—it will not help them, for the cause is not in the flesh, but in condemnation; the disease, passion is the same, but the medicines are different in quality and, of course, in quantity—here great discernment is needed). Therefore, self-treatment is a dangerous thing: not everyone has the strength to bear the same thoughts—for some they are for salvation, and for others for perdition—because either untimely, or inappropriate, or beyond their strength!!!
So, in our pharmacy, the choice of medicines is small, but they are all in the assortment—in different doses and concentrations, for different spiritual age categories—infants, children, youths, and fathers (see 1 John). Therefore, if you have found the medicines-thoughts-counsels you need to overcome your illness—consult with your “spiritual father” (= friend-adviser!), discern, consult, discern, consult…, discern, and then take them! (First of all, ask God for understanding, and then for God’s sake also from a person—prayer to God should be unceasing!). Self-treatment kills! At the entrance to our pharmacy, you read a sign in large letters: “Self-treatment, unwise…”. This sign is not a decoration of the cover but an extremely necessary warning!!!
So, if you have grasped the essence of the thought-tale—set the book aside—go to do the truth, go to give thanks—serve Christ in the person of your neighbor (every person who needs your help (see Luke 10: 25-37)). Enough talking—hearers of the law-commandments are not righteous before God, but doers of God’s will! Have you understood the Truth?! To the work-service, to the knower of Truth-Good! And the first component of a good deed is discernment with counsel: discern, consult, discern, consult, discern… and then, when you have grasped how to do a good deed, without delay, fulfill God’s will!
If reading books is part of a good deed, that is, the theoretical part—discernment with counsel—then such reading is a good deed. And if we read just to know—knowledge for the sake of knowledge—we are in delusion! Therefore, we said: if you have understood the good deed (what pleases Christ and how to do it well), then leave reading—hurry to do the good deed! For not the knowers of the Law (lawyers-scribes-“theologians”) are righteous before God, but doers of His will, who have as the motive of this fulfillment-feat-effort the Eucharist, God’s Love for themselves, and the desire to thank God, to love God mutually! Faith (rational, scholastic) without works is dead, Orthodox faith always acts through Love!!! Be vigilant, for the letter-knowledge (rational, creating the illusion of knowing) puffs up, and true knowledge-knowing is the result of doing right, Orthodoxy; Orthodoxy = humility, which is unthinkable without diligently keeping God’s commandments (the essence of which is to Love God and the image of God!). You can read thousands of books about prayer, devour tome after tome of the writings of the Holy Fathers, write and defend a doctoral dissertation on the topic of “Prayer,” write thousands of books, articles about prayer, spiritual life yourself, be a “doctor of theology,” an “expert” on prayer (know everything about prayer) and … so never start praying, learning to pray!!! The devil knows all the books by heart, and despite his scholastic rational knowledge remains the devil—does not pray, does not repent, does not humble himself, does not fulfill God’s will, does not seek communion with God, does not give thanks, does not give himself to God! A “theologian” doctor, but does not believe in Christ, an atheist, although he talks for hours about God, about Christ, the Church—these are all words about words, computer, rational processing of verbal information (Christian writings: texts of the Bible, works of the Holy Fathers…). Therefore, an atheist-scientist will write you a wonderful dissertation on any theological (e.g., about the God Christians believe in) topic, using the texts of one or another religion and existing works on this topic! Therefore, rational knowledge is only a possibility of a good deed! Not everyone who says: Lord, Lord… (Matt. 6: 21-23). Christianity is not philosophy, but sacrificial, humble, active Love!!!
P. P. S. If you are far from the City, that is, lost in our forests-thickets and need medicines that our pharmacy does not have, you can contact the “manager” of the pharmacy, he will either prepare the necessary medicines for you himself or order them from the City (they say he has some connections with City pharmacies and pharmaceutical factories), if there are not enough components on the spot. And if you need a doctor, there is an old doctor living in our village pharmacy (an elder or a young elder?! Nobody in that village can figure it out anymore: for the local poor, someone in a white coat with a stethoscope in their ears is a great comfort-joy, as the saying goes: in the steppe, even a beetle is meat!), self-taught, did not study with other elders-doctors, but over the years of communicating with sick grandmothers and grandfathers, sincerely trying to help them with something, he has gained considerable experience, so perhaps he can help you with something to get safely to the City, and there professionals in healing-salvation (Spirit-bearers) will provide you with qualified help! The pharmacy has one “phone,” so you can contact the “manager” or the old doctor at this “number”: avb1983@i.ua; if necessary, send your SMS messages, if these men are still in the second stage of being, they will be happy to help you—whatever they can!