When God does not give us something that we persistently ask for, two things may happen: either He does not give it to us for our benefit, or we do not know how to ask for it. Both could happen. As for the first case, nobody knows why; the will of God is unfathomable. So I keep silent. However, I can tell you a lot of things concerning the second case. First of all, when we ask something from God, we must not obstinately say, “I want this now!” This is not only unacceptable but impious towards our Creator as well. Who are you and who am I to demand something from God and, moreover, to define the time of His accomplishing it?”
“But, Papouli, neither did I demand it, nor did I set time limits. You know that very well. It has been such for a long time that my problem has remained unsolved.”
“That’s exactly what I am explaining to you: the reason for which it is taking such a long time. We ask something from God beseechingly and gently for a certain period of time. If we see that God refuses to give it to us, we stop disturbing Him. The more we want something, the farther away it goes from us. And when we have forgotten it, it will come imperceptibly. God does not forget. He receives our request, and when He thinks that it is time, He answers to it.
That is why we should not insist that God gives something to us at the time we want. Insistence in these cases is not good. It harms rather than benefits. Moreover, when this insistence is intense and derives from an obstinate person as you, it brings anything else but good.
In general, my child, I would like you to understand that we must not insist on changing God’s will. We must not define the time when we want to obtain something. We must not pursue it, but leave it in God’s hands. The more we pursue something, the less likely it is that we receive it. It is like your shadow. You cannot catch it no matter how quickly you run. Your shadow runs as quickly as you do! Have you understood?”
From the book “Father Porphyrios: The Discerning, the Foreseeing, the Healer“
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Πληροφορίες γιὰ τοὺς τίτλους τῶν Ἐκδόσεων τοῦ Ἱεροῦ Ἡσυχαστηρίου μπορεῖτε νὰ βρεῖτε ἐδῶ
Aghios Porphyrios was living in Theosis and could understand the Will of God and how to request a favor from Him. Also Aghios Porphyrios I remember had told that ” Panagiotaki mou you know why God has my pockets …..always full? because I know how to spent what He gives me!!!!!! This speak volumes and is far from us to understand.