The blessed Syncletica said, “It is a struggle and great toil at first for those who approach God, but then it is unspeakable joy. Just as they who want to start a fire are engulfed in smoke and reduced to tears at first and in this way attain the desired object, so too – for it says, “Our God is a consuming fire” [Heb 12:29] – must we start the divine fire within ourselves with tears and toil.”

[Apophthegmata Patrum]