Sometimes I am overwhelmed by great sorrow when I see that I am of no use in His service and that I am forced to waste more time than I would like on the needs of my weak and sickly body. And so one evening, when I was immersed in prayer, the hour came when it was time to go to sleep. I was seized by great pains and my usual vomiting set in. When I saw that I was such a slave to my body, while my spirit yearned for time for itself, I felt such sadness that I began to cry and lament. (…)
And then the Lord appeared to me, showing me great kindness and telling me to be calm and to undergo those healing treatments out of love for Him, because I needed to live a little longer. And so from the day I decided to do everything to serve this my Lord and Comforter, I have not experienced any anguish, for if He lets me suffer a little, He quickly comes to comfort me greatly, so my desire to suffer has no value.
(Teresa of Jesus, The Book of Life XL,20)
