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As a handful of sand thrown into. . .

“As a handful of sand thrown into the ocean, so are the sins of all flesh as compared with the mind of God.”

— St. Isaac of Nineveh

Do not fall into despair because of. . .

“Do not fall into despair because of stumbling. I do not mean that you should not feel contrition for them, but that you should not think them incurable. For it is more expedient to be bruised than dead. There is, indeed, a Healer for the man who has stumbled, even He Who on the Cross asked that mercy be shown to His crucifiers, He Who pardoned His murders while He hung on the Cross. ‘All manner of sin,’ He said, ‘and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men,’ that is, through repentance.”

+ St. Isaac of Nineveh , The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian, Homily 64, “On Prayer, Prostrations, Tears, Reading, Silence, and Hymnody”

Do not say, This. . .

Do not say, This happened by chance, while this came to be of itself.’ In all that exists there is nothing disorderly, nothing indefinite, nothing without purpose, nothing by chance … How many hairs are on your head? God will not forget one of them. Do you see how nothing, even the smallest thing, escapes the gaze of God? ”

— St. Basil the Great

St. John Chrysostom: God does not forsake you. . .

“God does not forsake you. It is because he wishes to increase your glory that oftentimes he permits you to fall sick. Keep up your courage so that you may also hear him say: ‘Do you think I have dealt with you otherwise than that you may be shown to be just?’”

— St. John Chrysostom