph lived for his tomorrow when he was in prison and so did his father Jacob when he was fleeing from Esau, trusting that God would restore him from his exile…

If things become problematic for you, say to yourself that they will be solved tomorrow.

Then smile and live for that tomorrow…

—H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Experiences in Life

“I worried a lot. Will the garden grow, will the rivers

flow in the right direction, will the earth turn

as it was taught, and if not how shall

I correct it?

Was I right, was I wrong, will I be forgiven,

can I do better?

Will I ever be able to sing, even the sparrows

can do it and I am, well,

hopeless.

Is my eyesight fading or am I just imagining it,

am I going to get rheumatism,

lockjaw, dementia?

Finally, I saw that worrying had come to nothing.

And gave it up. And took my old body

and went out into the morning,

and sang.”

—Mary Oliver

A man runs endlessly to God and demands, requires benefits: happiness, contentment, health. He runs up to God with his need, but does not live by Him, and every time he receives what he is asking for, he returns to his usual former sinful life. And this barren crush of a man near God more and more often causes in leper souls grumbling at his Creator, grumbling at everything. Then God becomes guilty of everything: it is He who does not respond to requests, requirements, this He does not give a person the fullness of life’s happiness. But the fact that man himself does not live according to the instructions of God and in the law of God, that he reaps the bitterness of a life destroyed by his own iniquities, does not come to his mind.

He does not have a true faith, a true life of spirit, and his life path will not end in salvation. That’s all! How clear and simple!

—Archimandrite John Krestiankin

Although it may be difficult to accept the concept of finding fortune in suffering, after death we will know and even wish we could have endured more hardship because of the glory we would have received in Paradise.

Orthodox Afterlife
John Habib

We think that having faith is just being optimistic, but what happens if it doesn’t get better? Our faith is most defined in the season of enduring strife. Suffering reveals what we have tied our faith to.

—Fr. Nathanael Guirguis

Why ask this question [why]? ‘Why did this happen? Why me? Why her? Why?’ 

Why are we asking these questions? These are questions from lack of faith. We shouldn’t have idly curious questions. You don’t need to know why you got sick. You just need to know that you should bear your illness with courage and with patience and with humility. And then in the next life, you will have no sickness and no sorrow, and I guarantee you will never ask why in heaven.


—Fr. Seraphim Holland


St. Paul did not find his joy in ideal circumstances, but he found his joy in winning others to Christ.

—Fr. Paul Girguis