If we do not warm faith in our hearts, then through negligence it can completely extinguish in us; Christianity with its life-giving sacraments can seem to die completely for us. That is why we see people who are Christians in name alone, but in deeds they are perfect pagans.

Prayer

Prayer is the union of the mind and heart with God, a living conversation with Him, a reverent standing before the life-giving spring. Therefore, when praying, you must forget everything around you. True prayer illuminates and enlivens the soul. It gives strength to the soul and body, enlightens the face. It is the golden thread that connects the creature with the Creator. It gives vigor and courage in various temptations, promotes success in deeds, strengthens faith and other virtues, contributes to the correction of life, generates tears of repentance, inclines to works of mercy.

In order to live in a Christian way and so that the spirit does not fade away in us, home and public prayer is necessary. Just as it is necessary to pour oil into a lamp so that it does not go out, so it is necessary to attend divine services in church and pray there with faith, understanding and zeal. Nothing extinguishes the spirit in us so quickly as intemperance, satiety, and a distracted way of life...

Sometimes in a long prayer only a few minutes are pleasing to God and constitute true service to God. In prayer, the main thing is the closeness of the heart to God, evidenced by the sweetness of God's presence in the soul.

Let us measure the dignity of our prayer by the human measure. Thus, for example, sometimes we are with people who are cold, out of propriety, and pretend to thank or praise them, or do anything for them without the participation of the heart. Sometimes we do it sincerely, with warmth and love. We are also not the same with God. And that's not how it should be. One must always express to God from the bottom of one's heart praise, thanksgiving, and petition. We must invariably love Him with all our heart and hope in Him.

Often in colloquial speech, prayer is called something that is not prayer at all. For example, a person went to church, stood there, looked around, listened to the singing, and then said: "I prayed to God." Or he stood at home in front of the icon, nodded his head, pronounced mechanically memorized words and said: "I prayed to God." In fact, in both cases, the person did not pray with his thoughts and heart at all, but only fulfilled the external form.

As you pray, remind yourself of the simplicity of the truth, and say, "It's simple! I believe simply and ask for everything simply."

On the Fulfillment of Prayers