Heart (for God)
- Michael Haldas
- 12 minutes ago
- 3 min read
“Bound in a world of information that falsely imagines that knowledge, power, management, and expertise are the secrets to well-being, we fail to see that such an orientation is itself the seat of our sickness. The heart that asks, seeks, and knocks is a heart that reflects the heart of God. It is a mode of being that allows us to rightly love, to properly desire, and to see what is hidden from the grasping hands of a controlling mastery…“It is quite possible to live one’s entire life in a single place and yet have a sense of “not being at home.” Conversely, I have met some few people who seemed to be “at home” everywhere they were. It is a matter of the heart (particularly in how the heart relates to the world).” (Father Stephen Freeman)
“The success of spiritual struggle, true repentance, and correction of our shortcomings depends on the habit of listening to and looking closely at the movements and desires of the heart…Hardness of heart, insensitivity, and the weakening caused by sloth are among the most dreadful ailments of the heart. Hardheartedness is a consequence of a long sinful life without repentance, without struggle; and it leads the sinner to the point where he doesn’t see or feel his sins, doesn’t think about death, doesn’t fear the judgment of God. The weakening of the heart by laziness leads to the disappearance of all spiritual and bodily powers: A man loses his faith, hope, love, and becomes despondent, insensitive, and useless to both himself and others... For salvation, every man must guard his heart, destroying everything earthly and sinful in it, filling it with holy desires, God-pleasing thoughts, Heavenly and eternal blessings, turning it to the Savior, acquiring the sweetest silence of spirit, calling upon Him Who must be the only God of the Christian heart, with none besides Him.” (St. Seraphim Chichagov)
“God knows what’s in our hearts. And if we were sincere with ourselves, I think our answer would be like this: “Lord, You know that I want to love You, but there are other loves in my heart too!” If we were frank with ourselves... But sometimes we feel comfortable doing nothing and saying that “God is love”, and that “God accepts us as we are”, and we hunt out all sorts of formulas to persuade ourselves to come to terms with ourselves. However, the true knowledge of yourself, which is so much preached about, is when you see God inside yourself. And the God inside you loves the One in another person, and the God inside you cries out to God in Heaven. Otherwise, we deceive ourselves. After all, God is reflected only in the pure water of our being, and not in the rotten swamps of various philosophies of this world.” (Protosinghel Galaction Dominte)
“The human heart can find peace and quiet in God alone, Who mysteriously dwells within it. Therefore, all our spiritual labors must be concentrated in our hearts. Someone once expressed it poetically: The whole spiritual life of a Christian is a journey from the mind to the heart.” That is, as a result we should think with the heart, speak with the heart and do everything with the heart.” (Metropolitan Serafim Joanta)
“A heart that is continually moved to thanksgiving is a guide that leads the gifts of God to a man…A mouth that always renders thanks receives a blessing from God, and grace descends into the heart that perseveres in Thanksgiving.” (St. Isaac the Syrian)
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