God’s grace always assists those who struggle, but this does not mean
that a struggler is always in the position of a victor. Sometimes in
the arena the wild animals did not touch the righteous ones, but by no
means were they all preserved untouched.
What is important is not victory or the position of a victor, but rather the labor of striving towards God and devotion to Him.
Though a man may be found in a weak state, that does not at all mean
that he has been abandoned by God. On the cross, the Lord Jesus Christ
was in trouble, as the world sees things. But when the sinful world
considered Him to be completely destroyed, in fact He was victorious
over death and hades. The Lord did not promise us positions as victors
as a reward for righteousness, but told us, “In the world you will have
tribulation — but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world” (Jn.
16:33).
The power of God is effective when a person asks for the help from
God, acknowledging his own weakness and sinfulness. This is why humility
and the striving towards God are the fundamental virtues of a
Christian.
+ St. John Maximovitch
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