Temptations of God’s friends, that is, the humble-minded. The temptations that the soul endures from the spiritual staff for its success and growth, and by which it is taught, tested, and led into the struggle, are the following: laziness, heaviness in the body, relaxation of the members, hopelessness, agitation of thoughts, temporary cessation of hope (abandonment by God), darkening of thoughts, lack of human help, lack of necessities for the body, and so on. From these temptations, a person acquires a lonely and defenseless soul, a dead heart, and humility. And from this, she learns whether she has begun to desire the Creator. Providence distributes temptations according to the strength and needs of those who receive them. In us, comfort and defeat, light and darkness, struggle and help, in short, narrowness and spaciousness are combined, and this is a sign that a person with God’s help is succeeding (growing in grace)” (St. Isaac the Syrian. Homily 78).
“Very many people want to be worthy of the Kingdom of God without labors, without struggles, without the shedding of sweat; but this is impossible!” (St. Macarius the Great. Homily 5: 13). And in the last days, the labors, struggles, shedding of sweat (and bloody sweat), which people are no longer capable of (exceptions only confirm the rule), are replaced by involuntary sorrows. The Holy Fathers of the 19th – 21st centuries say that in our time people are saved exclusively by enduring sorrows (of course, with gratitude for everything, faithfulness in little things, and ceaseless repentance). And all this is necessary for acquiring humility…
“In sorrows (‘through many sorrows’), in sufferings, in patience, in faith (trust) are hidden the promises (inheritance of the Kingdom of God), and glory, and the arrangement of heavenly goods, like a fruit hidden in a wheat grain that is thrown into the ground…”. The Kingdom of God is given to all, as a gift, by Love, but in the packaging, wrapping of sorrows, sufferings, patience, struggles, battles, temptations, the shedding of tears, sweat, and blood. The Lord wrapped the Gift of the Kingdom of God in this way not because He is envious or stingy, but because God-Love wants us, having worked, to humble ourselves well; and everything that is easily obtained is not valued and tends to spoil… God-Love loves us, does everything and arranges, allows-permits everything for our Happiness-Good, in the best, most appropriate way; therefore He asks, begs, prays, teaches us by the Holy Spirit: ‘through many sorrows, we must enter the Kingdom of God’ (Acts 14:22), ‘By your patience, possess your souls’ (Luke 21:19), ‘In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world’ (John 16:33)…
‘The baptism (of sorrows) with which I am baptized – you (all My disciples – Christians) will be baptized and the cup (of sorrows) which I drink – (all Mine) will drink!’ (Matt. 20:23). All the saints completed (and continue to complete to this day, and will complete until the end of this age) the path of earthly life in various and fierce sufferings, sorrows!”