On Patience

4The life of the human, my child, is pain because he lives in exile. Do not demand perfect rest. Our Lord lifted His cross, and so we too shall also lift ours. When we patiently endure all tribulations we will receive grace from Christ. This is why our Lord permits temptations. He tries our zeal and our love towards Him. We are needful of patience. Without patience, man cannot become practical, he cannot learn about spiritual matters, and he will not reach the heights of virtue and spiritual perfection.

Elder Joseph the Hesychast