Life is boot camp

The longer I am in the Orthodox faith, the more I realize that my life on earth is not going to be roses, feather beds and gourmet meals.  While on the one hand I realize that everyone who takes on the name of Christ has gotten hold of some truth, on the other hand, everyone has some things wrong.  Some people more than others.
My wife imparted some wisdom to me the other day that will take some time to assimilate and implement.  She reminded me that in the spirit of Christian love we ought to find the good in others and glean what is helpful from them, instead of nit picking their errors.
With this in mind, many in the church have made the mistake of striving after temporal success and comfort, under the guise of "success in Christ". 
The Church, on the other hand, while not denying the success and power of Christ over all things, teaches that our responsibility is to undo the horrible effects of sin upon our life.  We have so much work to do, there is so much that is wrong in our thinking and actions.  The Church has given us the sacraments to strengthen and empower us to succeed over sin through the grace of the Holy Spirit.
Life is bootcamp.  We must think of life as a training ground, a place to burn off the dross, to get rid of the flab, cleanse ourselves from sin and to strive after holiness.  There is no time for distraction and titillation.
Life will be difficult and tiring.  Life will be grief and repentance and humility.
Fortunately, we have our spiritual fathers and the sacraments and the Divine Liturgy to move us forward.
Ultimately, we have the love of God that, like any healthy relationship, will lift us up and heal us.