Elder Ephraim of Filotheou From "Counsels from the Holy Mountain", the Letter and Homilies of Elder Ephrain

Our holy God lets temptations come upon those who love Him in order to teach them the art of war. The grace of God withdraws and then clouds of temptation rise and one reaches the point of saying, "See! God has abandoned me!" Then he has myriads of thoughts, strangulation of soul, and darkness and lapses everywhere!

Holy Wisdom, our holy God, causes all these, and we learn that only God is able to save us and that without Go all our own works are rubbish and chaff, which all scatter with the slightest wind of temptation, and it becomes apparent that we are rusty things, feeble and unable to face any temptation whatsoever without the aid of our hoi God's grace.

Through such things the grace of divine providence  teaches us the lesson of self-knowledge; that is, of true cognizant, solid, bedrock humility; for without it, it is impossible to build a spiritual house. He abandons us to the  point of despair, so that we are compelled to cry out to Him mournfully and lamentably, so that our mouth and hear may be sanctified.

Temptations, therefore, bring about all these things. Indeed, let us pray that God will protect us from temptation; but when they come, we must pass through them with patience and wisdom to profit from them. Therefore, have patience in all things and thus save yourself.