The Christian Life is Struggle

“From the Cross they do not come down...”

 

The Christian will never be able to reach either love toward God nor true love toward man, if he does not pass through many and heavy afflictions.

Grace comes only to the soul that has suffered to the end.

I am deeply convinced that, if you (this applies to every man) do not experience those afflictions of poverty, of humiliations, perhaps even of hunger, of complete abandonment by all, both by men and even by God Himself, – “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me” – you will never know the divine love.

A heart that has not been crushed by the blows of afflictions and has not been humbled to the end by every kind of poverty (both spiritual and bodily) is not able to receive divine Grace. This is purchased at a very costly price.

Life according to the Commandments of Christ resembles a true Golgotha.

The sufferings bring forth so great a fruit, that, if we were a little more prudent, we would not wish “to come down from the cross.”

To a certain hieromonk the Lord appeared in his sleep, fastened upon the Cross, and said:

“From the Cross they do not come down, but they are taken down.”

And these words the Lord repeated three times. Then the vision faded.

Glory to God for all things!
We shall endure.
Such is our path.
You stumbled, get up!
You fell, rise!
But never must you despair.

Sometimes this is heavy, with the result that a man is ready to renounce eternal life, if it is acquired in such a way. Then, when this cloud passes, the sun shines in a certain special manner, and the man rejoices, because he has lived through afflictions: “Let them be made glad according to the days wherein Thou hast humbled us, the years wherein we have seen evils.”

The one devoted to you,
Hierodeacon Sophrony
Mount Athos, July 28 / August 10, 1934

 

Source: Archimandrite Sophrony, Striving for Knowledge of God [Greek edition], publication of the Holy Stavropegic and Patriarchal Monastery of St. John the Baptist, Essex, England, pp. 238, 247. Edited translation.

Greek source online: https://www.imoph.org/pdfs/2025/08/31/20250831aXrist-zoh-agonas.pdf