Ease And Difficulty

Τὸ μὲν πόνῳ κτηθῶὲν, μᾶλλον κρατεῖσθαι πέφυκεν, τὸ δὲ ῥᾳδίως κτηθὲν, καὶ ἀποπτύεσθαι τάχιστα, ὡς πάλιν ληφθῆναι δυνάμενον, ὥστε μᾰλλον εὐεργεσίᾳ κρατίστῃ, καὶ βεβαίᾳ καθίσταται τὸ μὴ πρόχειρον τῆς εὐεργεσίας. Ἅγιος Νειλος, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΜΗ, Δοσιθεῳ Source: Migne PG 79.104c

That which is acquired with toil is firmly established, that which is easily acquired is quickly cast away, as if it could easily be regained, and so it is with greatest goods, that they are firmly established by not being simple benefactions. Saint Nilus of Sinai, Book 1, Letter 48, to Dositheus