As we give thanks, remember the joy of giving.

There are two types of joy. A person experiences one type when he receives something. The other type of joy can be felt when giving something away. The joy of giving is incomparable to the joy of receiving.

A person who wishes to understand whether he is truly succeeding in spiritual life should begin with testing himself, whether he rejoices in giving, and not in receiving. Is it unsettling for him to be the recipient, and is he happy to be the giver?

If a person is on a right track spiritually, he does not memorise the good that he does and never forgets even the smallest good done to him. He cannot let the merest good deed of others towards him go unnoticed.

He may have given someone a whole vineyard and forgotten about it, but he would never forget one bunch of grapes from that vineyard, given to him in return.

He does not remember having given someone a dozen carved wooden icons, but if someone gives him a single printed icon sealed in plastic, he will be touched by this gift, despite its low price, and will thankfully consider ways to repay it afterwards.

He can build a church, donate land for construction, and forget about it.

In other words, the right spiritual path is to forget the good you have done and remember the good that others have done to you. He who has come to such a state becomes a true man of God.

Elder St. Paisios in Spiritual Awakening