St. Macarius of Optina: Seeing ourselves as bad or good

 You are distressed to find that whenever you now examine your conscience, you see yourself as bad; whereas formerly, when you were young, such examination showed you to be, on the whole, good rather than bad. What an extraordinary reason for distress!

It is infinitely better for us to see ourselves as bad than good. In the first case, we acquire humility, and find the door to forgiveness, the door to grace; in the second, we grow proud; and pride blocks the way to grace.

As to the real value of our deeds and actions, of that God alone is judge; He, who knows the most secret impulses of every human heart.

+St. Macarius of Optina, from Russian Letters of Direction, I Blessed are the Poor in Spirit; for Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven, 2. Self-Knowledge

St. Nicodemus the Hagiorite: On the Omnipresence of God

 Our pagan forefathers sought to teach men to avoid shameful deeds by asking them to imagine the presence of some important and revered person. If the imaginary presence of mortal men can avert one from doing evil when found alone, how much more can the true and abiding presence of the true and omnipresent and immortal God, who not only sees the external deeds of men but also knows the inner thoughts and feelings of the heart?

Most foolish then are those who are by themselves alone in an isolated or dark place and who have no self-respect and shame, nor remember the presence of God. The may say: "I am now in this darkness, who can see me?" God condemns such persons as being foolish. "Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him?... Do I not fill heaven and earth?" (Jer 23:24). "A man who breaks his marriage vows says to himself, 'Who sees me? Darkness surrounds me, and the walls hid me, and no one sees me. Why should I fear? The Most High will not take notice of my sins.' His fear is confined to the eyes of men, and he does not realize that the eyes of the Lord are ten times brighter than the sun" (Sir 23:18-19).

+St. Nicodemus the Hagiorite, from A Handbook of Spiritual Counsel, chapter 7, On Guarding the Sense of Touch

Origen: That sins should be revealed

 "That the thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed"(Luke 2:35). There were evil thoughts in men, and they were revealed for this reason, that being brought into the open they might be destroyed, slain and put to death, and case to be, and that He who died for us might kill them. For while these thoughts were hidden and not brought into the open they could not be utterly done to death. Hence if we have sinned we also ought to say, "I have made my sins known to Thee, and I have not hidden my wickedness. I have said I will declare my unrighteousness to the Lord against myself." For if we do this and reveal our sins not only to God but also to those who can heal our wounds and sins, our wickedness will be wiped out by Him who says, "I will wipe out your wickedness like a cloud."
+Origen, from Homily on Luke 17, in The Early Christian Fathers