One of my significant struggles was sermons. I enjoyed listening to them... On one hand, the sermons brought me great comfort, but on the other hand, they tormented me because they revealed that I was completely different from what I should be. I prayed to the Lord for help, but it seems to me now that I was mistaken in thinking that I did not place all my trust in Him and that I relied too much on my own strength. I sought means of remedy, I applied them diligently, but I could not convince myself that too much would not be achieved unless we completely abandon our trust in ourselves and place it all in the Lord.
(Teresa of Jesus, The Book of Life, VIII, 12)
