Brief Rules for Life

Hieromartyr Barlaam, Archbishop of Perm (+1942)

 

 

Thank God for His blessings for life itself, and for salvation from sins.

Take care to preserve peace of soul, and for this do everything without haste, with prayer, as if in the living presence of God, but say to yourself: “Perhaps I am living my last day.”

Try to say and do something good for everyone: this will be a balm for them and for your own wounds.

Endure all offenses meekly; do not judge the offender, saying to yourself: “This is for my former sins.”

Never fall into despondency, even if you should sin: Christ came for the sake of sinners.

Endure yourself and your weaknesses; do not fall into despondency because of them, but humble yourself—the Lord loves such people.

Until the end of your days count yourself unworthy of God’s benefactions and of the gifts of grace, and do not dwell on your good deeds—they are from grace, and not from our ascetic labors. Always consider yourself the foremost sinner, and hasten to grace not as one worthy of it, but as to medicine, with a feeling of deep humility, repentance, and hope in God’s mercy. Thus, great sinners became saints.

Separate sins and passions from yourself; attribute them to the demon and fight them with prayer, humility, and patience—you will receive a martyr’s crown.

The enemy brings sin upon you through thoughts. Do not converse with him and do not analyze thoughts—you will avoid confusion as well. Converse with deeds, with people, and above all with God. It is said: pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17).

Turn every sorrow and grief into prayer and find peace in God: He saves and forgives those who repent.

 

Russian source:

https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Varlaam_Rjashentsev/gospod-ne-osudit-smirennogo/2_9