I [God] see you go to church. I do not care what you do there, although I think you will pray. I do not care one bit about whether you will stand in front of the altar or there beside the door; whether you will pray sitting or kneeling, with your head bowed down or eyes closed; whether you will look at an icon or you will beat your breast; whether you will move your lips whispering the words of the prayer or whether you will use your prayer rope. These are all external and simple actions which can easily deceive a man.

I’m waiting for you outside! When you leave the church and return among people, prepare for a meeting with Me. I want to know: Did you really speak to God in the church or you were just playing with Him… If I see that you remain insolent, greedy, selfish, irritable, insulting, jealous, chatty, superficial, then I will know that your prayer did not have much value. But, if peaceful words are coming out of your lips: joy, words of trust and comfort; if your eyes are open to the distress of your neighbor, and your hand lifts the weak; if your heart has understanding toward others and is forgiving and loving, I will know that in the church you really did talk to God. I’m waiting for you outside!

– Quoted in Friends of St Paisius Monastery (AZ) Newsletter