God sees closely the hardships of His children and comforts them as a good Father. Do you think that God wants His little child to suffer? Only God can be the true remedy and comfort to the great sorrow. That is why a person who does not believe in God in order to ask His mercy for the hardships he is going through, is descending into hopelessness, and his life does not make sense. He is always left high and dry, without a shoulder to cry on, in his tortured life while his soul is eternally condemned.
However, the spiritual people do not have their own sorrows, because they get through the hardships having Jesus by their side. They absorb all the bitterness of others, but at the same time they receive the love of God. When I chant “Do not give me human protection, Holy Mother”, I sometimes stop at the verse “but please accept the prayer of your servant”.
Since I am not sad, how can I say “Since I am sad, give me strength”? Should I lie? There is no sadness in spiritual life, because when someone has a clear judgement, everything changes. If someone places the bitterness of his pain on sweet Jesus’ words, all the bitterness and poison turn into honey.
If one understands the secrets of spiritual life and the mysterious ways in which God works, he ceases to be sad for what is happening to him, for he receives joyfully the bitter medicines God gives him for the health of his soul. He considers everything to be the result of his prayer, since he constantly asks God to cleanse his soul. But when people try to get through the hardships by human means, they are tortured. Since God watches over us, we must surrender to Him with no strings attached. Otherwise life is a torture; one wants everything their way. However, this does not be the case, and he does not find rest.
Whether you are full or hungry, whether they praise him or do him wrong, he must be happy and act humbly and patiently. Then God will keep on blessing him, until his soul is overwhelmed by the righteousness of God. And, as long as his spirit leads the way, he will see more clearly the love of God, and His love will be a shelter.
*The article was originally published in Greek in ikivotos.gr