Excerpts from the Writings of St. Alphonsus De Liguori

Those who do something for the glory of God are not troubled at all by failure, because they have already achieved their purpose of pleasing God, by acting with a pure intention.
St. Alphonsus Ligouri

The devil makes us think that it is laudable to be angry with ourselves when we commit some fault. But it is no such thing: the enemy is trying to keep us in a state of restlessness so that we will be unfit to do any good. Saint Francis de Sales said: "You can be sure that all thoughts which cause disquiet are not from God, who is the Prince of Peace, but come either from the devil, our self-love or from the high opinion we have of ourselves."
St. Alphonsus Ligouri

Jesus Christ has said: "Blessed are you who are poor; Blessed are those who mourn; Blessed are those who hunger; Blessed are those who are persecuted; Blessed are you when people revile you . . . and utter all kinds of evil against you." This is how Jesus Christ speaks in the Gospels. But then how can people claim to believe in the Gospels when they say: "Blessed are those who have money. Blessed are those who suffer nothing. Blessed are those who take their pleasure. Ah, the poor person, persecuted and mistreated by others." Such people, it must be said, either do not believe the Gospels or believed them only in part. Those who believe them entirely consider it a sign of good fortune and God’s favor in this world to be poor, to be sick, to be mortified, to be despised and mistreated by others. Such is the belief, and such the language, of those who believe everything that is said in the Gospels and have a real love for Jesus Christ.
St. Alphonsus Ligouri

Saint Aloysius Gonzaga said that there could be no surer sign that a person is numbered among the elect than to see him God-fearing and at the same time racked by travail and desolation in this world.
St. Alphonsus Ligouri

[Saint Teresa of Avilla once told] the Lord that were she to see others in paradise enjoying him more than herself, she wouldn’t mind; but were she to see any one loving him more, she didn’t know how she could endure it. So we must be greatly encouraged: "The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him" (Lam 3:25). God is surpassingly good and generous to souls that seek him with all their hearts. Nor, if we really desire to become saints, can our past sins prevent us. Saint Teresa remarks: "The devil strives to make it look like pride when we have great desires and wish to imitate the saints; but it is very useful to build up our courage to do great things; because, although the soul may not immediately have the strength, it still launches out on a bold fight and makes rapid advances."
St. Alphonsus Ligouri