If your spirit still looks around at the time of prayer, then it does not yet pray as a monk. You are no better than a man of affairs engaged in a kind of landscape gardening.
Evagrius PonticusDo not be troubled if you do not immediately receive from God what you ask Him; for He desires to do something even greater for you, while you cling to Him in prayer.
Evagrius PonticusA man who worships in Spirit and Truth no longer honors the Creator because of His works, but praises Him because of Himself.
Evagrius PonticusRemember how the Lord rebukes Martha when He says: 'You are anxious and troubled about many things: one thing alone is needful' (Lk. 10:41-42) ? to hear the divine word; after that, one should be content with anything that comes to hand.
Evagrius Ponticus