On Repentance and Fruitfulness

A brother asked an elder, “Why do our works bear little fruit?”

The elder said, “Because you love the works more than repentance.”

The brother said, “But we labor for God.”

The elder replied, “God labors in the heart. You labor elsewhere.”

The brother said, “What should we do?”

The elder said, “Enter your heart. Remain there. Everything else will either follow or fall away.”