How must we look upon the gifts of intellect, feeling and freedom? With the intellect we must learn to know God in the works of His creation, revelation, providence, and in the destinies of men; with the heart we must feel God's love, His most heavenly peace, the sweetness of His love, we must love our neighbour, sympathise with him in joy and in sorrow, in health and in sickness, in poverty and in wealth, in distinction and in low estate; we must use freedom, as a means, an instrument for doing as much good as possible, and for perfecting ourselves in every virtue, so as to render unto God fruits a hundredfold.
-St. John of Kronstadt, My Life in Christ: Part 1, Holy Trinity Monastery pg. 225, 19th Century


'Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom' (II Cor. 3:17), a freedom from the slavery of the Law. For the Law was a guide and a custodian leading us by the hand, teaching us righteousness and telling us, 'You must do such and such,' and on the contrary, 'You must not do such and such.' But grace and truth (Jn. 1:17) are different. In what way? 'You are to do and say all things in accordance with the grace given to you' (Rom. 12:3) 'and speaking through you' (Mt. 10:20; Mk. 13:11). As it is written, 'They shall be taught by God' (Jn. 6:45), learning goodness not by writing and letters (cf. II Cor. 3:3, 6), but by being taught by the Holy Ghost. Not by word alone, but in the light of the word and in the word of the light are they mystically initiated into things divine.
-St. Symeon the New Theologian, The Discourses, XXVIII sect. 3; Paulist Press pg. 297, 11th Century


Someone asked this question of a discerning man: 'Why is it that God confers gifts and wonder-working powers on some, even though He knows in advance that they will lapse?' His answer was that God does this so that other spiritual men may grow cautious, and to show that the human will is free, and to demonstrate that on the day of judgment there will be no excuse for these who lapsed.
-St. John Climacus, Ladder of Divine Ascent, Step 26:On Discernment; Paulist Press pg. 247, 6th century


Prayer affords an experience of spiritual liberty of which most people are ignorant. The first sign of emancipation is a disinclination to impose one’s will on others. The second—an inner release from the hold of others on oneself. ..Man is made in the image and likeness of God, Who is humble but at the same time free. Those who are possessed by the lust for power cloud the image of God within themselves.
-Archimandrite Sophrony, His Life is Mine, p. 73, 20th century