The man who truly loves the Lord, who has made a diligent labor to find the approaching Kingdom, who has made a start of seeing the seriousness of his sins, who is truly mindful of the eternal torture and punishment, who sincerely lives in fear of death, cannot love or concern himself with wealth, or possessions, or his family, or earthly honor, or friends, or brothers, or any of the things of this world. But shaking off all his ties with worldly things and having thus departed from every care, and coming to the point of hating his own fleshly body, and having taken off everything, he will follow Christ without worry or doubt. He looks always toward heaven, awaiting help from there, as the saint said, “My soul follows close behind you.” And as the memorable author said: I have not grown tired of following you, nor have I longed for the rest of men, O Lord.

Climacus, John. The Ladder of Divine Ascent