I was just baptized into the Eastern Orthodox Faith. The 2 weeks leading up to my baptism were brutal, I was restless, waking up in the middle of the night, fighting off anxiety and depression, etc. things improved dramatically after my baptism and first communion. The struggle is real, the devil wants to keep us from Christ at all costs.
It's coming up on a year since I was baptized into Eastern Orthodoxy. I have never struggled so much with dark thoughts and temptation to sin in my life as I have in 2024. I hear you!
Thanks dear brother. I'm being Chrismated in two weeks and the struggle has become each day harder and I often have become scared so much to the point of being so distracted in prayer and in Liturgy. Only these last few days I was reminded of the Lord visiting Martha and Mary and saying "Martha you worry about many things and only one is important, Mary chose the best part and it's not being taken away from her" and been asking for that kind of contemplative spirit in prayer, in stead of being so overwhelmed by the struggle. I'm also preparing for my confession and I'm asking for much more contrition, because there are things I had already confessed many times in the past and contrition is not the same anymore, but I know there's still much to heal about those things because I've never stopped repenting and hurting for them, I'm asking for the tears of repentance. Please pray for me that I can prepare in a healthy way in this final period before Chrismation, and most of all in true repentance. Thanks... God bless
As a latin catholic, I fully endorse all those teachings. Point 1 is very, very true. Point 2 and 3 are so difficult to teach in our modern time. People just don't want to believe us when we teach it. Importance of the body, importance to engage our whole humanity, and not just part of it. The recent papal encyclical about Sacred Heart is all about this. The points 4 and 5 are of outmost importance to progress is spiritual life. People seek extraordinary. They struggle to accept that we need to accept God in the banality of our life, and struggle to welcome the subtleness of the Spirit... Many people want miracles everyday, and question the faith when miracles don't happen. It all comes back to point 1. The spiritual struggle. The need for purification.
Thank you. I am drawn to the Orthodox faith but very much at the curiosity stage. I found the part about the body interesting, and also about routine and habituation. It’s an important point because it sets common sense expectations.
Thanks this is a great explanation. I’m an orthodox married into the faith from a life of Evangelicalism. I’ve noticed I’m less faux positive and more realistic. The persecution has increased and internally very difficult but all in all grateful to be on the right path.
Thank you for this, I recently begun my journey towards Orthodoxy and I’m trying to avoid polemics and arguments and focus on my spirituality (it’s tough ngl) but I really appreciate stuff like this
I to have recently begun my journey. It’s such a burden lifted from me not to feel compelled to argue, dispute, or carry the burden of persuasion. God bless you
If I may advise you to read Holy Fathers, for instance, Philocalia, they explain a lot about the spiritual warfare we are facing daily. Or Saint John the Ladder, an amazing and eye-opening book as well. God bless 🙏❤
Excellent short and clear explanation of what converts will experience. I have heard similar points being made, but not in such a direct way with no theological terms. Definitely a subscriber.
Like love, freedom has its very good fruits. Freedom does not lead to war.....although sometimes conflicts arise....freedom leads to peace. Truth will set us free
@@Maria-g1o3z LOVE is God. There are conflicts on Earth. You say that God is important, and that I AM NOT AS IMPORTANT AS GOD. What you are telling me is not that LOVE is more important than me; you are telling me that you hate me
Great video. The whole point about not relying reason and intellect alone is crucial. A lot of people i talk to see some of the Orthodox practices or beliefs as un-reasonable or unnecessary. Its a tough one for a lot of people
Thank you for this video. I’m new to Orthodoxy. Catholics put their hands together when praying and non denominational people will put hands together or pray with arms open. Do Orthodox people put hands together for ex. when praying over meal? Also is their a specific prayer to pray over meals? Thank you and May God bless you big time
It depends on the Orthodox denomination. I'm a Coptic Orthodox Christian, and we often lift up our arms horizontally, with elbows bent and palms facing up. It's a sign of humble entreaty, surrender, offering ourselves to God, lifting up our hearts, and a vulnerable posture ready to accept God's grace. When praying over regular meals, it's often unprescribed, but we do have some beautiful prescribed prayers (which I can send you on request); they're just not used frequently. Of course, it's not so important, but yes, different external postures do affect our internal dispositions, so it's certainly good to be concerned with the small and the big in the spiritual journey. God bless, and thanks for your comment.
@@Struggle_for_Christ coptics are Monophysites (mixture of Gnosticism and Christianity). In the fifth century they departed from Church and created their own organization. Of curse they will say “no, we are usual Christians”
@@Struggle_for_Christ coptics are Monорhуsitеs (mixture of Gnоstiсism and Christianity). In the fifth century they departed from Church and created their own organization. Of curse they will say “no, we are usual Christians”
It’s like getting air-dropped into the middle of a war. Because you are. You are in a spiritual war with yourself and your Passions and the World and you are no longer blind to this. The difficulties that manifest as roadblocks in life are innumerable and frustrating. But endure. Christ asks us to endure. Especially when it’s people close to you with EZ passes right through life and you are getting your ass kicked by life. Strong temptation to focus on that. God bless ☦️❤️
Whatever makes your life feel more exciting, I guess. Though imo it's pretty disrespectful to people fighting in actual wars to compare you having to actually critically think for a second to what they do.
@ oh. That low-fi argument. No. It’s not being disrespectful in the least because metaphors aren’t ‘stealing’ reality from anyone except people like yourself. It’s the same as people describing the chaos of life like ‘their world is burning down’. By your logic, *I* should be offended because of my profession having been in multiple multiple catastrophic structure fires, a flashover, etc having witnessed families more times than I can count literally have their whole world burn down around them. Yes. By that logic, people shouldn’t talk like that either. Or use flood metaphors for all those hurricane victims every year. So I’ll stop using a ‘spiritual war’ metaphor and *you* stop using any and all metaphors so you don’t offend someone. Merry Christmas dude. Lighten up
Seeing as how the bible is littered with archeological, historical, and logical errors, not to mention many passages are suspected of forgery, and this coming from biblical scholars, I'm continually amazed by people's willingness to devote their entire life to what is very likely a man-made myth from 2000 years ago during the bronze ages when humanity could scarcely read or write. And not only that, but religious people actually consider the whole bible to be inerrant or largely inerrant in spite of these known errors. But if that's what you want you want to devote your life to, I won't stop you 😉. See religious people are just like atheists - you also reject thousands of Gods like Zeus and Thor. We just go one God further
@ thats actually a hilariously 2012/ Richard Dawkins era take on the Bible. It’s fun people STILL think this way AND think it’s a profound point of view! Also as Christians we don’t reject the existence of pagan gods like atheists do. We reject their worship. Nice try though. I’m sure that argument will hold with other people thinking the ‘New Atheists’ are cutting edge and witty.
Ive been an Orthodox Christian for just over 2 years - from 40 years of protestantism including 10 as a pastor. I now serve as a reader. This video is one of the best explanations. Well done! Every aspect mentioned I have either discovered or am discovering. And I could write a book on these! The hardest is the ongoing purging - and I have come to realise now - it is lifelong. Blessings to all! Lord have mercy.
Why didn't you 'suffer purgation' after you initially trusted Christ as your savior 42 years ago? Were you not saved then? If you came to Jesus then, He promised He wouldn't cast you out. Did you not really come to Him then? Does the Bible lie and only the Orthodox Church holds salvation?
All people in this world face spiritual warfare and opposition. Some people experience tougher struggles than others and that has to do with the way people deal with The Lord God, Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit and whether man has God's Spirit or not. It is not for nothing that Christians are warned to put on the Spiritual Armor of God. By the way, it is not God's will that His Children suffer spiritual or physical pain, so let us not hold The Lord God responsible for things that man is confronted with. It is also very unbiblical to glorify or pursue human suffering, as if human suffering were pleasing to the Lord God. The Orthodox religious people should think about whether they are in the right church or belief system? You can't serve 2 masters.
Thanks for commenting. Please note the difference between suffering and struggling. Spiritual struggle is a central component of the Christian life. It's missing in "American Christianity" despite it being a biblical principle. If it's not clear, I'd be happy to make a video on the biblical premises for the centrality of struggle in Christian spirituality. I encourage you to dig a little deeper rather than falsely accusing Orthodox Christians of glorifying suffering. I take it you are coming from a place of sincerity, though, and I appreciate your engagement. God bless.
We don’t pursue suffering it pursues us but we harness it for sanctification …. James Chapter 1 says consider it pure joy when you suffer trials and tribulations of all kinds. The Orthodox see the value of this truth in spades. I hope dear brother that God leads you to see the value in our earthly long-suffering.
"But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented." (Luke 16; 25, KJV) "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Romans 8;18, KJV) As Holy Fathers interpreted it, the suffering of earthly life is a guarantee of the immense amount of glory to be received after death. Death doesn't really exist, by the way, as Christ is risen - we won! ❤
@@scottb.8514 Exactly. "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." James 1: 2-4, KJV "In your patience possess ye your souls." Luke 21;19, KJV
I was just baptized into the Eastern Orthodox Faith. The 2 weeks leading up to my baptism were brutal, I was restless, waking up in the middle of the night, fighting off anxiety and depression, etc. things improved dramatically after my baptism and first communion. The struggle is real, the devil wants to keep us from Christ at all costs.
Amen!
Glad you held strong my brother in Christ!! God Bless you! 🙏☦️😇
Amen!☦️
Same thing happened to me. We are not alone! God is with us 😊❤
It's coming up on a year since I was baptized into Eastern Orthodoxy. I have never struggled so much with dark thoughts and temptation to sin in my life as I have in 2024. I hear you!
Thank you for making this video. Not enough people talk about the reality of spiritual warfare when you are going deeper into Orthodox Christianity.
Thanks dear brother. I'm being Chrismated in two weeks and the struggle has become each day harder and I often have become scared so much to the point of being so distracted in prayer and in Liturgy. Only these last few days I was reminded of the Lord visiting Martha and Mary and saying "Martha you worry about many things and only one is important, Mary chose the best part and it's not being taken away from her" and been asking for that kind of contemplative spirit in prayer, in stead of being so overwhelmed by the struggle. I'm also preparing for my confession and I'm asking for much more contrition, because there are things I had already confessed many times in the past and contrition is not the same anymore, but I know there's still much to heal about those things because I've never stopped repenting and hurting for them, I'm asking for the tears of repentance. Please pray for me that I can prepare in a healthy way in this final period before Chrismation, and most of all in true repentance.
Thanks...
God bless
I’m being chrismated in two weeks too. I’ll pray for you. Please pray for me if you can. My name is Blaise.
8:43 I love what you said at the end there. We need to experience Christ so that we can offer Christ.
As a latin catholic, I fully endorse all those teachings. Point 1 is very, very true. Point 2 and 3 are so difficult to teach in our modern time. People just don't want to believe us when we teach it. Importance of the body, importance to engage our whole humanity, and not just part of it. The recent papal encyclical about Sacred Heart is all about this.
The points 4 and 5 are of outmost importance to progress is spiritual life. People seek extraordinary. They struggle to accept that we need to accept God in the banality of our life, and struggle to welcome the subtleness of the Spirit...
Many people want miracles everyday, and question the faith when miracles don't happen.
It all comes back to point 1. The spiritual struggle. The need for purification.
Thank you. I am drawn to the Orthodox faith but very much at the curiosity stage. I found the part about the body interesting, and also about routine and habituation. It’s an important point because it sets common sense expectations.
I would recommend the book, “The Orthodox Church” by Timothy Ware.
Thanks this is a great explanation. I’m an orthodox married into the faith from a life of Evangelicalism. I’ve noticed I’m less faux positive and more realistic. The persecution has increased and internally very difficult but all in all grateful to be on the right path.
May God bless you ❤🙏☦️
Well, my brother your way of putting this treasure out is linguistically potent and spiritually charged. You have a gift. Keep it up
Great video. I don't have an Orthodox church near me and no way to move to be near one. So i watch online . It brings comfort.
May God bless you 🙏❤
Thank you for this, I recently begun my journey towards Orthodoxy and I’m trying to avoid polemics and arguments and focus on my spirituality (it’s tough ngl) but I really appreciate stuff like this
I to have recently begun my journey. It’s such a burden lifted from me not to feel compelled to argue, dispute, or carry the burden of persuasion. God bless you
Same here I’m learning to speak less & make sure I grow in understanding the basics & applying them practically/daily.
If I may advise you to read Holy Fathers, for instance, Philocalia, they explain a lot about the spiritual warfare we are facing daily. Or Saint John the Ladder, an amazing and eye-opening book as well. God bless 🙏❤
Great video. ❤❤❤
Thank you so much for this video. It's such a great topic and very relevant. Well presented here.
Excellent short and clear explanation of what converts will experience. I have heard similar points being made, but not in such a direct way with no theological terms. Definitely a subscriber.
Great video, very insightful and helpful. Lord, help Orthodox Christians to struggle ...
What a very nice video ! Thanks for your help
Like love, freedom has its very good fruits. Freedom does not lead to war.....although sometimes conflicts arise....freedom leads to peace. Truth will set us free
The only freedom is the freedom of sins. And only God is able to grant it 🙏❤ Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit! Amen 🙏
@@Maria-g1o3z LOVE is God. There are conflicts on Earth. You say that God is important, and that I AM NOT AS IMPORTANT AS GOD. What you are telling me is not that LOVE is more important than me; you are telling me that you hate me
Thank you
Great video
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Thank you ❤❤❤❤❤
Great job, brother. Very helpful.
thanks! God bless us all
Thank you for this very helpful and informative video.
This was a really great video and channel. Thanks for posting them
Great video.
The whole point about not relying reason and intellect alone is crucial.
A lot of people i talk to see some of the Orthodox practices or beliefs as un-reasonable or unnecessary. Its a tough one for a lot of people
Thank you for this video. I’m new to Orthodoxy. Catholics put their hands together when praying and non denominational people will put hands together or pray with arms open. Do Orthodox people put hands together for ex. when praying over meal? Also is their a specific prayer to pray over meals? Thank you and May God bless you big time
It depends on the Orthodox denomination. I'm a Coptic Orthodox Christian, and we often lift up our arms horizontally, with elbows bent and palms facing up. It's a sign of humble entreaty, surrender, offering ourselves to God, lifting up our hearts, and a vulnerable posture ready to accept God's grace. When praying over regular meals, it's often unprescribed, but we do have some beautiful prescribed prayers (which I can send you on request); they're just not used frequently. Of course, it's not so important, but yes, different external postures do affect our internal dispositions, so it's certainly good to be concerned with the small and the big in the spiritual journey. God bless, and thanks for your comment.
@@ReasonableReligion can I ask why coptic and not sort of eastern orthoodx
No, it’s strange. Before meal we even stand while praying (I am Eastern Orthodox)
@@Struggle_for_Christ coptics are Monophysites (mixture of Gnosticism and Christianity). In the fifth century they departed from Church and created their own organization. Of curse they will say “no, we are usual Christians”
@@Struggle_for_Christ coptics are Monорhуsitеs (mixture of Gnоstiсism and Christianity). In the fifth century they departed from Church and created their own organization. Of curse they will say “no, we are usual Christians”
It’s like getting air-dropped into the middle of a war. Because you are. You are in a spiritual war with yourself and your Passions and the World and you are no longer blind to this. The difficulties that manifest as roadblocks in life are innumerable and frustrating. But endure. Christ asks us to endure. Especially when it’s people close to you with EZ passes right through life and you are getting your ass kicked by life. Strong temptation to focus on that.
God bless ☦️❤️
Whatever makes your life feel more exciting, I guess. Though imo it's pretty disrespectful to people fighting in actual wars to compare you having to actually critically think for a second to what they do.
@ oh. That low-fi argument. No. It’s not being disrespectful in the least because metaphors aren’t ‘stealing’ reality from anyone except people like yourself.
It’s the same as people describing the chaos of life like ‘their world is burning down’.
By your logic, *I* should be offended because of my profession having been in multiple multiple catastrophic structure fires, a flashover, etc having witnessed families more times than I can count literally have their whole world burn down around them. Yes. By that logic, people shouldn’t talk like that either. Or use flood metaphors for all those hurricane victims every year.
So I’ll stop using a ‘spiritual war’ metaphor and *you* stop using any and all metaphors so you don’t offend someone. Merry Christmas dude. Lighten up
Seeing as how the bible is littered with archeological, historical, and logical errors, not to mention many passages are suspected of forgery, and this coming from biblical scholars, I'm continually amazed by people's willingness to devote their entire life to what is very likely a man-made myth from 2000 years ago during the bronze ages when humanity could scarcely read or write. And not only that, but religious people actually consider the whole bible to be inerrant or largely inerrant in spite of these known errors. But if that's what you want you want to devote your life to, I won't stop you 😉. See religious people are just like atheists - you also reject thousands of Gods like Zeus and Thor. We just go one God further
@ thats actually a hilariously 2012/ Richard Dawkins era take on the Bible. It’s fun people STILL think this way AND think it’s a profound point of view! Also as Christians we don’t reject the existence of pagan gods like atheists do. We reject their worship. Nice try though. I’m sure that argument will hold with other people thinking the ‘New Atheists’ are cutting edge and witty.
So true. God bless 🙏
Ive been an Orthodox Christian for just over 2 years - from 40 years of protestantism including 10 as a pastor. I now serve as a reader. This video is one of the best explanations. Well done! Every aspect mentioned I have either discovered or am discovering. And I could write a book on these! The hardest is the ongoing purging - and I have come to realise now - it is lifelong. Blessings to all! Lord have mercy.
Thank you for your testimony, may God's hand be with you 🙏❤☦️
Why didn't you 'suffer purgation' after you initially trusted Christ as your savior 42 years ago? Were you not saved then? If you came to Jesus then, He promised He wouldn't cast you out. Did you not really come to Him then? Does the Bible lie and only the Orthodox Church holds salvation?
All people in this world face spiritual warfare and opposition. Some people experience tougher struggles than others and that has to do with the way people deal with The Lord God, Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit and whether man has God's Spirit or not.
It is not for nothing that Christians are warned to put on the Spiritual Armor of God.
By the way, it is not God's will that His Children suffer spiritual or physical pain, so let us not hold The Lord God responsible for things that man is confronted with.
It is also very unbiblical to glorify or pursue human suffering, as if human suffering were pleasing to the Lord God.
The Orthodox religious people should think about whether they are in the right church or belief system? You can't serve 2 masters.
Thanks for commenting. Please note the difference between suffering and struggling. Spiritual struggle is a central component of the Christian life. It's missing in "American Christianity" despite it being a biblical principle. If it's not clear, I'd be happy to make a video on the biblical premises for the centrality of struggle in Christian spirituality. I encourage you to dig a little deeper rather than falsely accusing Orthodox Christians of glorifying suffering. I take it you are coming from a place of sincerity, though, and I appreciate your engagement. God bless.
We don’t pursue suffering it pursues us but we harness it for sanctification …. James Chapter 1 says consider it pure joy when you suffer trials and tribulations of all kinds. The Orthodox see the value of this truth in spades. I hope dear brother that God leads you to see the value in our earthly long-suffering.
"But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented." (Luke 16; 25, KJV)
"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Romans 8;18, KJV)
As Holy Fathers interpreted it, the suffering of earthly life is a guarantee of the immense amount of glory to be received after death. Death doesn't really exist, by the way, as Christ is risen - we won! ❤
@@scottb.8514
Exactly.
"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." James 1: 2-4, KJV
"In your patience possess ye your souls." Luke 21;19, KJV
Thank you