Little by Little

Therefore, brothers, may the mercy of God help us to obtain at least a little bit of humility and discernment, because this world is full of traps and snares and every kind of temptation and worldly devices to make us fall. We need discernment at all times. Remember what I told you before: the forest is not afraid of someone who carries off a cartload of wood because it knows that the axel of the cart will break as it goes down the road. No, the forest fears the one who carries off a piece of wood every time he leaves the woods. That is the way it is with the enemy of our souls: he does not fear the one who undertakes great ascetic feats at once, for he knows that person will become tired and abandon everything. Instead, he fears the one who increases in the spiritual life little by little. St. Theodosius says that by working little by little, man gains great wealth in both material and spiritual things. Do things little by little and always regret that you have not done more.

~ Elder Cleopa