St. Barsanuphius the Great

Orthodox Saints · Various centuries

  1. “Having God, fear nothing, but cast all of your care upon Him, and He will take care of you. Believe undoubtingly, and God will help you according to His mercy.”

    — Instructions, 166

  2. “Don't be deceived regarding the knowledge of what will be after your death: what you sow here, you will reap there. After leaving here, no one can make progress. Here is the work, there the reward; here the struggle, there the crowns.”

    — Instructions, 606

  3. “If you become proud when you receive what you ask in prayer, then it is obvious that your prayer was not to God, and you did not receive help from Him, but the demons were working with you in order to exalt your heart; For when help is given from God, the soul is not exalted, but is all the more humbled, and she is amazed at the great mercy of God, how merciful He is to sinners.”

    — Instructions, 418

  4. “In times of affliction, unceasingly call out to the merciful God in prayer. The unceasing invocation of the name of God in prayer is a treatment for the soul which kills not only the passions, but even their very operation. As a doctor finds the necessary medicine, and it works in such a way that the sick person does not understand, in just the same way the name of God, when you call upon it, kills all the passions, although we don't know how this happens.”

    — Instructions, 421

  5. “Here is the luminous teaching of our Savior: Thy will be done. (Matt. 6:10). Whoever sincerely pronounces this prayer leaves his own will and puts all things in the will of God. But the will inspired by the demons consists in self-justification and trust in ourselves, and then they easily subject a man who receives this sort of thought.”

    — Instructions, 40, 124

  6. “It is needful to do everything with discernment, and to take your own measure, so that you will not be confused later. To perform alms, fasting, or anything else at the highest degree (beyond one's limits or personal measure) lacks discernment, since later it will lead the one who performs them into confusion, despondency, and grumbling. Even God requires that which is according to the strength of man.”

    — Instructions, 627

  7. “No one ever accomplishes good by means of evil, because they are themselves conquered by the evil. On the contrary, evil is corrected by good.”

    — Instructions, 15

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