“All the Saints pass their lives in afflictions and manifold sufferings in spite of the fact that sin did not have any power over them to afflict them. Nevertheless, many times their life was a true martyrdom. Now what justification will we give – we who have fallen into an occupied ourselves with many sins – to claim the right to pass our lives without afflictions and sufferings? Most certainly we are accountable for sin and consequently we need the flip of salvific discipline of the Lord that we may have the fortune of being saved into the kingdom of heaven by grace of the mercies of our God Who loves mankind.”
(Elder Ephraim of Arizona ~ Counsels from the Holy Mountain)