“Especially in times of trial, we might think that God’s Word is uncertain, and His good will for us is in doubt. But then we should realize that our uncertainty is not the fault of the Almighty. Instead, it is that we have mixed thoughts and feelings. Along with the voice of Christ, we are listening to other influences. Their messages swirl around in our minds, and the siren songs of the world confuse the call of Christ. In these times of hesitation, we should return to the foundation of our faith in the promises of God. Moreover, we should consider who makes these promises.” (Fr. Basil)
“Other influences, from exaggerated monastic asceticism to misleading interpretations of Scripture in our church schools, has created in the minds of many of our own faithful an image of God that is more judgmental than merciful: a God of Justice, whose primary concern is to punish those who do not fulfill His commandments.” (Fr. John Breck)
“Young people [all people] are pulled in a hundred different directions by what they encounter in books, at school, on TV, and with their peers – and precious few of those influences reflect values even remotely Christian. Our children can easily reach the mistaken conclusion that the Church is irrelevant to their lives and decisions because it is in conflict with many of the ideas which are accepted by out society.” (Fr. Michael Anderson)
“Being lost has nothing to do with geography. It is a condition of the heart resulting from a broken relationship with God. Being lost has to do with a sense of being cut off from God, a sense of alienation. I feel lost when I choose to do things I know are contrary to His way. I feel lost when I willingly allow certain influences, rather than the Lord, to govern my life. I feel lost whenever I am satisfied to have a feeble, anemic relationship with God.” (Archpriest Steven John Belonick)
“Do you protect yourself from influences, people, and situations which you know will lead you into temptation of one type or another? Do you seek to remove unwholesome things from your life, or do you continue to partake of them, imagining that you can resist the temptations involved? This latter is pride. Are there things in your home that you know are going to put you in the place of temptation? What could you do about these influences to protect yourself from temptation before the fact?” (Fr. Stephen De Young)