Perhaps, in the end, we are stagnating spiritually not because there
were other opportunities in the years of persecution and now things are
different, but because we have lost the true spirit of Christ: that is, we
have lost Christ.
God does not forget us. All that we are suffering, if we take it rightly,
sanctifies us. Although we have so many scientists, so many physicians,
all Christians are burdened with various difficult issues, with problems,
with sicknesses, with even worse things. And instead of each of us seeing
in these things a visitation from God and saying: “May it be blessed, my
God,” we are bewildered.
Pain, if you take it the right way, is still
pain, but a different pain that sanctifies you. Problems are like palpable
blessings from God. When you take them rightly, they really do sanctify
you. Otherwise, you are suffering in vain.
Archimandrite Symeon Kragiopoulos (†)
From the book: Archimandrite Symeon Kragiopoulos, “SPIRITUAL MESSAGES” Panorama Thessaloniki, 2017
