Writing a couple hundred years after Palladius’ account of Valens, Isaac the Syrian, a 7th century Christian monk, recounts that there were many people in the history of the church that had accomplished great things through the exercise of spiritual gifts:
He goes on to lament that those with great gifts became a scandal to the church in their fall:
This came about because they did not consider their spiritual health before they rushed out to help others. In not considering their own health, those they healed eventually were wounded because of their poor example.
Isaac the Syrian counsels those who would listen to love sitting before the heart of God more than any great accomplishment you could achieve:
The first 1,000 years of the church was not immune to stories of ineptitude, moral depravity, compromise, theological heresy, pride and arrogance when it comes to the exercise of the spiritual gifts. It should stand as no surprise that the next 1,000 years saw just as many problematic uses. Jonathan Edwards, writing in the 18th century alludes to some of these issues in his The Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God:
His advice in return is humility and watchfulness of heart: