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Fr. Bill here - Roman Catholic priest of just about 50 years now - I am astounded by the depth of the richness and truth-filled-ness of wisdom that comes from Fr. Seraphim. Thank you! I am nearly 76 years old and through a very sad and really less than charitable set of circumstances my bishop refuses to reinstates me as an "active retired priest!" My one true desire is to be back at the altar publically, but for me even more than that to be a Confessor again - i love more than anything to reconcile sinners and reconnect them with their brothers and sisters in the Church. Please pray that a likewise reconciliation can happen between me and my bishop so I can get my faculties back! Thank you! I pray daily for all who view my FB posts! - Blessings and Peace and Joy! Fr. Bill
God bless you father I am sure you don’t need my preaching but I’m sure Christ has something in store for you. I can sense your yearning in your message - May you always serve Him at the altar of your heart. Maybe now that you have served His people for so long - Christ wants you all to Himself alone 🙏
Fr. Bill praying for a full reconciliation between you and your bishop, so that you may continue to serve your brothers and sisters in Christ as a Priest. God Bless You from Texas.
Maybe your new path is exactly what you yearn except not from the pulpit. Pray to God that He send you to people whom you can shepherd. At any rate ask for God’s will be done re this matter.
Unfortunately for you sir; the Roman Catholic church is a false church and always has been since schism... God more then likely has better plans for a faithful servant such as you.
Once you discover Jesus Christ the world isn’t as important as you used to think it was. It’s dead unfulfilling and exhausting. Jesus Christ is the main focus from here on out.
As a new Orthodox Christian, worldly matters and desires and ambitions that once were so important -- now seem like mere distractions. Growth into Christ is the essential purpose of this life. It's as if I see the world in a new light.
This hits me like a train. Every word was like hammer. Teared to pieces... I mean in good way. I'm lost to world - cares, career, pleasures, business, dopamine addictions...this hit all the false gods I worship and serve. Need to return to Christ and His calling. The words at the end - I felt this fire...years ago...lost it...need to spark it again. Thank you for this message.
That is my problem now… I’m ashamed of how sinful I am mind and body wise. And the Gm fact that it has taken me this long to realize it and turn to God is mind blowing to me. I don’t know if God uses social media to talk to me or send me messages but I’m definitely taking this as one.
On most days I feel helpless and destined for hell. I go to confession often, but I hear these stories of priests and saints that barely escaped hell, and I think to myself, "I simply don't have a chance". I do the spiritual math, and when I compare and contrast, the numbers just don't seem to fall in my favor. I repeatedly make the same dumb mistakes over and over again. I hate it. I feel depressed.
Pray the Akathist to The Mother of God. She and all the Saints pray endlessly for us, as well as many monks and laymen. Don't give up. Never despair. We are not worthy, but God is endlessly merciful!
The devil tempts you, this is why you feel confused. Try to focus on discarding your negative thoughts. But I can say to you - God will make it better for you as His will will be upon it
I totally understand what you are feeling. Hang on to Jesus. Just keep surrendering to Him and building that deep relationship with Him. He sees your heart and knows you want Him and you want eternal life with Him. We are being attacked a lot. Just surrender to Him and look at His love for you and me. It's HUGE. Father I ask that you lift up BAR-ct7ti and show them your love like never before and that they are on your path! We praise you Father! Give them your Holy Spirit so they can endure to the end with joy and not scrupulosity. He hears us I know this for sure
May St Ephraim of Nea Makri intercede for you! A priest or a monk is not holier because of their position or learning… in fact I think that most of those stories serve to remind them of the kinds of warnings that they hear getting into what they do, that it is much harder to be saved as a priest, and that the expectations are higher for a monastic dedicated to their calling than for someone in the crazy chaotic world against whom they might be tempted to compare themselves. If you are not either, count yourself fortunate in that regard and take advantage of your position to cultivate your spiritual life. Where there is life there is hope! God bless you ❤
Man it is crazy how much I have felt this way! I have been doubting my salvation because I feel so disgusted with myself for things I did before and things I still do! On one hand I feel better because this describes my walk right now and on the other I feel like oh no is this how I’m gonna feel for the rest of my life!
This has spoken to my current situation very clearly and directly. I have found myself overwhelmed with the weight and pain of my past sins, and in the anxiety I have found myself hiding from the Lord. Avoiding prayer, even avoiding to look at the icons in my house. However, today I struggled through my morning prayer and devotion, and was led to watch this video. Our Lord and God is truly great. Thank you Fr, please pray for me.
They offer temptations claiming you’re damned anyways so you may as well dig your hole deeper, but the reason they attack so hard is because you aren’t as damned as they would have you believe. If you were truly as damned as the enemy would have you believe, they would no longer attack you and leave you to your own devices to dig your hole deeper and deeper for yourself.
Your words are like raindrops on a desert to me. For the past year my heart has been grieving because of my past sins and the sins of the world. I seem to have lost all of my worldly ambitions and desires. I thought something was wrong with me for feeling like a sinful failure all the time. So, now I know this is a good thing and I am actually getting closer to God. Thank you for your words and may God bless you.
It was helpful to me when the Spirit showed me that my depression is not actually my own, but a co-lament with Christ for the world he loves. Christians sometimes go to hell in the struggle for this world’s renewal. Thank you for your words.
Your blessings, Father. The quote of Elder Gabriel "Everything bad in man is accidental. Never despise anyone: not cowards, not dirty, not drunk, not those who swear the worst. The icon of God is preserved in all of them, in the depth of their being, despite the fact that they are most often not even aware of it. The enemy of man is the one who tarnishes that divine image and buries it with dirt. It is difficult to see the icon of God in those who mock you, who appear in the form of beasts. But one must pity them all the more because their souls are mutilated, perhaps even irreversibly, to the point of eternal torment... Oh, how difficult it is to love one's enemies."
Ive been a christian for around 2 years, and I have been attending Orthodox Liturgies for close to 1 month now. I can say the worst moments of anxiety, depression, anger, hypochondria and fear have been after I became christian.
Same for me. The closer I get to the Light of the World the clearer my sins become and I want to turn off the light to hide the ugliness of it. The Lord tells us to persevere. Feels like torture. Gotta be done. Aaargh!
“Maybe one day you and I will become one of his saints, the ones who no longer pray just for us in selfish demonic separation from the world, will no longer demonically condemn the world and secretly feel better in our hearts because we are not like the world, secretly rejoice that somehow they will go to hell and that means I will go to heaven… but maybe by Christ’s grace for us we will become some of those few chosen ones who will repent on behalf of the world and struggle on behalf of the world and fight, stand before God in prayer, like flames of prayer interceding, mediating, begging for the whole, whole world without any exception.”
Try walking with love in your heart when you first meet someone say in your mind i love you before you think anything else sounds soppy but it works believe me have faith your two beings spirit and flesh and flesh is sin it’s just the way it is, hope this helps.
I weep for the world, I weep for my own soul, I repent, but it is not enough, I plead His blood, i pray for them to be saved, I pray He has mercy on us all. There is truth to what you speak.
Ce spuneti este foarte adevarat Parinte. Ca un crestin ortodox nascut in romania si crescut in ortodoxie, m am indepartat de la domnul pentru exact aceste motive. Nu pot vinui pe diavol, la urma urmei Dumnezeu ne a dat liber arbitru iar alegerea a fost a mea sa fug de lumina lui si de jugul lui Hristos, chiar daca si el poate si a bagat coada. Dar cu greu si rusine, smerenie si netrebnicie ma m intors in ograda tatalui ca fiul risipitor si ma rog zilnic pentru iertare si milostenia Sfintei Treimi. Ma rog ca el sa ma accepte macar in ograda sa, sa pot trebalui acolo si sa fiu util lui prin fapte bune, si respectand poruncile lui. Nu am nici o speranta de a intra in casa sau imparatia Sa ca nimic necurat nu intra acolo dar in ograda ma pot pocai si smeri intru speranta ca poate inainte de Judecata, ma voi indrepta catusi de putin. Tot ceea ce ati spus este 100% adevarat trait de mine si inainte de caderea mea si la intoarecere, dar as mai adauga un lucru dace e cu putiinta. Eu am gasit calea inapoi catre Dumnezeu doar prin dragoste, cand dragoste sincera a fost singura mea dorinta si cerere catre Domnul.Dragoste pura am dat si asta am primit inapoi. Si spun asta pt ca mereu am incercat sa gasesc calea inapoi dar in netrebnicia mea mereu am caut inapoi in gaura. Dragoste acceptata, sincera si data sincer aproapelui, asta m a ajutat sa razbesc, sa imi fac curaj, si sa bat la poarta Tatalui Ceresc si sa zic, Iartama, sunt un netrebnic si un necunoscator, primeste ma inapoi si invata ma calea cea dreapta. Nu o sa continui cu povesti de viata , de ce si cum sa savarsit tot acest paragraf, dar eu traiesc acum in Polonia dupa multi ani hoinarind prin lume, si m am asezat la casa mea. Problema mea este ca nu este nici o biserica ortodoxa aprope, Polonia fiind o tara predominant Catolica. Cu mila si voia Domnului intr-o zi voi ajunge si la o biserica sa ma pot spovedi, impartasi , si cine stie, poate si cununa religios cu sotia sa fim in rand in fata Sfintei Treimi. Va multumesc pentru videoclipuri si sa va tina Dumnezeu puternic si curajos. Toate cele bune.
I converted to Orthodoxy and I have come to the realization God will never let us forget our sins, they play back in our memory over and over again. Your right it is a reminder that we have to look towards the Lord and ask for forgiveness everyday. God Bless you and all Orthodox Christians. ☦️
Thank you Father Seraphim for these much needed words. I have been obsessed with the sins of the world lately, separating them from myself and placing myself on a spiritual tower as if I was above the problems of this world. Your words have made me realise that I must look inward to break free of sin. Despite this realisation I know that I will continue to sin.
This is such good teaching. Growing up in a Southern Baptist protestant church the focus was on making sure everyone "made the decision to follow Christ" to get them into heaven, but absolutely no focus on sanctification. There was some calvinism sprinkled in there sadly. This message hit home to me today. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for this reflection, I was standing in church last week and the thought crossed my mind "I have so far to go, so much work to do in my heart."
Wow, The devil didnt want me to here this. He came a me with so much heaviness almost put me to sleep but I persevered thru and received the message. I will work on not letting him steal what was given. Awesone teachings
This spoke to me deeply , ive never excelled in this world even before i became a Christian so its easy for me to let go of it but i do go through stages of deep despair over the state of my fallenness , it can be so painful to really see how unworthy of such beautiful Grace and love we really are , but the Lord always pulls me up out of the hole when it gets too hard to bear. And for me the most painful experience in my life was watching my uncle die actively rejecting Christ no matter how much we pleaded with him , the pain of watching him willingly reject Christ was unlike anything , it broke my mother.
Iam.deeeeeply grateful that despite my sinful nature out of Love and mercy thinks i am worthy enough to come and make his home with me in Jesus Christ..It fills me with gratitude and joy..And of moves me to tears.....Be blessed Father to the core of your being...
May Christ bless and protect you, dear one. Follow Him with courage and patience, and He will guide us through all our darkness, all the way to His Light.
Thank you father, ever since ive turned to christ i feel like sin and temptation keeps trying to push me into doing evil acts against god, they always tell me in my mind "it will feel good"" or "god wont forgive you after this." You give great advice and sometimes i cant find answers online about why this is happening to me or what is happening or how to prevent it, this channel has alot of advice and help i need. God bless you father
I feel exactly in how you explained it here. I didn’t understand. All though I love my wife tremendously, I feel lost in this world after I searched for Christ. Since then I cannot find solid ground anymore on this planet..It seems that demons really try their best to make it even worse after i give my life to him…when i heard this beautiful message I broke down in tears. What happens on this planet really makes me so sad.. I wish that all people just would made peace…goodness we all received at birth…
We are the followers of the Crucified One, dear one. And He calls us to 'come, follow Me' all the way to His Cross, He calls us to daily lift up our cross and to move out of the world into His Kingdom. Be blessed, dear one.
Father truly the content of this Podcast ring so true. The ‘more we search and see the light of CHRIST’, the more darkened our own sins appear to us. You have been blessed Father. Thank you for sharing your blessings ☦️
Thank you so very much for this information you shared with us all . I wondered why I could not let go of my sins why they bother me so much after I’ve repented many times . I just feel So dirty inside and unworthy of my Lord and savior. I’ve herd other people say it’s the Devil doing that not God and I was worried that it might be true . but I have no idea how to let go of the horrible way I lived my life for so long . It hurts so much still and it’s not been a long time since I gave my life to God ,in 2019 but I thought it had been long enough where this convection should had gone away . But something inside me told me that I’m feeling this way because of how I hurt God and he does not want me to sin anymore and he does this to keep me on his narrow path that I sometimes still fall off still but I’m trying very hard not to anymore . I thank you again and I send much love and gratitude to you and God of course for this video you have put out . ♥️🙏
Brother, I cannot express how Prophetic this was to me. It is exactly what I have been feeling. The closer I come to our Lord, the more unworthy I feel.
Thank you. I have exactly experienced what you said. The world becomes less an less important. Christ is the center. But it is also hard to accept that the old life is gone. Than can be frustrating. Because you realize that all the things which the world (Satan) evaluates as important, are not important to God. Because these things, in a nutshell, are based on pride.
When saying The Act of Contrition (I'm Roman Catholic) I always feel deep sorrow for my sins when I say the following: I fear the loss of heaven and pains of hell BUT MOST OF ALL FOR HAVING OFFENDING YOU WHO ART ALL GOOD AND DESERVING OF OF ALL MY LOVE. I know how my sin disappointed the Lord.
I know that crushing feeling, my dear one. At the same time, you can place your sin before Him and allow Him to lift it up for you. You need to allow Him to do so, and that is a painful experience - it requires humility and acceptance that you too, like me also and like all human beings, have failed Him, abandoned Him and led Him to His Crucifixion. We all crave to be His 'heroes', and we all end up being those who crucify Him. But Christ is Love and His death is the source of our Life - if we hold on to Him, if we turn back to Him, if we act like the wonderful Apostle Peter, Christ can indeed turn us, who have crucified Him, into His heroes. he can do that for us; we cannot do that by ourselves.
I really needed this. I have prayed for people close to me and said lord I'd rather take their place in hell because I know they would not survive I have prayed lord ill take on that person's sin that persons illness or demon because that is what my heart feels I should do I questioned myself am i being a matere but it is what my heart truly belives so I thank jesus for you I know im on the right path god bless
Glory be to God for all things, dear one. If there is any fruit in any of us, it if from Him, through Him, for His love for us, sinners. May we all be blessed, dear one.
I am being filled by two contradictory feelings. Happiness that I found your channel and this beautiful Romanian(?) Christian Orthodox Church so close to where I live… and sadness that I haven’t been aware of your presence in the 7 or so years since I moved here. I truly wish to be able to visit your Monastery soon. Thank you for being so beautiful and kind through your faith and making us all feel a sliver of Holy Spirit through your words.
I'm very new. I'm attending classes so I can be baptised at Easter. Catholic. Your channel has helped me so much. Christ has separated me from the world. " He has taken me away from the world lest wicked men should alter my understanding or deciet beguile my soul" wisdom 4.11. I want to spend the rest of my life serving Him however He wants me to. I don't know how yet. I am considering oblation though monastic life. I'm watching and waiting to have His will be done and have Jesus guide me. You are so right father. The further I get along the path the more I'm filled with shame at my old life. I was a very bad man. Crime. Gangs. Drugs. Violence. It is hard to live with the knowledge of what I have been and done but the peace I find through Christ fills me with hope. Love. Peace. He came to save sinners like me. I really liked learning about Moses the Black. I knew men like him. Murderers. Thief's. I was friends with them. I'm so sorry. But. I am never going back. Thank you for being a light in the world father. God bless you in your pilgrimage.
Good - mostly - but be careful here not to confuse unworthiness with despair or to take on suffering so much it becomes a point of pride. I've seen this. Spirituality is like the gym, you've got to go to grow but also don't overdo it or you'll injure yourself. Know where you're at - find a spiritual director. Also remember Jesus commanded us to love our neighbor As yourself, not less than yourself but not more than yourself, either.
Hello everyone and dear Fr. I lately have come to notice that after battling my sin, it indeed gets harder, and it's super strange to see that once you opt out, the temptations begin to rise, even bringing other people that I love to temp me. Without a doubt, we've all have crossroads...lately it feels like my life is such as but I'm starting to really see the beauty in most things even in my sufferings. I pray for you all, brothers and sisters.
After I found your videos , I found a beautiful Orthodox Church to attend. I’ve been going for 6 months now. Your messages and prayers have been very important to me. Thank you so much. God bless you.
Thanks Father Seraphim, I am for far from where I should be given the gifts I was given. I seem to be sinning worse now than before and in ways I thought I wouldn’t be. I also am tempted in areas where I had been healed but now and being tested in this area that was under control and maybe I was experiencing pride about now I am being tested. I hope I am not too far gone to follow Christ because there’s a lot of debrs
I’m 63 years old, unemployed and I realized today that every job I have had I was never promoted, but always let go or demoted. Your message is amazing me!!!!!
Sometime’s I don’t know how I can go on. The truth is I cannot anymore go on for myself, I can only go on for Christ. Philippians 1:21 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Please pray for me, I want to overcome lust and truly live in God's word. Today is my serious day and I know tomorrow will be worse than today, yet still I want to stand still in God's word. I believe in Him, I believe in the words of God. God is good, we all created to glorify Him, may God bless us all and accompany our spiritual fights.
Dear Father, I just wanted to let you know how much this video means to me. I am a new catechumenate in the Catholic faith, and I have really been struggling with what seem to be renewed spiritual attacks from the devil in my dreams, which have become quite evil, pornographic, etc. I feel shame all day, and then I doubt the goodness of Christ, but then feel torn and lowly, because I know when I lay my head down to sleep, that I love Christ so much. I feel so unworthy and ashamed of all of my sin. All of my endeavors; my graduate degree in forensics, my engagement, my search for a job, all seem to have fallen flat. I am suddenly struggling to focus in school where I was so engaged before I discovered Christ. Everything of the world feels empty. My lay pastor tells me, don't forget that Christ has already won, that we are already victors in the battle against the devil. But all I feel is what you are describing; a disgust with myself, a lowliness, and a constant awareness of my ignorance and pride. I don't know if you will see this message, but I just wanted to say that I am very thankful to have come across a video that describes this experience. I am not Orthodox but now and again find myself coming to your channel. I don't feel any of this joy and victory my pastor speaks of; just a constant awareness of my sin, and battles with darkness in my dreams. God bless you. If you have any words for me I would be so delighted to receive them.
Thankyou Fr Seraphim ,wonderful deep truths of the experience of the christians journey, to be partakers of his divinity and also his suffering. The christian Journey is such a paradox.
This is absolutely profound. As my health collapses, and the only thing keeping me afloat is Christ alone, you have no idea how much I needed to hear this right now. Glory to the Almighty Living God.
Thank you brother for your loving words and insights. I relate so much to the topic at hand, at times I feel so depraved and unworthy. I try my best to keep my heart and mind in order with my faith. And it would be wonderful if my thoughts and actions would follow my deeply desired hopes. Moreover I struggle with accepting behaviors from others who I feel are lost. Casual acceptance of sin has become repulsive to me. Those of my own and others. God help us all to become more resilient and Christ-like. Please pray for me. I want Jesus to greet me as one of His own when my life in this world ends.
Nothing else compares to Christ Jesus. I once had a brief moment of doubt after returning to him, and he reminded me of what life was like before I converted. I never felt more alone and without life. I will never doubt Jesus again. That was years ago, and my life has been truly amazing since. Praise Jesus, for he is truly the only thing that really matters. 🙏 amen 🙏
It's been a while since one of your TH-cam videos popped up on my home page. Great to hear your message today, they are always encouraging. And yes, it's true, the engagement in worldly activities becomes more difficult once we become a Christian. Even if you try to hide it, they will know. The world hates those are not of the world.
Greeting from Orthodox Serbia ,I love your useful videos ,God bless you 😊and yes all my anger and anxiety gets worse after prayer 😢its very disheartening but I have to trust God
God is a Unity of Himself and His Children. The Kingdom of God is like a fine landscape painting, however, it can Only be Seen and Known, by those who Become, a Natural Part of its Scenery.
After a long journey of work, I finally seat in front of a good herbs coup of tea and I’m peacefully ready to listen your words of wisdom. Thank you - Thank you-Thank you Andreia
Father, I recently experienced a slow but sure spiritual reawakening. I have been in many Christian denominations, but I've come to follow you and other Orthodox priests on TH-cam. I must say; I never been under so much spiritual attack. It was, at times, overwhelming. Hearing your sermon today has strengthened me against these temptations. Thank you, and God bless you for all your work for Christ.
Father, bless. I am encouraged whenever I watch one of your videos. Thank you so much! I learned as a catechumen that the closer one comes to God, the more clearly one sees how far away from Him you still are. However, I had never thought about how rare worldly "success" is for a Christian. Your description helps me to understand what is going on in my life! Thank you again. 💜
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May God bless us all!
Fr. Bill here - Roman Catholic priest of just about 50 years now - I am astounded by the depth of the richness and truth-filled-ness of wisdom that comes from Fr. Seraphim. Thank you! I am nearly 76 years old and through a very sad and really less than charitable set of circumstances my bishop refuses to reinstates me as an "active retired priest!" My one true desire is to be back at the altar publically, but for me even more than that to be a Confessor again - i love more than anything to reconcile sinners and reconnect them with their brothers and sisters in the Church. Please pray that a likewise reconciliation can happen between me and my bishop so I can get my faculties back! Thank you! I pray daily for all who view my FB posts! - Blessings and Peace and Joy! Fr. Bill
God bless you father
I am sure you don’t need my preaching but I’m sure Christ has something in store for you. I can sense your yearning in your message - May you always serve Him at the altar of your heart.
Maybe now that you have served His people for so long - Christ wants you all to Himself alone 🙏
Fr. Bill praying for a full reconciliation between you and your bishop, so that you may continue to serve your brothers and sisters in Christ as a Priest. God Bless You from Texas.
Maybe your new path is exactly what you yearn except not from the pulpit. Pray to God that He send you to people whom you can shepherd. At any rate ask for God’s will be done re this matter.
Unfortunately for you sir; the Roman Catholic church is a false church and always has been since schism... God more then likely has better plans for a faithful servant such as you.
Praying for you 🙏
Since I gave my life to Christ, everything getting worse expecially sins, because once you follow Jesus the devil try everything to stop you✝️
Lord Jesus Christ son of God have mercy on me a sinner.
Once you discover Jesus Christ the world isn’t as important as you used to think it was. It’s dead unfulfilling and exhausting.
Jesus Christ is the main focus from here on out.
As a new Orthodox Christian, worldly matters and desires and ambitions that once were so important -- now seem like mere distractions. Growth into Christ is the essential purpose of this life. It's as if I see the world in a new light.
Roman Catholic here from the states. I accidentally found you and your knowledge is beyond wonderful. Thank you!! ❤❤❤
Welcome, dear one. May Christ bless you and may He gently (but firmly) guide you to His Light.
This hits me like a train. Every word was like hammer. Teared to pieces... I mean in good way. I'm lost to world - cares, career, pleasures, business, dopamine addictions...this hit all the false gods I worship and serve. Need to return to Christ and His calling. The words at the end - I felt this fire...years ago...lost it...need to spark it again.
Thank you for this message.
That is my problem now… I’m ashamed of how sinful I am mind and body wise. And the Gm fact that it has taken me this long to realize it and turn to God is mind blowing to me. I don’t know if God uses social media to talk to me or send me messages but I’m definitely taking this as one.
On most days I feel helpless and destined for hell. I go to confession often, but I hear these stories of priests and saints that barely escaped hell, and I think to myself, "I simply don't have a chance". I do the spiritual math, and when I compare and contrast, the numbers just don't seem to fall in my favor. I repeatedly make the same dumb mistakes over and over again. I hate it. I feel depressed.
Pray the Akathist to The Mother of God. She and all the Saints pray endlessly for us, as well as many monks and laymen. Don't give up. Never despair. We are not worthy, but God is endlessly merciful!
The devil tempts you, this is why you feel confused. Try to focus on discarding your negative thoughts. But I can say to you - God will make it better for you as His will will be upon it
Me too :( the pain is deep
I totally understand what you are feeling. Hang on to Jesus. Just keep surrendering to Him and building that deep relationship with Him. He sees your heart and knows you want Him and you want eternal life with Him. We are being attacked a lot. Just surrender to Him and look at His love for you and me. It's HUGE. Father I ask that you lift up BAR-ct7ti and show them your love like never before and that they are on your path! We praise you Father! Give them your Holy Spirit so they can endure to the end with joy and not scrupulosity. He hears us I know this for sure
May St Ephraim of Nea Makri intercede for you!
A priest or a monk is not holier because of their position or learning… in fact I think that most of those stories serve to remind them of the kinds of warnings that they hear getting into what they do, that it is much harder to be saved as a priest, and that the expectations are higher for a monastic dedicated to their calling than for someone in the crazy chaotic world against whom they might be tempted to compare themselves. If you are not either, count yourself fortunate in that regard and take advantage of your position to cultivate your spiritual life. Where there is life there is hope! God bless you ❤
Man it is crazy how much I have felt this way! I have been doubting my salvation because I feel so disgusted with myself for things I did before and things I still do! On one hand I feel better because this describes my walk right now and on the other I feel like oh no is this how I’m gonna feel for the rest of my life!
This has spoken to my current situation very clearly and directly. I have found myself overwhelmed with the weight and pain of my past sins, and in the anxiety I have found myself hiding from the Lord. Avoiding prayer, even avoiding to look at the icons in my house. However, today I struggled through my morning prayer and devotion, and was led to watch this video. Our Lord and God is truly great. Thank you Fr, please pray for me.
They offer temptations claiming you’re damned anyways so you may as well dig your hole deeper, but the reason they attack so hard is because you aren’t as damned as they would have you believe. If you were truly as damned as the enemy would have you believe, they would no longer attack you and leave you to your own devices to dig your hole deeper and deeper for yourself.
Your words are like raindrops on a desert to me. For the past year my heart has been grieving because of my past sins and the sins of the world. I seem to have lost all of my worldly ambitions and desires. I thought something was wrong with me for feeling like a sinful failure all the time. So, now I know this is a good thing and I am actually getting closer to God. Thank you for your words and may God bless you.
It brings me comfort to hear someone talking about what is happening in side of me. Praise Lord Jesus.
It was helpful to me when the Spirit showed me that my depression is not actually my own, but a co-lament with Christ for the world he loves. Christians sometimes go to hell in the struggle for this world’s renewal. Thank you for your words.
Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me, a sinner.
Jesus is king 👑 and the moment he showed himself in my life is the moment sin bothered me so much .. I use to sin and smile now I sin and cry
Your blessings, Father. The quote of Elder Gabriel "Everything bad in man is accidental. Never despise anyone: not cowards, not dirty, not drunk, not those who swear the worst. The icon of God is preserved in all of them, in the depth of their being, despite the fact that they are most often not even aware of it. The enemy of man is the one who tarnishes that divine image and buries it with dirt. It is difficult to see the icon of God in those who mock you, who appear in the form of beasts. But one must pity them all the more because their souls are mutilated, perhaps even irreversibly, to the point of eternal torment... Oh, how difficult it is to love one's enemies."
Ive been a christian for around 2 years, and I have been attending Orthodox Liturgies for close to 1 month now. I can say the worst moments of anxiety, depression, anger, hypochondria and fear have been after I became christian.
Hold on to Christ, dear one. Place your trust and hope in Him, and He will carry you forward when you yourself can no longer carry yourself.
Same for me. The closer I get to the Light of the World the clearer my sins become and I want to turn off the light to hide the ugliness of it. The Lord tells us to persevere. Feels like torture. Gotta be done. Aaargh!
One of the humblest things St. Paisios the Athonite said was :"If I was as Christ wants me to be, married couples would not be divorcing"..
“Maybe one day you and I will become one of his saints, the ones who no longer pray just for us in selfish demonic separation from the world, will no longer demonically condemn the world and secretly feel better in our hearts because we are not like the world, secretly rejoice that somehow they will go to hell and that means I will go to heaven… but maybe by Christ’s grace for us we will become some of those few chosen ones who will repent on behalf of the world and struggle on behalf of the world and fight, stand before God in prayer, like flames of prayer interceding, mediating, begging for the whole, whole world without any exception.”
I feel like I don't have a heart anymore.
Try walking with love in your heart when you first meet someone say in your mind i love you before you think anything else sounds soppy but it works believe me have faith your two beings spirit and flesh and flesh is sin it’s just the way it is, hope this helps.
I weep for the world, I weep for my own soul, I repent, but it is not enough, I plead His blood, i pray for them to be saved, I pray He has mercy on us all. There is truth to what you speak.
Ce spuneti este foarte adevarat Parinte.
Ca un crestin ortodox nascut in romania si crescut in ortodoxie, m am indepartat de la domnul pentru exact aceste motive.
Nu pot vinui pe diavol, la urma urmei Dumnezeu ne a dat liber arbitru iar alegerea a fost a mea sa fug de lumina lui si de jugul lui Hristos, chiar daca si el poate si a bagat coada.
Dar cu greu si rusine, smerenie si netrebnicie ma m intors in ograda tatalui ca fiul risipitor si ma rog zilnic pentru iertare si milostenia Sfintei Treimi.
Ma rog ca el sa ma accepte macar in ograda sa, sa pot trebalui acolo si sa fiu util lui prin fapte bune, si respectand poruncile lui.
Nu am nici o speranta de a intra in casa sau imparatia Sa ca nimic necurat nu intra acolo dar in ograda ma pot pocai si smeri intru speranta ca poate inainte de Judecata, ma voi indrepta catusi de putin.
Tot ceea ce ati spus este 100% adevarat trait de mine si inainte de caderea mea si la intoarecere, dar as mai adauga un lucru dace e cu putiinta.
Eu am gasit calea inapoi catre Dumnezeu doar prin dragoste, cand dragoste sincera a fost singura mea dorinta si cerere catre Domnul.Dragoste pura am dat si asta am primit inapoi.
Si spun asta pt ca mereu am incercat sa gasesc calea inapoi dar in netrebnicia mea mereu am caut inapoi in gaura.
Dragoste acceptata, sincera si data sincer aproapelui, asta m a ajutat sa razbesc, sa imi fac curaj, si sa bat la poarta Tatalui Ceresc si sa zic, Iartama, sunt un netrebnic si un necunoscator, primeste ma inapoi si invata ma calea cea dreapta.
Nu o sa continui cu povesti de viata , de ce si cum sa savarsit tot acest paragraf, dar eu traiesc acum in Polonia dupa multi ani hoinarind prin lume, si m am asezat la casa mea.
Problema mea este ca nu este nici o biserica ortodoxa aprope, Polonia fiind o tara predominant Catolica.
Cu mila si voia Domnului intr-o zi voi ajunge si la o biserica sa ma pot spovedi, impartasi , si cine stie, poate si cununa religios cu sotia sa fim in rand in fata Sfintei Treimi.
Va multumesc pentru videoclipuri si sa va tina Dumnezeu puternic si curajos.
Toate cele bune.
I converted to Orthodoxy and I have come to the realization God will never let us forget our sins, they play back in our memory over and over again. Your right it is a reminder that we have to look towards the Lord and ask for forgiveness everyday. God Bless you and all Orthodox Christians. ☦️
Thank you Father Seraphim for these much needed words. I have been obsessed with the sins of the world lately, separating them from myself and placing myself on a spiritual tower as if I was above the problems of this world. Your words have made me realise that I must look inward to break free of sin. Despite this realisation I know that I will continue to sin.
Can't think of a more perfect example of what Christians should strive for. Thank you father Seraphim x
This is such good teaching. Growing up in a Southern Baptist protestant church the focus was on making sure everyone "made the decision to follow Christ" to get them into heaven, but absolutely no focus on sanctification. There was some calvinism sprinkled in there sadly. This message hit home to me today. Thank you for sharing.
Father, I love you in Christ and thank Him for the word He gave to you.
Thank you for this reflection, I was standing in church last week and the thought crossed my mind "I have so far to go, so much work to do in my heart."
All praise to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God bless you all.
A truly inspiring, awesomely meaningful message! ❤ Thank you. ❤
May God bless us all, dear one. Please remember us in your prayers.
Wow, The devil didnt want me to here this. He came a me with so much heaviness almost put me to sleep but I persevered thru and received the message. I will work on not letting him steal what was given. Awesone teachings
This spoke to me deeply , ive never excelled in this world even before i became a Christian so its easy for me to let go of it but i do go through stages of deep despair over the state of my fallenness , it can be so painful to really see how unworthy of such beautiful Grace and love we really are , but the Lord always pulls me up out of the hole when it gets too hard to bear. And for me the most painful experience in my life was watching my uncle die actively rejecting Christ no matter how much we pleaded with him , the pain of watching him willingly reject Christ was unlike anything , it broke my mother.
Thank you Father. Excellent and very profound words. Another good warrning on spirtual pride.😔
Iam.deeeeeply grateful that despite my sinful nature out of Love and mercy thinks i am worthy enough to come and make his home with me in Jesus Christ..It fills me with gratitude and joy..And of moves me to tears.....Be blessed Father to the core of your being...
May Christ bless and protect you, dear one. Follow Him with courage and patience, and He will guide us through all our darkness, all the way to His Light.
All you have to do is believe in the one whom God sent.
Thank you father, ever since ive turned to christ i feel like sin and temptation keeps trying to push me into doing evil acts against god, they always tell me in my mind "it will feel good"" or "god wont forgive you after this." You give great advice and sometimes i cant find answers online about why this is happening to me or what is happening or how to prevent it, this channel has alot of advice and help i need. God bless you father
Lucky for us, God loves a sinner.
I feel exactly in how you explained it here. I didn’t understand.
All though I love my wife tremendously, I feel lost in this world after I searched for Christ. Since then I cannot find solid ground anymore on this planet..It seems that demons really try their best to make it even worse after i give my life to him…when i heard this beautiful message I broke down in tears.
What happens on this planet really makes me so sad.. I wish that all people just would made peace…goodness we all received at birth…
Thank you, Father Seraphim! Feeling defeated by failure, spiritual and worldly, this is so encouraging!
This is so painful. I do get the total failure but with sin fully thriving.
True wisdom you have spoken. It is sad and happy truth, at the same time. ❤
Never heard a view like this. Very Interesting and great explanations
We are the followers of the Crucified One, dear one. And He calls us to 'come, follow Me' all the way to His Cross, He calls us to daily lift up our cross and to move out of the world into His Kingdom. Be blessed, dear one.
@@mullmonastery I guess it makes sense considering we’ll have an eternity to create art
Orthodox catechumen here, from Germany😊 your videos help a lot!
Father truly the content of this Podcast ring so true. The ‘more we search and see the light of CHRIST’, the more darkened our own sins appear to us. You have been blessed Father. Thank you for sharing your blessings ☦️
Thank you so very much for this information you shared with us all . I wondered why I could not let go of my sins why they bother me so much after I’ve repented many times . I just feel
So dirty inside and unworthy of my Lord and savior. I’ve herd other people say it’s the Devil doing that not God and I was worried that it might be true . but I have no idea how to let go of the horrible way I lived my life for so long . It hurts so much still and it’s not been a long time since I gave my life to God ,in 2019 but I thought it had been long enough where this convection should had gone away . But something inside me told me that I’m feeling this way because of how I hurt God and he does not want me to sin anymore and he does this to keep me on his narrow path that I sometimes still fall off still but I’m trying very hard not to anymore . I thank you again and I send much love and gratitude to you and God of course for this video you have put out . ♥️🙏
Brother, I cannot express how Prophetic this was to me. It is exactly what I have been feeling. The closer I come to our Lord, the more unworthy I feel.
Praying now to our Blessed Mother for you Fr. Bill and Fr. Seraphim....God knows what is best, trust Him....
Thank you. I have exactly experienced what you said. The world becomes less an less important. Christ is the center. But it is also hard to accept that the old life is gone. Than can be frustrating. Because you realize that all the things which the world (Satan) evaluates as important, are not important to God. Because these things, in a nutshell, are based on pride.
God bless you and protect you always to keep teaching us the way of light. I love you in Christ.❤
When saying The Act of Contrition (I'm Roman Catholic) I always feel deep sorrow for my sins when I say the following: I fear the loss of heaven and pains of hell BUT MOST OF ALL FOR HAVING OFFENDING YOU WHO ART ALL GOOD AND DESERVING OF OF ALL MY LOVE. I know how my sin disappointed the Lord.
I know that crushing feeling, my dear one. At the same time, you can place your sin before Him and allow Him to lift it up for you. You need to allow Him to do so, and that is a painful experience - it requires humility and acceptance that you too, like me also and like all human beings, have failed Him, abandoned Him and led Him to His Crucifixion. We all crave to be His 'heroes', and we all end up being those who crucify Him. But Christ is Love and His death is the source of our Life - if we hold on to Him, if we turn back to Him, if we act like the wonderful Apostle Peter, Christ can indeed turn us, who have crucified Him, into His heroes. he can do that for us; we cannot do that by ourselves.
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face.
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.”
I really needed this. I have prayed for people close to me and said lord I'd rather take their place in hell because I know they would not survive
I have prayed lord ill take on that person's sin that persons illness or demon because that is what my heart feels I should do I questioned myself am i being a matere but it is what my heart truly belives so I thank jesus for you I know im on the right path god bless
Im sure you are very blessed for speaking the truth directly and simple. Thank you for your wisdom.
Glory be to God for all things, dear one. If there is any fruit in any of us, it if from Him, through Him, for His love for us, sinners. May we all be blessed, dear one.
Thank you, God bless.
This is confirmation of the revelations god just gave me! Thanks Jesus
I am being filled by two contradictory feelings. Happiness that I found your channel and this beautiful Romanian(?) Christian Orthodox Church so close to where I live… and sadness that I haven’t been aware of your presence in the 7 or so years since I moved here. I truly wish to be able to visit your Monastery soon. Thank you for being so beautiful and kind through your faith and making us all feel a sliver of Holy Spirit through your words.
God bless.
May God have mercy on us.
I'm very new. I'm attending classes so I can be baptised at Easter. Catholic. Your channel has helped me so much. Christ has separated me from the world. " He has taken me away from the world lest wicked men should alter my understanding or deciet beguile my soul" wisdom 4.11. I want to spend the rest of my life serving Him however He wants me to. I don't know how yet. I am considering oblation though monastic life. I'm watching and waiting to have His will be done and have Jesus guide me. You are so right father. The further I get along the path the more I'm filled with shame at my old life. I was a very bad man. Crime. Gangs. Drugs. Violence. It is hard to live with the knowledge of what I have been and done but the peace I find through Christ fills me with hope. Love. Peace. He came to save sinners like me. I really liked learning about Moses the Black. I knew men like him. Murderers. Thief's. I was friends with them. I'm so sorry. But. I am never going back. Thank you for being a light in the world father. God bless you in your pilgrimage.
This is Orthodox, catholicism is wrong on so many levels
Good - mostly - but be careful here not to confuse unworthiness with despair or to take on suffering so much it becomes a point of pride. I've seen this. Spirituality is like the gym, you've got to go to grow but also don't overdo it or you'll injure yourself. Know where you're at - find a spiritual director. Also remember Jesus commanded us to love our neighbor As yourself, not less than yourself but not more than yourself, either.
This makes me feel a little better, i won't give up.
Amen
Hello everyone and dear Fr. I lately have come to notice that after battling my sin, it indeed gets harder, and it's super strange to see that once you opt out, the temptations begin to rise, even bringing other people that I love to temp me. Without a doubt, we've all have crossroads...lately it feels like my life is such as but I'm starting to really see the beauty in most things even in my sufferings. I pray for you all, brothers and sisters.
After I found your videos , I found a beautiful Orthodox Church to attend. I’ve been going for 6 months now. Your messages and prayers have been very important to me. Thank you so much. God bless you.
Thanks Father Seraphim, I am for far from where I should be given the gifts I was given. I seem to be sinning worse now than before and in ways I thought I wouldn’t be. I also am tempted in areas where I had been healed but now and being tested in this area that was under control and maybe I was experiencing pride about now I am being tested. I hope I am not too far gone to follow Christ because there’s a lot of debrs
This gave me so much clarity on my life! Thank you
I’m 63 years old, unemployed and I realized today that every job I have had I was never promoted, but always let go or demoted. Your message is amazing me!!!!!
Very random sidenote - I love your accent.
Thank you father. I use to share your wisdom with my friends. Greetings from Roman Catholic. Slovakia ❤
May you and all your beloved ones be blessed, dear one. May Christ enlighten and gently guide you to His Light.
Very beautiful and so true indeed whole heartedly agree 👍 🙏
Sometime’s I don’t know how I can go on. The truth is I cannot anymore go on for myself, I can only go on for Christ.
Philippians 1:21
“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
I know His allways with me
Thanks father may God bless you always ❤
This is the most amazing explanation of the christian life I ever heard
❤✝ CHRIST IS RISEN ✝❤
❤💪🙏✝ GOD BE WITH US AGAINST EVIL AND TEMPTATIONS ✝🙏⛪🕊
Great video once again, thank you so much for your insights and wisdom!
This message is so true!
Please pray for me, I want to overcome lust and truly live in God's word. Today is my serious day and I know tomorrow will be worse than today, yet still I want to stand still in God's word. I believe in Him, I believe in the words of God. God is good, we all created to glorify Him, may God bless us all and accompany our spiritual fights.
Dear Father, I just wanted to let you know how much this video means to me. I am a new catechumenate in the Catholic faith, and I have really been struggling with what seem to be renewed spiritual attacks from the devil in my dreams, which have become quite evil, pornographic, etc. I feel shame all day, and then I doubt the goodness of Christ, but then feel torn and lowly, because I know when I lay my head down to sleep, that I love Christ so much. I feel so unworthy and ashamed of all of my sin. All of my endeavors; my graduate degree in forensics, my engagement, my search for a job, all seem to have fallen flat. I am suddenly struggling to focus in school where I was so engaged before I discovered Christ. Everything of the world feels empty. My lay pastor tells me, don't forget that Christ has already won, that we are already victors in the battle against the devil. But all I feel is what you are describing; a disgust with myself, a lowliness, and a constant awareness of my ignorance and pride. I don't know if you will see this message, but I just wanted to say that I am very thankful to have come across a video that describes this experience. I am not Orthodox but now and again find myself coming to your channel. I don't feel any of this joy and victory my pastor speaks of; just a constant awareness of my sin, and battles with darkness in my dreams. God bless you. If you have any words for me I would be so delighted to receive them.
Thank you for this teaching. Bless you in Jesus name.
Thankyou Fr Seraphim ,wonderful deep truths of the experience of the christians journey, to be partakers of his divinity and also his suffering.
The christian Journey is such a paradox.
This is absolutely profound. As my health collapses, and the only thing keeping me afloat is Christ alone, you have no idea how much I needed to hear this right now. Glory to the Almighty Living God.
Thank you Jesus. Praise you Jesus 🙏
So beautiful and perfect timing for me to hear this message.
I keep you in my prayers daily, dear father Seraphim
Thank you brother for your loving words and insights. I relate so much to the topic at hand, at times I feel so depraved and unworthy. I try my best to keep my heart and mind in order with my faith. And it would be wonderful if my thoughts and actions would follow my deeply desired hopes. Moreover I struggle with accepting behaviors from others who I feel are lost. Casual acceptance of sin has become repulsive to me. Those of my own and others. God help us all to become more resilient and Christ-like. Please pray for me. I want Jesus to greet me as one of His own when my life in this world ends.
Nothing else compares to Christ Jesus. I once had a brief moment of doubt after returning to him, and he reminded me of what life was like before I converted. I never felt more alone and without life. I will never doubt Jesus again. That was years ago, and my life has been truly amazing since. Praise Jesus, for he is truly the only thing that really matters. 🙏 amen 🙏
It's been a while since one of your TH-cam videos popped up on my home page. Great to hear your message today, they are always encouraging. And yes, it's true, the engagement in worldly activities becomes more difficult once we become a Christian. Even if you try to hide it, they will know. The world hates those are not of the world.
Greeting from Orthodox Serbia ,I love your useful videos ,God bless you 😊and yes all my anger and anxiety gets worse after prayer 😢its very disheartening but I have to trust God
Thank you for this.
The last two years have made me feel so weak in my soul. Thank you for gracing us with a bit of hope, Fr. Seraphim.
Thanks you brother 🙏🏻
Might our lord JesusChrist bless you ☦️
But after Jesus rised again in new testament all sin has been wiped clean and forgiven.
God is a Unity of Himself and His Children. The Kingdom of God is like a fine landscape painting, however, it can Only be Seen and Known, by those who Become, a Natural Part of its Scenery.
After a long journey of work, I finally seat in front of a good herbs coup of tea and I’m peacefully ready to listen your words of wisdom. Thank you - Thank you-Thank you
Andreia
Great description on the goal of the Christian life! 🙏✝️☦️
Father, I recently experienced a slow but sure spiritual reawakening. I have been in many Christian denominations, but I've come to follow you and other Orthodox priests on TH-cam. I must say; I never been under so much spiritual attack. It was, at times, overwhelming. Hearing your sermon today has strengthened me against these temptations. Thank you, and God bless you for all your work for Christ.
Father, bless. I am encouraged whenever I watch one of your videos. Thank you so much! I learned as a catechumen that the closer one comes to God, the more clearly one sees how far away from Him you still are. However, I had never thought about how rare worldly "success" is for a Christian. Your description helps me to understand what is going on in my life! Thank you again. 💜