The Mystery of God's Chastening

The book The Mystery of God's Chastening analyses the spiritual regeneration of man, which is described as a mystery.

God works in a manner incomprehensible to human reason. He draws man to Himself and trains him, so that he may attain to perfect communion with Him. We see in the works of the Fathers that, apart from the three stages of the spiritual life, which are purification of the heart, illumination of the nous and deification, there is another way of classifying the spiritual life into three different stages: the initial advent of grace, the withdrawal of grace, and the return of grace.

The fact is underlined that many people are unable to understand God’s chastening, which is part of the Economy of God and aims to cure us of sin. They receive grace, but during the period of its withdrawal, when grace retreats for reasons known only to God, they despair. One ought not to lose hope in God’s mercy and love. Great patience and trust in God are required in order to assimilate the grace which one has tasted, and to acquire spiritual experience. 

The Mystery of God's chastening also refers to the experiences of contemporary Christians who have acquired knowledge and experience of God’s chastening. 

“The road to the Kingdom of God passes through mysterious ways.”