SACRAMENTAL LIVING

Understanding Christianity as a Way of Life

Pity

“Great changes occur continually in every aspect of our lives – physical, social, and spiritual. Most are beyond our control, for they begin and end with God. The first task of a servant of Christ is to “look unto the Lord our God, until He take pity on us” (Ps 122:2). We are to discern what God wills and how He is calling us to act. Such watchfulness must be continual. Otherwise, the heart may be wounded and our birth in the new life in Christ will be disrupted, injured, or

Affliction

“The verb, ‘endure,’ from, synkakopatheson, means literally, ‘to suffer affliction with.’ ” (Dynamis 7/27/2018) “Suffering is an inescapable aspect of human life in the present world. Suffering, affliction and tragic experiences disclose the vulnerable nature of human life; it enables us to recognize our limitations as human beings and our dependence upon others and upon God for sustenance in life. Suffering has the potential to lead human beings either to despair, misery and

Relinquish

“When we’re bewildered, lonely or hurt, when the futility of efforts to connect is too painfully obvious, we can relinquish our confusion to the Lord. He knows every heart from the inside, and “in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17). His love is the life streaming through all Creation. So even in this life we are connected with those we love through God, something we can barely grasp now, but which will one day flood our awareness.” (Frederica Matthewes-Green) “…w

Loneliness

“We know intuitively that loneliness and being alone are not the same thing. Solitude can be lovely. Crowded parties can be agony. We also know, thanks to a growing body of research on the topic, that loneliness is not a matter of external conditions; it is a psychological state.” (Stephen Marche) “The greatest torment of suffering, particularly in the form of anxiety, is to be alone. Anxiety creates a deep fissure in communion, alienating us from others and trapping us in th

Bitter/Bitterness

“Our Lord Jesus is the only one Who spoke the whole truth to His followers, both the bitter and the sweet side of the truth. He did not promise fruits without service, nor glory without suffering, nor ultimate rest without the thorny path, nor victory without struggle, nor pleasure without bitterness, nor the kingdom without tears and self-denial.” (St. Nikolai Velimirovich) “I'm just trying to say that as health comes from the bitter medicine, so too does the salvation of so

Lost (Feeling Lost)

“Too often our minds are filled with worries or unnecessary concerns. Our hearts yearn to experience God, we long for peace and deep joy each day, but instead we feel lost. A spiritual attitude changes this, it softens our souls.” (Robert Wicks) “…we live in a changing world. It is a challenging and complex world due to change. We experience this in our own lives as we go through each day, as we reflect on the past month and years and consider the course of our lives over t

Patience and Suffering

"So much of modern life is aimed at achieving quick results: there is a kind of immediacy that technology has made possible. If there is a question one wants answering then we pull out a device and connect to the internet. The Christian life however, is different; it is a life-long commitment that requires patience and suffering. Knowledge of God is the relationship granted to hearts that are being purified here in this world and in this body." (Father Spyridon Baily) “James

Worship

"We may go to beautiful churches well-prepared for worship, but often we don’t take the presence of God with us through the week…The Lord desires that our worship be intimately connected with the daily activities of our lives.” (Orthodox Study Bible, Jeremiah 7:9-11, Dynamis 7/19/2018) “…there is no separation between worship and life. They are one.” (Orthodox Study Bible, Philippians 2:17) “One must act in such a way that the soul does not turn to God only when you are stand

God's Will and Discernment/Willingness

“Presumably we, too, desire to do the will of God. Two issues face us when we seek to conform to the will of God. The first is discernment, the second willingness. How do we discern the will of God in the flux of circumstances in this life, and then become willing to do His will?...Our first task then as disciples is to be spiritual so that we may more readily judge the will of God aright in every circumstance.” (Dynamis 5/21/2018) “The reasons the disciples are [were] painfu

Pain and Suffering

“For most of us God is just there. We seldom give it a second thought. Some go away to school and we become confused...we see the church and the faithful leading double standards. We take note of inconsistencies that have nothing to do with the belief in God. Pain and suffering cause us to ask painful questions about God's love and we simply do not understand…No person ever really discovers God until there is a felt need in his life that only God can fill. Until you need Him

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