Elder St. Porphyrios on Fighting Self-love
“Our disposition to love God also contains within it a certain pain. When we wish to live spiritually we suffer pain because we need to sever every bond that links us to matter. But when we wish to satisfy ourselves or others, what we expend is love, an energy, a power of our soul. We need to take care about how and for whom we expend that energy. The sorrow which we have in our love for God contains within it joy, and on account of this joy we persevere and do not give way to soul destroying depression. Where there is humility, there is no depression. An egotist is vexed at the slightest thing. A humble person is free and independent from everyone and everything. This comes about only through union with Christ. All our senses function in accordance with the law of our Lord. You are ready to empty yourself to anyone whomsoever. This is freedom. Where there is love, there is freedom. When you live in the love of God, you live in freedom.”
– ‘Wounded by Love’