orthodoxgladness:

If there is no joy in the heart, it means that the devil is lying down there. – St. John of Kronstadt

Know thyself. And even deeper, know the very depths of yourself in relation to God. Are you joyful? Let us not make excuses for where we stand, but instead look carefully at the reality of our Souls.

Do not dismiss the feeling of despair. The loss of joy. In this place you are already at battle. In this place, the devil is already hiding.