May the Lord give you the blessing of a strong desire to stand inwardly before God. Seek and you will find. Seek God: such is the unalterable rule for all spiritual advancement. Nothing comes without effort. The help of God is always ready and always near, but is only given to those who seek and work, and only to those seekers who, after putting all their own powers to the test, then cry out with all their heart: Lord, help us. So long as you hold on to even a little hope of achieving something by your own powers, the Lord does not interfere. It is as though he says: “You hope to succeed by yourself. Very well, go on trying! But however long you try you will achieve nothing.” May the Lord give you a contrite spirit, a humble and a contrite heart.

—The Art of Prayer