For this I present to you the following example: "A certain monk, being offended by another monk, came to the elder and, having told him what and how had happened between them, he angrily exclaimed: "I will not fail to take revenge on him!" No matter how much the elder persuaded him, no matter how much he advised him to leave it to God to avenge himself, the distressed monk did not listen to him and incessantly repeated: "I cannot be calm until I repay the insult with an insult."

Weeping over the monk's error, the elder fell silent for a while, then said to him: "It is time for prayer; let us, dear brother, offer sacrifice to God." The elder stood up and began to read the following: "Lord our God! We do not trust in You; do not take care of us, do not avenge us; we will start and finish everything ourselves." Hearing this, the monk was horrified and fell at the feet of the elder. "I don't want to have a quarrel with my brother," he said through tears, "I don't want to take revenge on him."

Then, turning to God, he exclaimed: "One avenger of iniquity! Forgive my sin!" The elder, rejoicing over the monk's repentance, said to him: "Be assured, my son, that he who has endured vexation will be saved without difficulty; but he who is angry with his brother destroys all his virtue and works for the devil" (Prologue, June 20). So you do the same!

Rely on the Lord, and He Himself will punish you for your offense. How long do you have to endure? The field of patience is wide and continues throughout a person's life, as well as encompasses all the destinies of mankind in this world. With patience a person acquires and preserves all goods, succeeds in undertakings, achieves the fulfillment of desires, harmlessly withstands the adversity of evil.

Having lost patience, he is immediately in danger of losing good and suffering evil, or, what is more miserable, doing evil. Without patience there is no podvig; and without podvig there is no virtue or spiritual gift, there is no salvation. For the kingdom of heaven is taken by force (Matt. 11: 12). Is it possible to find true and complete consolation in friendship?

Consolation is a gift from heaven, and it is only from heaven, from the far-off lands of our heavenly fatherland, that it can be received. Therefore, it is not our friend who comforts us, but God sends us a friend either to console us when we are in distress, or to help us when we are in need, or to heal us when we are sick, or to heal us when we are wounded, or for advice when we are at a loss and do not know what to decide[119].

How to warm a cold soul? By the Word of God, by prayer, by the humble, repentant and grateful feeling of the heart in relation to God – in all the changes not only of the external state, but also of the internal. Is it possible to take revenge on the one who offended me, if such an opportunity presented itself? "When the enemy falls into your hands, consider it a time not of his punishment, but of salvation.

We must then primarily spare our enemies when they submit to us. If anyone has offended you, do not repay with insult, so as not to become like the one who offended you, for evil is cured not by evil, but by good" (St. John Chrysostom)[120]. Should we be troubled when we see that the righteous suffer grievously and undeservedly? We should not be dismayed when we see that the righteous suffer grievously and undeservedly.

Let us remember that the Righteous of the Righteous and the Holy of Holies suffered. His sufferings are higher than all sufferings, because there is no comparison between the creature and its Creator. Sometimes despondency comes from a multitude of sorrows – what do you advise? The Lord said to St. Isaiah that the person who is in sorrow is dear and dear to Him.

Кто не имеет здесь скорби, тот и радос­тей не увидит в будущей жизни. Я часто обижаюсь и от этого скорблю. Кто не желает здесь перенести напрасную обиду, тот не желает получить в будущей жизни похвалы от Самого Господа. Кто есть избранник Божий? 1 Свт. Иоанн Златоуст. Беседа 31 на Деяния. Т. 9, ч. 1.

«Избранный Богом человек познается по то­му, что ему постоянно посылаются скорби и пе­чали» (преподобный Никон Оптинский)[121] . Не хватает сил и терпения ухаживать за боль­ной свекровью. Что делать? Кто старается о больных и бедных, тот будет избавлен от смерти мучительной, а кто ненави­дит их, тот будет изгнан от Христа.

Последнее время в моей жизни много неприят­ностей: и дома, и на работе. Не хватает терпения их переносить. Как быть? Когда бывает большая скорбь на душе твоей, то пой или читай духовные стихи, пока про­мчится это облако скорби; как после ночи на­стает свет, так после скорби настает радость. Если бы не было унижений и поруганий, то не было бы ни одного святого; кто бежит от скорбей, тот бежит от своей вечной жизни.

За что бы мы получили награду, если бы нас не обижали? Обижающих мы должны считать бла­годетелями для души нашей. Не все люди тер­пят напрасные скорби (для большей награды в будущей жизни), а только святые, праведные и чистые сердцем. Как избавиться от отчаяния? Никогда нельзя отчаиваться даже и в боль­ших грехах: псалмопевец Давид впал в блуд, но покаялся — и стал пророком; Мария Египетская оставила блудную жизнь — и ходила по реке, яко по суху, и когда молилась, то на воздух поднима­лась Духом Святым.

Можно ли прожить без скорбей? «Скорби и искушения признаются Священ­ным Писанием и святыми отцами величайшим даром Божиим» (святитель Игнатий Брянчанинов). Пропала любимая вещь, и я очень горюю. Не нужно тужить и плакать об украденных, сгоревших, пропавших или потерянных вещах, но в то время, когда это случится, вспоминайте слова Спасителя, что волос с головы не спадет без позволения Божия.