“Only an obedient heart can truly pray, for the end of prayer is not speaking to God, but hearing and heeding what He is saying back to us…It is in obedience that we find the means of destroying the ego, which separates us from Christ...obedience is our way of surrendering to the will of Christ…Following Christ means total submission to Him…” (Archimandrite Vassilios Papavassiliou, Abbot Tryphon, Life Application Bible, Luke 14:27)
“God responds to His obedient children…When we act this life, let it be in God’s will – and let us always take into account and have respect for the needs of others, so that the Lord may bless us.” (Life Application Study Bible, Hebrews 5:5-7, Dynamis 3/27/2018)
“We must unreservedly surrender ourselves to God’s providence, to the divine will, and God will take care of us.” (Elder Paisios of Mount Athos)
“This combination of waiting, watching, and testing is essential to discerning God’s will fully, for the enemy constantly sows both good and evil thoughts to distract us from God’s highest and best. May we always wait for God, for He alone teaches us and leads us to the truth (Ps 24:5).” (Dynamis 3/9/2018)
“God’s will is our sanctification (1 Thessalonians 4:3), our being set apart to the Lord as His special possession. We are being sanctified as we walk with Him in faith and obedience.” (Orthodox Study Bible, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12)