I love this –
“The most potent and acceptable prayer is the prayer that leaves the best effects. …
I would describe the best effects as those that are followed by actions. … If with my
prayer there come severe temptations and aridities and tribulations, and these leave me
humbler, then I should consider it good prayer. … One must not think that a person who
is suffering [ aridities ] is not praying. He is offering up his suffering, and many a time he
is praying much more truly than one who goes away by himself and breaks his head to
pieces, and, if he has squeezed out a few tears, thinks that that is prayer.”
prayer there come severe temptations and aridities and tribulations, and these leave me
humbler, then I should consider it good prayer. … One must not think that a person who
is suffering [ aridities ] is not praying. He is offering up his suffering, and many a time he
is praying much more truly than one who goes away by himself and breaks his head to
pieces, and, if he has squeezed out a few tears, thinks that that is prayer.”
Teresa of Avila
No Guarantees 