“How can a religious seeker avoid the traps and deceptions which he encounters in his search? There’s only one answer to this question: the person must be in the religious search not for the sake of religious experiences, which can deceive, but for the sake of truth… The truly Orthodox person always has his feet firmly on the ground facing whatever situation is right in front of him. It is in accepting given situations which requires a loving heart that one encounters God. This loving heart is why anyone comes to a knowledge of the truth even though God sometimes has to break down and humble a heart to make it receptive – as in the case of the Apostle Paul, who at one time was breathing fire against and persecuting Christians. But to God the past, present and future of the human heart are all present and He sees where He can break through and communicate.”
Fr. Seraphim Rose
~God’s Revelation