Dictionary. Does a person need faith in God? Faith helps or hinders life

Is believing in something good or bad? Some believe that every person needs faith, because without it it is simply impossible to survive in this far from ideal world. Others believe that it is precisely because of faith that people begin to be lazy and let everything take its course, because they are sure that they will be helped. higher power and if they don't help, they won't be able to do anything on their own. This is especially true of faith in God. Now there are many atheists, especially among young people, because they believe that faith hinders the development of a person and gives him unnecessary and stupid hopes. But still, is it necessary for us to believe in God and what does faith give to a person?

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Photo gallery: Does a person need faith in God?

Veravera strife

Faith can be both constructive and destructive. It all depends on how the person believes. For example, there is certainly nothing good in a fanatical faith. The fanatic believer is out of touch with reality. He lives in a completely different world, which bears little resemblance to the real one. In his world, faith is the most basic, the most important. Anyone who disagrees with him automatically becomes an enemy. It is these people who kindle religious wars, go to violence and murder in the name of their faith. If we talk about such faith, then yes, indeed, it is better to be an unbeliever than to do terrible things hiding behind the name of God. Fortunately, far from all-believing people are just that.

There is another faith, when a person simply sincerely believes in higher powers and tries to live in such a way that these forces do not disappoint. Although, such a belief also has its pitfalls, but there are fewer of them. For example, a person may try to comply with all biblical laws and therefore deny himself many of the joys of life: from food to sex. True believers take these matters very seriously. They have their own principles and morals that society cannot break. No matter how much you tell a believing person that he is wrong and such behavior does not benefit the absolute no one, and deprives him of many of the joys of life, he will still find reasons to continue holding on to his faith and will consider this form of behavior to be the most correct. Such a belief in God does no harm to anyone, but still from time to time it can negatively affect the believer’s loved ones, as he begins to forbid something to them or because of his prohibitions for himself, those around him indirectly suffer. For example, a believer may forbid eating meat during fasting and his family members will have to come to terms with this, or a believer will refuse sex before marriage, even if they have been dating a girl for several years. Accordingly, such a belief is also not absolutely positive. Although believing people consider it the only true one and do not understand those who simply believe.

Those who really just believe in God have their own view of religion. They do not consider it necessary to fast, go to church, and so on. Such people are sure that God, if he exists, is such an omnipotent and wise being that he can hear you wherever you want and regardless of how exactly you express your thoughts. That is, it is not necessary to address him with a prayer. You can just ask for something, the main thing is that the desire is really good. Such people also believe that God will not punish smoking, sex, and so on, as long as we do not harm anyone. Such believers, one might say, live in accordance with the saying: “Trust in God and don’t make a mistake yourself.” Naturally, they can ask God for help, but at the same time they themselves try to create those conditions that will be most favorable and convenient for fulfilling the request. Such people are aware of the ten commandments and really try to act in accordance with them. That is, a person is sure that if he really does something bad in relation to other people, then God will punish him. But as long as he tries to be kind and fair, there will be no complaints against him. We can say that such a belief is the most adequate. Even atheists cannot cling to it, since it cannot slow down the development of a person. Rather, on the contrary, it gives faith in one's own strength and people try to reveal their capabilities, believing that someone from above helps them. Such faith is creative, because a person who believes in God tries to always remain good and help those close to him so that they also do not do stupid things. Such people never impose their opinion about religion on faith, they generally try to be less concerned with any confessions and sects, and will catch a cold so that they are not ashamed of the aimlessly and incorrectly spent years.

So even so, is faith necessary?

No one can answer this question unequivocally, well, except for those who are absolutely sure that God exists, that is, true believers. But whether their faith is necessary is still worth arguing. But if we talk about ordinary faith, without special prohibitions and excesses, then, probably, it is still necessary for a person. Each of us needs hope that everything will be fine, that the black streak will end and the white one will begin. And yet, since childhood, we believed in miracles. And if this faith is completely taken away, then disappointment comes to the soul, namely, disappointment becomes the cause of people's anger, their deep resentment of life. A person who suddenly stopped believing in miracles can become withdrawn and depressive. Looking at this world, he understands that there is nothing special in it, nothing wonderful, and because of this, interest in life disappears, and faith gives us the opportunity to believe that there is still something special, albeit invisible to our eyes, that when life ends , another, magical world awaits us, but not emptiness and darkness. In addition, the realization that you have an invisible helper, your guardian angel, who will not leave you in difficult times, will direct you on the right path and at some point will create a small miracle to help you. But people who believe in higher powers really notice such miracles and this makes them feel better at heart.

In fact, belief in something special, bright and beautiful has never harmed anyone. On the contrary, it has always given strength and confidence in the future. Therefore, if a person believes in this way, and does not try to enslave, destroy, kindle a war, and so on with the help of faith, then people need such faith. It is thanks to such faith that we are finally not disappointed in our world and in the people who surround us. When something bad begins to happen around us, those who believe ask for help from the guardian angel, and often, they really start to get better. But those who do not believe are more likely to give up, more often disappointed and feel unhappy. They can be very smart, thus confirming that atheism helped them develop their mental capabilities. But none of them can be called truly happy, because they are disappointed in the world around them and do not believe in anything good. Therefore, if we talk about whether people need faith in God, then the answer will be more positive than negative, because no matter what we say, but each of us really needs faith in a miracle.

I see the goal, I believe in myself

Do you fully believe in yourself? After all, faith is one of the primary foundations of success. Believing in yourself creates commitment and sets you apart from the crowd, because commitment is what most people try to avoid.

Belief in yourself will dictate the degree and duration of effort you are willing to invest in a personal project.

Believing in yourself will attract great people to you in whatever you choose to do.

Believing in yourself will overcome difficulties, challenges, obstacles and delays in achieving your goals.

Belief in yourself creates an unconscious freedom of movement that makes you glow as you go through life.

People will want to follow you if you believe in yourself.

For great accomplishments, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.

Anatole France

The best faith in yourself is the faith that is combined with modesty and sincere gratitude to the blessing from above. We have all met people whose faith has become an unbearable feature of their character. These "special" people sincerely believe that only they are responsible for their high faith in themselves.

Those whose self-belief is combined with true humility carry that faith with a graceful ease that tells people that they know that they have been blessed, that they are in close ties with .

They recognize that their belief in themselves comes from a long series of successes, failures, and relationships that have become part of their history. These people are grateful for their state of belief in themselves.

The true state of the world is that everyone should believe in their unlimited potential to realize their desires. Dreams Come True, !

You and all other human beings are the unique creation of the Almighty, who sowed in us the seeds of greatness. These seeds give you the ability to accomplish whatever your soul and mind desire to accomplish.

Human beings were created with an amazing ability to choose to believe in the potential that was built into them. But as human beings, most of us need to keep a record of our little accomplishments in order to create a degree of faith that is actually their birthright.

Faith based on one's own history can certainly create faith in oneself that is solid enough to do great things in life.

However, if you bring “fertilizer” into your own story in the form of inspiration and faith in other people, as well as the absolute certainty that the desires in your heart are yours due to your place in God’s world, if you feel this in yourself, then nothing will can stop.

Every time you take on a task, no matter how small, never say "if", think about "when". Know your place in this world. Be aware of your innate right to greatness.

Remember that in order to become someone, you always have to do something first. Take on any task with full faith that you can do it, and that you will put in such great effort that there will be no chance for failure.

You can become unrestrained. You will be able to command the forces of your life and bring them to a level of faith that will give you a powerful weapon to pursue your dreams and goals.

It all depends on believing who you are and acting on your faith.

We all have difficult days. When everything does not work out, it does not work out and falls out of hand. These quotes will support you in difficult times.
They will help you change your point of view, catch the balance and see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Sometimes that's enough ;)

Well, horror. But not horror-horror-horror...

It gets even worse

The bad news is that you're falling without a parachute and you can't hang on to anything. The good news is that there is no land either. ~ Chogyama Trungpa Rinpoche

The captain is speaking. We're having trouble re-entering the atmosphere - we'll probably get a little shaken up, and then we'll explode altogether. ~ "Mission Serenity"

My ship is incomparable and proud. And it's almost huge! And he… swam away. ~ Capt. Jack Sparrow

When I was little, I had two girlfriends and both were imaginary. And they never accepted me into the game. ~ Rita Radner

We all want to believe that other people are the problem. This gives us the feeling that we are doing the right thing and that we ourselves should not change anything. ~ John Whitmore

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Being offended and indignant is like drinking poison in the hope that it will kill your enemies. ~ Nelson Mandela

What you resist is repeated. ~ Tara Brach

I am very little, but I am all I have. ~ Philip K. Dick

I don't have to be what others want me to be, and I'm not afraid to be what I would like to see myself. ~ Muhammad Ali

- It was necessary to choose one of two: to die or somehow be saved.
- Well, what did you choose?
— Guess.
~ The same Munchausen

We may have made some mistakes. So what?

It's not scary to make a mistake. The main thing is to notice the catch in time

There are people who don't make mistakes. These are the ones that others think for. ~ Henryk Jagodzinsky

Admit your mistakes! Always admit your mistakes! Everyone makes mistakes - but the one who refuses to admit his own mistake will always be wrong! God save us from cowards who are afraid to make a choice.~ Robert Heinlein, Double Star

We wait for the inevitable, but we get the unexpected. ~ John Maynard Keynes

We do not need to step on the same rake that we already had. ~ Viktor Chernomyrdin

When it seems that the whole world is against you, remember that the plane takes off against the wind. ~ Henry Ford

I have not been defeated. I just found 10,000 ways that don't work. ~ Thomas Edison

People have a left and a right foot in order to first go to the left (not there), and then to the right (there), and so alternately again and again. ~ Buckminster Fuller, engineer, inventor and philosopher

Trial shots are made to miss. ~ Max Frisch

Archery teaches us how to seek the truth. When a shooter misses, he does not blame others, but looks for the fault in himself.~ Confucius

- Didn't you get it?
“U… It’s not that he didn’t hit at all. But just missed the ball.
~ Winnie the Pooh and all-all-all...

Peace, only peace!

DON'T PANIC! Give yourself time to calm down

The best thoughts were produced in solitude. The worst are confused. ~ Thomas Edison

Assembling a Japanese bike requires tremendous peace of mind. ~

And I also know that I, like any normal person, can solve any problem, you just have to give yourself time. ~ Scott Peck. "The Unbeaten Road"

If you are in a hurry, it does not mean that you are trying. ~ Seneca

Geology is the science of perseverance and time. Nothing more is needed. Perseverance and time. This is a big poster. ~ "The Shawshank Redemption"

When, due to circumstances, the balance of the spirit is disturbed, restore your composure as quickly as possible and do not remain in a depressed mood for too long, otherwise you will no longer be able to help. The habit of restoring harmony will improve you. ~ Marcus Aurelius

We have nothing to fear but fear itself. ~ Franklin Roosevelt

Never, never, never give up! ~ Winston Churchill

The best way to solve a problem is to start solving it

Yes, we can. Always ;)

There will always be problems here. Thank the Lord for them. And there will be solutions. Thank the Lord for them. And tomorrow morning we will look for them. ~ Ray Bradbury. Zen in the art of writing books.

No task seems impossible if you break it into small parts. ~ Henry Ford

The best way out is always through~ Robert Frost

Wherever you find yourself, live by the laws of the world into which you find yourself, and use these laws yourself to free yourself from them. Get out of the hospital, Petka. ~ Chapaev and Void

Opportunity lies somewhere in the middle of your problem. ~ Albert Einstein

All solutions are simple - after you come to them. But they are simple only when you know what they are. ~ Robert M. Pirsig, "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance"

I move slowly, but I always move forward. ~ Abraham Lincoln

"Labor ist eats ipse volumpas". What does it mean: Labor is already pleasure in itself! ~ "Love Formula"

Well, on the track...

Still in doubt? Not worth it ;)

Success is the ability to move from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm. ~ Winston Churchill

Of course, you only live once, you make all the mistakes you have to make, you learn what not to do, and that's the best thing you can learn. ~ Richard Feynman

You have to work not for 12 hours, but with your head. ~ Steve Jobs

Nothingness will never conquer the expanses of stars - therefore your souls must be as wide as the cosmos. ~ Robert Heinlein

Nirvana is close, the mystical portal is waiting! ~ Toy Story, Buzz Lightyear

Life is too short to be weak. ~ Benjamin Disraeli

The original motorcycle you are working on is a motorcycle called "you yourself". ~ Robert M. Pirig, "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance"

Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times. If someone thinks to turn on the light.

These 45 quotes will help you regain faith in yourself...

And now for a little bonus at the end. To reduce the pathos...

Great recipe for all occasions! Lab ist eats! Relax somehow ;)

And we have already reconciled. They reconciled when Uncle Fyodor was pulled out of the snow. Because working together, for my benefit, it unites… ~ "Winter in Prostokvashino"

And when everything gets better and you solve this problem of yours - do not forget to wave somewhere!

- Shall we go somewhere?
- Yes. And where do you want to go?
“I know a great restaurant at the end of the universe.
~ "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"

And on the road...

We will always have problems. And we always have to solve them. Maybe this is the meaning of life.

And if you're having a hard day, remember that you're not alone. That you can handle anything that gets in your way. Give yourself some time to rest, regroup, and think, and you'll be able to do whatever it takes. And even more;)

Constantly using the words "faith", "believing", "believer", picking up the priest or deacon "I believe in the One ...", do we think about what it is - faith? What does it mean to believe in God? Why does one person believe in God and another does not, what is the difference between these two people? How and why does yesterday's atheist gain faith? Let's try to clarify this for ourselves with the help of the editor-in-chief of the journal "Orthodoxy and Modernity" Hegumen Nektariy (Morozova).

First of all, what is faith? Is it a rational belief, a certain conclusion that a person comes to by observing and thinking, or is it an irrational mental (spiritual) state? What must a person do to come to faith?

The question of what faith is, of course, was best answered by the Apostle Paul in the Epistle to the Hebrews: the realization of what is hoped for and the certainty of things not seen (11, 1). We know well what trust is. We communicate with a person, and thanks to his actions, his behavior towards us, we have confidence in him. Faith in God is also trust in Him. But here a person must - even without knowing God at all, not yet seeing Him in his life - believe that He exists. This is very similar to the very step of the Apostle Peter - from the side of the boat to the heaving shaft of the Lake of Gennesaret (see: Mt. 14, 29). Peter takes this step at the word of his Master.

How faith arises in a person's heart - this question cannot be fully answered. There are a lot of people around us, believers and non-believers; both among those and among others there are kind, honest, merciful, decent people ... And it is impossible to draw a line, to say: this type of people inevitably comes to faith, but this one does not. Faith is an encounter with God, and it happens differently for different people. One person experiences this meeting directly and does not need to reason, while the other thinks, analyzes and finally comes to the conclusion that God exists, and this confidence of the mind is transferred to his heart. Reason alone, without the participation of the heart, does not lead to faith. There are as many scientists as you like, who perfectly understand that none of the existing scientific theories explains the origin of the universe, but who for some reason are unable to say: “I believe, Lord and Creator.” Only the person who has had a meeting with God in his heart can use the analysis. There are such words in the Apocalypse: Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and I will dine with him, and he with Me (3, 20). Someone will hear that knock and open the door - being a scientist and eventually coming to the conclusion that science is powerless in explaining certain things. Someone will suddenly hear a knock that has actually been heard all his life - having received unexpected help in grief. And someone - when everyone leaves him, when he is left all alone. And he will understand, perhaps for the first time, that there is Someone Who loves him. But each of them recognizes God, until then unknown, in a feeling that cannot be confused with anything. Because meeting with God involves recognition. It is, of course, impossible to answer the question why a person recognized the Father precisely at this moment, and not earlier, not later. But any of us can be compared to a fruit hanging on a branch and ripening in due time. It's just that someone will ripen, and someone will sag and eventually fall from this branch unripe ... What is faith? One word can be answered like this: faith is a miracle.

- People often ask: what is needed to strengthen faith? So that from a grain it turns into a mighty tree? And for this you need to live by faith. The holy ascetics were asked: how to acquire the gift of love? And they answered: Do deeds of love, and your heart will find love. It's the same with faith. After all, there is the faith of the mind, and there is the faith of the heart. There is faith-knowledge, and there is faith-experience. Before the apostle Peter walked on the water, he also knew that everything is possible for God, but he knew theoretically. And when he stepped on the water, he gained experience - the experience of faith. And there were many such experiences in the life of Peter, in the lives of other apostles and saints. In essence, the gospel requires us to walk on water. It requires from us what, from the point of view of the earthly mind - " common sense”, which does not take into account Eternity, is not only unreasonable, but also harmful. Let's say, to turn the right cheek if you hit on the left (see: Mt. 5, 39) - isn't it harmful? A person may ask: well, I will do everything that is required, but what will happen to me after that? Or maybe not to ask this question, but simply to fulfill everything, as the Lord commanded. And if a person acts in this way, he will feel: where he stepped, where not only soil, even water was not there - there is a support, and it is stronger than all earthly supports. This is how the experience of faith comes: I did something in obedience to the Lord, and He did not fail me, He was faithful. It happens otherwise. It happens that a person turns to God from the abyss of despair, when it seems that there is and cannot be any way out of his situation - and suddenly the walls of the well, at the bottom of which a person sees himself, crumble, and he goes out into God's expanse. The Lord intervened because He is always happy to help. And this is also an experience from which a living faith is born. This is how a person acquires it, this is how he grows and strengthens in it. And loses - in the opposite way. When a person does not put a grain of his experience into the treasury of his heart, does not respond to God with gratitude, when he says to God: no, I don’t want this, I don’t perceive it, I don’t understand - then the impoverishment of faith occurs. Faith cannot be suddenly lost; a person goes to the loss of faith, as well as to gaining faith. Both are the result of many small steps that we take. Therefore, it is important to understand in time how dangerous are small, imperceptible, unconscious steps away from Christ.

From another psychologist you can hear that faith is just the best way for certain natures to live, avoiding all problems. I'm afraid that's my nature. I know that I cannot do without faith; but - here's the paradox - that's why I'm haunted by doubt about the truths of faith. I think that I believe only because I have to; that my faith has the character of a kind of agreement with itself: “In order to live, let's agree that from now on, for you and me, this is how it is, and not otherwise.” What would you say to this?

You have over-complicated something that is actually very simple. Faith is really a way to live. Moreover, it is the only way to truly live. Not to exist, not to survive, not to while away life, namely to live. Life is God's gift. Many people waste this gift, trample it underfoot, mindlessly play with it or turn it into some kind of constant torment for themselves - but a minority really lives! Those live for whom life is a gift from God. And if a person chooses life with God, then this is not psychological reception, applied by him to himself, not an agreement with himself, not a subjective choice associated with the characteristics of the personality, no, this is simply the only right way. And there is absolutely no need to be afraid of it.

And as for the fact that faith is an escape from problems - faith actually generates a huge number of problems. For a person who knows God, lying is a problem, acting selfishly is a problem, refusing to help a neighbor is a problem. Things that previously seemed morally neutral acquire a moral coloring. Good and evil clearly diverge at their poles, and a person is deprived of the possibility of a compromise. To say that it is easier to live with faith than without faith can only be said by a person who has no idea about faith. Faith is not an evasion of responsibility, but, on the contrary, a person's full responsibility for his life.

But wasn't it, weren't there people who were unbelievers, but conscientious at the same time? Didn't they, faced with a difficult choice, take responsibility for themselves, didn't they act morally? And can we call the life of another unbelieving person flawed and inferior, if this is a great scientist, for example?

- The fact of the matter is that faith is not a compensation for inferiority, not the lot of losers. There are many things in life that can satisfy a person. But about people who do "beautifully" without faith, the Lord in Holy Scripture says: I shall not have My Spirit to abide in these men forever, for they are flesh (Gen. 6:3). A person can become so carnal, so earthly, that his soul practically dies in him, and the spirit fades away, and he does not even feel the need for what he was created for. But this is also a free choice of a person, and also a certain result to which he can come. The irreligious conscience, about which so much has been said in Soviet times, - this is the same crafty conscience, for the cleansing of which the priest prays in the prayer of the Great Entrance. A truly believing person will never assert: “I live according to my conscience,” because he knows that his conscience is evil. With the help of an irreligious conscience, a person deceives himself. People who did not deceive themselves - the saints - saw themselves as great sinners. They looked at themselves with those eyes with which the Lord looks at us. BUT a common person sees himself better than he is. A person who believes that his conscience is clear is dishonest with himself. The “pure revolutionary conscience” of the Iron Bolsheviks and ardent Komsomol members did not interfere with them; on the contrary, it moved them to a fratricidal war, terror, and the destruction of churches. There are subjective criteria - it is them that a non-religious conscience chooses for itself, and each time anew, depending on the era - but there is an unshakable eternal criterion, this is the Lord.

- What is doubt: the pride of the mind, convinced that only he alone can comprehend everything, or simply the soundness of the mind, its normal functioning? What to do with doubt - just pray? Or try to convince the mind in its language, that is, with its own rational arguments?

Doubt is different. There are doubts with which the enemy shakes our mind. Everything that the enemy does against us is imputed not to us, but to him. Whether these doubts and vacillations find any basis for themselves in us is another matter. This is where our responsibility begins. If we strengthen, develop, cultivate the doubts that arise in our hearts and minds, then we ourselves, for one reason or another, are prone to them. For what reason? Note: people who are dishonest and dishonorable are, as a rule, distrustful and suspicious of others. They don't trust anyone because they know they can't be trusted themselves, and they judge others by themselves. So here. A person faithful and devoted to God will not doubt Him: if you can rely on me, a sinner, then even more so on the Lord.

- So, any thinking, thinking, therefore, the development of one's doubts is obviously a sin?

Thinking ability is what is given to a person for creation. For the creation of the soul, the home of the soul, one's own life and the life around oneself. And it happens that the thought process gets out of control and becomes the master of a person. Then it is no longer thought for man, but man for thought. Should a person think? Yes, he is a thinking being, he must think. But mental activity must find support in his heart. If a person's faith is only in his head, he will constantly fluctuate. As soon as it descends into the region of the heart, doubts will go away. What is needed for this? To do this, it needs to be easier. Because God is a very simple being. And man became complex as a result of the fall. But, as one acquires the simplicity that Christianity tells us, a person acquires the ability to believe simply, like children. Why does the Lord say: unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 18:3)? What is the secret of this childish faith? The child does not know how to distrust. Here he is lost, we approach him, take him by the hand and say: “Let's go, I'll take you to my mother.” And he puts his hand in ours and calmly follows us. And we, adults, are distrustful: even the person who sincerely offers us help or asks about our health, we suspect something. This is our depravity, twisted by sin - on the one hand, and on the other - by the bitter experience of our life. But every person is called to acquire the faith of a child. Stop delving into your doubts, in your reasoning and turn to your direct experience. After all, every believer has it - the experience of God's direct participation in his life. Everyone had such a moment when he could not help but understand: this is the Lord. When doubt comes, you just need to remember this moment - when your hand fell into the hand of God. Did you know then that it was him? Why don't you believe now? How have you blocked your path to God? What did you set up here, what reasoning? You don't need all this. When we put our hand into the hand of God and the Lord leads us along a sometimes difficult, tough path, but we don’t tear our hand away, we don’t run away - faith grows stronger from this.

But what if this very “God helped me” is just some kind of self-hypnosis, self-hypnosis, thanks to which I was able to organize myself internally and get out of some kind of crisis state?

If you refuse to see God's help and give thanks for it, having asked and received it, you find yourself among those nine lepers who, being cleansed of leprosy, did not consider it necessary to come and thank Christ (see: Lk. 17, 12-19 ). The spiritual leprosy they suffered was far worse than the physical leprosy. This is unbelief and ingratitude, and faith is given to a grateful heart. From ingratitude and internal betrayal, faith leaves.

I have read more than once that in faith one cannot rely on visible, objectively testified miracles - the myrrh-streaming of icons, the descent of the Holy Fire, the imprint on the Shroud of Turin, the fragrance of the relics of saints; that the support must be different. But I really need all these miracles!

- Such a strange thing: you can recognize a miracle as a miracle and rely on it only if you already have faith. If there is no faith, a miracle will not convince. A person will give him any explanation he wants or will not give any explanation at all - he will simply forget about him. For many reporters who talk about the descent of the Holy Fire in Jerusalem on Easter, this is only news in the news flow: it does not change them, just as, by the way, it does not change humanity as a whole. Visible miracles are far less miracles than those that take place in the hearts of men. The fact that the publican Zacchaeus, an adult, wealthy, most likely a truly spoiled person by his life and profession, climbed a fig tree to see Christ is a miracle (see: Luke 19, 1-10). And the fact that the Sun stopped is not a miracle. The one who created this sun can stop it. He who created the sea can make it part. But a person can turn to God only on his own, according to his personal choice. And it really is a miracle. A miracle is when a person prays and suddenly feels that the Lord hears his prayer, that He answers him - not with a voice, not with light, but with this touch to the heart. This is much more wonderful than the parted sea. I, perhaps, will bring someone's condemnation on myself, but I will say nevertheless that for me personally the descent of the Holy Fire is not as important as those seemingly small miracles that the Lord performed in my own life. And if it suddenly turned out, let's say, that there is no Holy Fire, that it's just a trick, as some say (I myself don't think so, of course) - this would not shake my faith in the least. If a person's faith collapses like a house of cards from the revelation of a miracle, then this is not faith at all. A visible miracle can be taken away from us, but the miracle that is known to me alone, which happened in my heart, no one will ever take away from me. Increased attention to visible miracles, the desire to lean on them in faith is akin to the desire to lean on crutches. This is weakness, although weakness is not shameful, it is natural for us. However, one must learn to walk without crutches.

But once again I will say: in order for these genuine miracles, invisible to the world, to happen to us, we must become as simple as possible, not get confused in our own thoughts. There are things that cannot be analyzed. We can analyze external events and some processes taking place in our souls, but our relationship with God does not need to be dissected and analyzed as if it were the data of a scientific experiment. We need to understand what deprives us of grace, and what helps us to acquire it. Sometime the Lord does not give us grace, because it is premature, it will not be useful to us now; sometime - so that we do not get the impression that it is easy to give. But mostly - anger, condemnation, heavy, gross sins deprive us of grace. And if we try to get rid of them, we will see that there are some other seemingly small things that also deprive us of grace. There is something in ourselves that opposes grace. If we understand this, then we are learning a grace-filled life. And grace and faith are inseparable concepts, because true faith is a gift of the grace of God. When faith is alive in a person, he feels it precisely as life. From what death did the Lord save us? From the one that life without Him really is. The feeling of life with God is what faith is.

There is some connection between doubt and sin. A person who does not want or does not find the strength in himself to part with his sins subconsciously needs that there is no Creator and Judge.

When we pray, we ask: “Lord, help me, I am lost without You,” we believe that He exists, that He hears us and will come to the rescue. If they didn't believe, they wouldn't pray. But here is another situation: a person no longer needs help, and he is going to commit some sin. However, conscience prompts: The one to whom you prayed is here, He has not disappeared anywhere. As you prayed before His face, so you sin - before His face. And the person says: no, it's not like that, where is it, this face?.. In the old days there were people who used towels to hang icons in their houses before committing something sinful. Similarly, Adam hid from his Creator among the trees of paradise, as it is said in the Book of Genesis (3, 8). If a person who has received the gift of faith from God lives by faith, it will be strengthened in him, otherwise it will quietly leave him.

This, perhaps, explains the fright of a sinful person when meeting with a miracle, the desire that the miracle did not happen, that it turned out to be an optical illusion or someone's trick?

If the miracle of God frightens you, it means that you, as the inhabitants of the Gadara country, have your own pigs, which are dear to you, and you do not want them to throw themselves into the lake and die there (see: Mark 5, 11-14; Luke 8:32-34; Matt. 8:30-34). Pigs are different, some of them are big, fat, grunt, it's hard not to notice them, and some have quite nice pink pigs - but conscience tells me that they are pigs after all! That is why it is terrible that the Lord will appear right now - and everything that is incompatible with His light in us will be revealed and will be forced out, driven away. Fear and the desire to turn away in this case is a defensive reaction. However, it is in the power of a person - every time - to say: “Lord, such as I am - I am afraid of You; but I want to learn to love you. Because I understand that without You I will be lost.

- Doubt and lack of faith - how do these concepts correlate? Is it the same or not?

These concepts are very close. Remember, the Lord says to Peter, stretching out His hand to him: you of little faith! why did you doubt? (Matthew 14:31). Lack of faith is a small faith, a faith that lives in a person, but does not force a person to live in accordance with it. Remember the episode with the healing of the demon-possessed youth? The father of this boy says to the Lord: if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us (Mark 9:22). He has faith, it is enough to turn to the Teacher, but not enough to believe in His omnipotence.

There are people who say that they cannot believe in God and in everything that happens in the Church: “There is no faith, that's all. Such (such) I, apparently, by nature - an unbeliever (unbeliever). What would you say to such a person?

Wouldn't say anything. It is useless to say something, to prove something to a person who puts up a shield between himself and God. You need to pray for such a person, so that the Lord enlightens him. And to show him the love that is in Christians is the main evidence of the God of Love attracting human hearts to Himself.

Interviewed by Marina Biryukova
Journal "Orthodoxy and Modernity", No. 22 (38), 2012
Orthodoxy and Modernity