“A proud man does not will to live according to the will of God. He likes to direct himself, and does not understand that man does not have enough understanding to direct himself without God.”

~St. Silouan the Athonite

(Image via Wikipedia, author unknown)

Understand two thoughts, and fear them. One says, "You are a saint," and the other, "You won't be saved." Both of these thoughts are from the enemy, and there is no truth in them. But think this way: I am a great sinner, but the Lord is merciful. He loves people very much, and He will forgive my sins.

Saint Silouan the Athonite

Understand two thoughts, and fear them. One says,

"You are a saint," the other, "You won't be saved."

Both of these thoughts are from the enemy, and there is no truth in them. But think this way: I am a great sinner, but the Lord is merciful. He loves people very much, and He will forgive my sins. (St. Silouan the Athonite)

When God wants to have mercy on someone, He inspires someone else to pray for him, and He helps in this prayer.

Saint Silouan the Athonite

“Understand two thoughts, and fear them. One says, ‘You are a saint,’ the other, ‘You won't be saved.’ Both of these thoughts are from the enemy, and there is no truth in them. But think this way: I am a great sinner, but the Lord is merciful. He loves people very much, and He will forgive my sins.”

+ St. Silouan the Athonite

Source of picture: https://traumacatholic.tumblr.com

"There are people who, when they encounter inability to understand, do not ask the Lord. But one must immediately say, “Lord, I am a sinful man and I don’t understand as I should. But give me understanding, merciful One, as to how I must proceed.” And the merciful Lord then inspires them as to what to do and what not to do." Saint Silouan the Athonite

"When bad thoughts are planted in you, then cry to God: 'Lord, my Maker and Creator. You see that my soul is in agony from bad thoughts. Have mercy on me'. Teach yourself to root out thoughts immediately. But when you forget and don't root them out immediately, then offer repentance. Work on this, so that you get a habit."

- St. Silouan the Athonite

Because I'm thinking about my responsibilities towards my fellow man.

“When bad thoughts are planted in you, then cry to God: ‘Lord, my Maker and Creator. You see that my soul is in agony from bad thoughts. Have mercy on me.’ Teach yourself to root out thoughts immediately. But when you forget and don’t root them out immediately, then offer repentance. Work on this, so that you get a habit.”

+ St. Silouan the Athonite

“The Lord greatly loves the repenting sinner and mercifully presses him to His bosom: ‘Where were you, My child? I was waiting a long time for you.’ The Lord calls all to Himself with the voice of the Gospel, and his voice is heard in all the world: ‘Come to me, my sheep. I created you, and I love you. My love for you brought Me to earth, and I suffered all things for the sake of your salvation, and I want you all to know my love, and to say, like the apostles on Tabor: Lord, it is good for us to be with You.’” — St. Silouan the Athonite

via orthodoxiconography

"The humble soul is blessed. The Lord loves her. The Mother of God is higher than all in humility, and therefore all races bless her on earth, while the heavenly powers serve her. And the Lord has given us this blessed Mother of His as a defender and helper."

~St. Silouan the Athonite

The soul that is in all things devoted to the will of God rests quiet in Him, for she knows of experience and from the Holy Scriptures that the Lord loves us much and watches over our souls, quickening all things by His grace in peace and love. Nothing troubles the man who is given over to the will of God, be it illness, poverty or persecution. He knows that the Lord in His mercy is solicitous for us. The Holy Spirit, whom the soul knows, is witness therefore. But the proud and the self-willed do not want to surrender to God's will because they like their own way, and that is harmful for the soul.

From the Life and Teachings of Elder Siluan by Bishop Alexander and Natalia Bufius translated by Anatoly Shmelev

"How can you find out if you are living within the will of God? Here is the sign: If you are troubled about any thing, this means that you have not completely given yourself over to the will of God. A person who lives in the will of God is not concerned over anything. And if he needs anything, he gives both it and himself over to God. And if he does not receive the necessary thing, he remains calm nevertheless, as if he had it. The soul which has been given over to the will of God is afraid of nothing, not of thunder nor of thieves - nothing. But whatever happens, she says, 'Thus it pleases God.' If she is sick, she thinks: this means that I need to be sick, or else God would not have given it to me. Thus peace is preserved in both soul and body." - St. Silouan the Athonite

Whoever will not love his enemies cannot know the Lord and the sweetness of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit teaches us to love our enemies in such a way that we pity their souls as if they were our own children.

Saint Silouan the Athonite