Prayer vs. Presumtion - John of Karpathos

12. Sometimes people find themselves brightly illuminated
and refreshed by God's grace for a while,
but then this grace may be taken away,
and they can fall into depression and start grumbling
and even give up dispiritedly
instead of energetically renewing their prayers
to call down again that assurance of salvation.
Such behavior is like an ungrateful beggar
taking alms at the palace door
and then walking off indignantly
because he was not invited in
to dine with the king himself.

- John of Karpathos