Take upon yourself to lead at least one day in accordance with God’s laws, and you will see for yourself how good it is to fulfil the will of God. At least come to love God in the same way as you love your parents and your benefactors; appraise His love and grace toward you according to your evaluative powers. Mentally examine how He gave you life and with it, all its blessings; how He tolerates your frequent sinning with long-suffering forbearance; how He endlessly forgives your sins through the power of the suffering and death of His only Son on the Cross; remember what joy he has offered you in eternity if you are faithful to Him. Furthermore, love every human being i.e. do not wish him anything that you would not wish for yourself; contemplate, feel for him like you would for yourself; do not see in him that, that you would not want to see in yourself; let your memory forget the wrongs that have been inflicted upon you by others, just as you hope that your wrongs will be forgotten by others; do not suspect others in anything criminal or unchaste and imagine others as being good intentioned as you yourself are. At least do not inflict upon others that which you would not inflict upon yourself, and your heart will experience such tranquillity — such joy! You will be in Heaven before the advent of Heaven. “The kingdom of God is within you,” says God (Luke 17:21). “Whoever lives in love — teaches the Apostle — lives in God, and God in him” (1 John 7:16).
Saint John of Kronstadt, Excerpt from My Life in Christ
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