In nature, there are moments when a gentle, warm breeze embraces you, delicately permeating your body, while the sky remains clear. Conversely, there are times when a cold wind blows, evoking a sensation of chill and weightiness, seeping into your bones, causing goosebumps, and casting a shadow over the sky and earth. Alternatively, in the absence of any wind, the air can be either warm or cold, capable of either warming you or making you shiver.
Similar occurrences unfold in our spiritual lives: at times, we experience a tender breeze within our soul, pleasant and invigorating, providing solace and tranquility. Yet, on other occasions, our heart becomes engulfed in a burdensome, suffocating breath, and our soul appears to plunge into an impenetrable darkness. The first state originates from the Spirit of God, while the second stems from the devil. We must get used to both. In the first case, we should not become proud; in the second, we should not become discouraged, desperate, but rather, we should hasten to God.
Excerpt from My Life in Christ – Saint John of Kronstadt, Sophia Publishing House via http://doxologia.ro.
