We are in the realm of "time" so lets make good use of it.
Consider:
The more time we spend, in obedience to Christ's Commandments, attending services and preparation for the reception of the Precious Body and Blood of our Creator, the more time we spend with Him in prayer, in reading the holy scriptures, in reading the lives and writings of the holy fathers and mothers, etc., a surprising thing happens.
Everyone knows the gifts and grace that come with with obedience but there is something else: the distance we find ourselves away from our Lord by entertaining temptation, by attachments to and chasing after transitory things, become more and more apparent and as a result, if we love God, increases our desire to spend more "time" with Him.
A test: You may rise, say your morning prayers, eat breakfast and go to work. At some point, ask yourself how often you remembered Christ since then? You may realize the hours that have passed and in that time consider how much Christ forgot you. Did He keep you breathing? Did He keep your heart beating? Did He close access sight, sound, smell, touch or taste? Where do we stop? After reflection on it, shamefully ask: How could I forget His love? Practice this and soon, your time away will grow shorter and His love and joy will be felt ceaselessly.
The more time we spend, in obedience to Christ's Commandments, attending services and preparation for the reception of the Precious Body and Blood of our Creator, the more time we spend with Him in prayer, in reading the holy scriptures, in reading the lives and writings of the holy fathers and mothers, etc., a surprising thing happens.
Everyone knows the gifts and grace that come with with obedience but there is something else: the distance we find ourselves away from our Lord by entertaining temptation, by attachments to and chasing after transitory things, become more and more apparent and as a result, if we love God, increases our desire to spend more "time" with Him.
A test: You may rise, say your morning prayers, eat breakfast and go to work. At some point, ask yourself how often you remembered Christ since then? You may realize the hours that have passed and in that time consider how much Christ forgot you. Did He keep you breathing? Did He keep your heart beating? Did He close access sight, sound, smell, touch or taste? Where do we stop? After reflection on it, shamefully ask: How could I forget His love? Practice this and soon, your time away will grow shorter and His love and joy will be felt ceaselessly.
About joy: Temporary life can be pleasant, fun and joyful, but compared to what? You may say compared to the opposites. But, there is another joy. If you don't know it, then you haven't truly repented and felt the joy that God gives when He forgives. Because when it is given, the closest description we carnal people can comprehend is that it is like water from which we never thirst again, because it takes us into the realm infinitely beyond ecstasy - a realm that cannot be spoken of but can be given.
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