The moment people give you trouble and tick you off, inwardly all sorts of passions fire up. If you look at this fact from the right perspective, it will do you good. Because you get to see what is in you, which makes you feel embittered, sad or worried. You get to see why you want to take it out on others and why you react in such a way. You should drink this bitter cup thinking, “Oh my God, look at the badness with- in me!” Because if there weren’t any passions or sins in your heart, you would not suffer nor would you feel anything at all, no matter how badly people treat you.
Everyone should have this yearning, everyone should be possessed by this truth and should start like this, and then the rest, the deeper things of spir- itual life will follow.
God acts at will through human habits and situations or, if you like, through human sins. He carries out His plan.
Transcribed talks by Archimandrite Symeon Kragiopoulos
From: Holy Hesychasterion “The Nativity of Theotokos” Publications.
