St. Tikhon of Zadonsk claims that one should strive and labour in order to be changed. Indeed, even if a person is converted to Orthodoxy, if he/she is baptised and receives the Holy Communion, with true repentance and strong willing to correct his/her behaviour, even then he/she will hardly become a saint at once. Even if we realise our wickedness with all our heart, we will later continue following our passions, just because our nature is fallen.
However, Christians have the Holy Scripture and the lives of the saints, and from these sources we know that it is our effort, fasting and prayer that is needed in order to be changed and saved. Of course, without God’s help we won’t succeed, that’s why we should ask the Lord to help us in our endeavours, for “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Mth. 7:7).
Following St. Tikhon’s appeal, let us do everything that is possible for us and hope that God will do everything that is impossible so that we may repent and change our hearts.
