Unhappiness

St. Paisios: Grumbling is caused by misery and it can be put aside by . . .

Sayings from Saints, Elders, and Fathers, St. Paisios of Mount Athos / By
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Grumbling is caused by misery and it can be put aside by doxology (giving praise). Grumbling begets grumbling and doxology begets doxology. when someone doesn’t grumble over a problem troubling him, but rather praises God, then the devil gets frustrated and goes off to someone else who grumbles, in order to cause everything to go even worse for him. You see, the more one grumbles, the more one falls into ruin.

Sometimes the devil deceives us and makes us unable to be pleased with anything; however, one can celebrate all things in a spiritual manner, with doxology, and secure God’s constant blessing.

+ St. Paisios of Mt. Athos, Elder Paisios of Mount Athos Spiritual Councils IV: Family Life

Spiritual Counsels 4: Family Life

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St. Ambrose of Optina: A continuously happy life produces extremely unhappy consequences. . . .

Sayings from Saints, Elders, and Fathers, St. Ambrose of Optina / By
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“A continuously happy life produces extremely unhappy consequences. In nature we see that there are not always pleasant springs and fruitful summers, and sometimes autumn is rainy and winter cold and snowy, and there is flooding and wind and storms, and moreover the crops fail and there are famine, troubles, sicknesses and many other misfortunes. All of this is beneficial so that man might learn through prudence, patience and humility. For the most part, in times of plenty he forgets himself, but in times of various sorrows he becomes more attentive to his salvation.”

+ St. Ambrose of Optina, Living Without Hypocrisy: Spiritual Counsels of the Holy Elders of Optina

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St. Nikolai Velimirovich: If you become rich, consider whether or not you could worthily bear poverty . . .

Sayings from Saints, Elders, and Fathers, St. Nikolai Velimirovich / By
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“If you become rich, consider whether or not you could worthily bear poverty. If you are happy, imagine how you could worthily meet unhappiness. When people praise you, think how you might worthily bear insult.  And, all your life, think how you might worthily meet death.”

— St. Nikolai Velimirovich, “Thoughts on Good and Evil”

St. Nikolai Velimirovich: If you become rich, consider whether or not you could worthily bear poverty . . . Read More »

St. Nikolai Velimirovich: If you become rich, consider whether or not you could worthily bear poverty . . .

Sayings from Saints, Elders, and Fathers, St. Nikolai Velimirovich / By
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“If you become rich, consider whether or not you could worthily bear poverty. If you are happy, imagine how you could worthily meet unhappiness. When people praise you, think how you might worthily bear insult.  And, all your life, think how you might worthily meet death.”

— St. Nikolai Velimirovich, “Thoughts on Good and Evil”

St. Nikolai Velimirovich: If you become rich, consider whether or not you could worthily bear poverty . . . Read More »

St. Symeon the New Theologian: To have faith in Christ . . .

Sayings from Saints, Elders, and Fathers, St. Symeon the New Theologian / By
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“To have faith in Christ means more than simply despising the delights of this life. It means we should bear all our daily trials that may bring us sorrow, distress, or unhappiness, and bear them patiently for as long as God wishes and until He comes to visit us. For it is said, ‘I waited on the Lord and He came to me.’”

— St. Symeon the New Theologian

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