Among the things for which we ask in the Lord’s Prayer is, “Lead us not into temptation.” St. Benedict of Nursia tells us we’ll never overcome temptation without God’s help:
These words, brothers, are warning enough that we should be on our guard. We must therefore beg the Lord with many sighs, striking our hearts as well as our breasts, never to leave us His servants without His help…by the protection of His assistance, to surround us with the wall of His grace and by His defense ward off the incursion …

Most of us have experienced days where we don’t want to do anything—even get out of bed. Sometimes we truly need physical rest, but other times we’re simply listless or sluggish.
St. Symeon the New Theologian puts listlessness into its spiritual context when he says:
I have known the demon of cowardice to fight and work together with that of listlessness. One comes to the aid of the other and reinforces him. The first brings fear and obduracy into the soul, the second produces darkness, negligence, blindness of heart and mind, and …

As I record this we’re at roughly the half-way point in Great Lent, where some of the disciplines of the season can begin to feel a bit wearying. St. Tikhon of Zadonsk reminds us why we discipline ourselves like this now:
Beloved Christians! We are created not for temporal but for eternal life. We are renewed unto eternal life through holy Baptism. We are called to eternal life by the word of God. Christ the Son of God came into the world, suffered and died for the sake of our eternal …

Here’s a prayer for Great Lent from St. Gregory the Dialogist:
O Almighty Lord, who hast made all created things in wisdom, and by Thine inexpressible providence and great goodness hast brought us to these all-holy days, for the purification of body and soul, for the controlling of carnal passions, and for the hope of the Resurrection…Enable us also, O Good One, to fight the good fight; to accomplish the course of the Fast; to preserve inviolate the Faith…to be accounted victors over sin; and uncondemned to attain unto and adore …

You might have heard there’s a difference between theoretical knowledge and applied knowledge. This might be the case in intellectual studies, but it’s not the case in the Orthodox Christian life.
St. John of Karpathos says:
Some hold that the practice of the virtues constitutes the truest form of spiritual knowledge. In that case, we should make every effort to manifest our faith and knowledge throughout our actions. Whoever trusts blindly to knowledge alone should call to mind the words, ‘They claim to know God, but in their actions they deny Him’ …

We often hear about the kingdom of God, but what exactly is it? Blessed Theophylact answers:
When a man’s disposition and way of life are like that of an angel, most assuredly this is the kingdom of God. For God indeed is said to rule as King when nothing worldly meddles in the governing of our souls and when in every respect we live not of this world. This manner of life we have within us, that is to say, we have it within us when we desire and will it. …

President John F. Kennedy famously said, “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.” St. Ephrem the Syrian says something similar about our relationship with Christ:
On that dreadful and amazing day, You shall say to us sinners, O Lord: ‘You men know well what I have undergone for you; what have you suffered for Me?’…The martyrs will point to their wounds, their sufferings, the severed parts of their bodies…The ascetics will point to their asceticism, to their long fasts and vigils, to …

If you pay any attention to what passes for political or cultural discourse, you’ll notice that it generally consists of thinking as badly of others as possible, and expressing your disgust as pointedly as possible.
This is the exact opposite of what St. Makarios the Great exhorts us to do:
Christians should judge no one, neither an open harlot, nor sinners, nor dissolute people, but should look upon all with simplicity of soul and a pure eye. Purity of heart, indeed, consists in seeing sinful and weak men and having compassion for …

Would you like to experience full joy? I’m not talking about simple happiness, or short-term excitement, but a truly joyful life.
St. Peter of Damascus tells us how:
Freedom from anxiety makes (the heart) rejoice and give thanks; and the grateful offering of thanks augments the gifts of grace it has received. And as the blessings increase, so does the thankfulness, and so does the pure prayer offered with tears of joy. Slowly the man emerges from the tears of distress and from the passions, and enters fully into the state of …

The Christian life should always be focused on God. I love this story about the focus Abba John the Dwarf had:
A camel driver came one day to pick up some goods and take them elsewhere. Going inside to bring him what he had woven, Abba John forgot about it because his spirit was fixed in God. So once more the camel driver disturbed him by knocking on the door and once more Abba John went in and forgot. The camel driver knocked a third time and Abba John went in …