“If you want to help the Church, it is better to try to correct yourself, rather than be looking to correct others. Naturally, if everyone did the same, the body of the Church would be in good health. But today, people concern themselves with anything but themselves. Judging others is easy, whereas working on yourself takes effort.” 

- St Paisios, Spiritual Awakening V 2, pg 81. 

Reflection: 

Is our first reaction in any given situation to judge the other person, or correct ourselves? 

“If we work to look more intently towards our ‘inner’ activity rather than our external, giving precedence to Divine help, we can in turn be of greater and more positive help to others.”(1) 

“When someone applies his/herself to external activity before having polished his/her spiritual inner state, they will be wrought with worry, anxiety, lack of confidence in God and frequent loss of serenity.”(2) 

The main cause of many of our worries, anxieties, even lack of faith, and inner peace - is that we have not worked on our inner self: our weaknesses, our struggles, our relationship with God and others. 

Let us take ownership of our current inner state and through the life of the Church let us work on our shortcomings and address them by way of the worship services, sacraments, ministries, and fellowship.

Resources:

1) St Paisios, Spiritual Awakening V 2, pg 81.

2) St Paisios, Spiritual Awakening V 2, pg 81.