There is hardly a person or circumstance that we find perfect. Only a peaceful heart makes it possible to accept all turns of life with gratitude. This does not necessarily mean that these circumstances are favourable. What it does mean is that all circumstances are useful to us because nothing in life is accidental, a set of randomness is a pattern.
The Lord has a very difficult task: while we desire to make our life more comfortable and interesting, God wants us to enter the kingdom of heaven.
We rarely question whether our thoughts and actions correspond to His will and help us enter this Kingdom, or perhaps they are an obstacle to fellowship with God.
I do hope that positive thinking and good intention will not leave us. We must understand that ahead of us we have a very difficult path to holiness, neither more nor less. He has said, "…Be holy, for I am holy (1 Pet. 1:16).
However, we have to start somewhere. Maybe we could start with trying not to judge. Then we could learn to talk with God through prayer. After that, perhaps we could learn to see God as He is. Of course, this is a very "high hurdle," but so is the holiness that the Lord speaks about.
This is neither our first day nor our first year in the church. I would like our being here to be not only a physical presence, but also a process of inner, spiritual growth, so that every day and every minute brings us the fruits of repentance, humility and contemplation of God. I hope that the "the raging waves" of the outer-world events will not disturb the depths of our souls where there has to be silence and peace. Then the peace of God will not leave us.
Let us give thanks to the Lord.
Priest Valery Zakharov
