A well-known mystic and influential member of the Catholic Church, Saint Teresa of Avila lived in the sixteenth century. Her spiritual writings were well-known and had a significant impact on Christian doctrine and religious rituals. She conveyed a sentiment about prayer in one of her works that has been widely remembered.

Think of prayer as a valuable gem that requires polishing. Saint Teresa viewed this procedure as a loving labor that was required to strengthen the soul's bond with God rather than as a taxing task. She frequently considered how much sacrifice and work one might be prepared to put in to advance their spiritual practice—for her, that meant prayer.

From illness to political unrest within religious orders, Saint Teresa herself had to overcome many obstacles in her life, but she never wavered in her resolve to grow in her faith via fervent devotion and introspection. Her writings demonstrate a deep comprehension of the value of earnest prayer as a tool for spiritual development and achieving oneness with God.

The quotation you cited illustrates the notion that, on occasion, even major sacrifices are justified if they result in increased spiritual fulfillment. True devotion to prayer, according to Saint Teresa, is comparable to enduring hard physical labor or going through challenging penance. The more difficult the task appeared to be, the more it demonstrated her commitment and yearning for a deeper relationship with God.

Her remarks compel believers to examine their own religious practices and determine whether they are prepared to put in a substantial amount of work to improve their spiritual lives. In the same way that an athlete trains hard to perform at their best, a person can work hard in prayer to grow spiritually.