“Grace is divided into three classes. Its first action is called purifying. After it purifies a person, he is given another greater gift which is called illuminating grace, that is, he receives enlightenment of spiritual knowledge. And the third grace is called perfecting…if you exert yourself in the prayer and pray continuously, if you read lives of saints and toil a little at night, you will quickly obtain what you seek, and your little soul will rejoice that Christ loves you so much.
(Elder St Joseph the Hesychast in  ‘Monastic Wisdom’)