Stop defiling your flesh with shameful deeds and polluting your soul with wicked thoughts; then the peace of God will descend upon you and bring you love. Afflict your flesh with hunger and vigils and apply yourself tirelessly to psalmody and prayer; then the sanctifying gift of self-restraint will descend upon you and bring you love. (Maximos the Confessor)

I am a great advocate of restraint, but I am not confident it will in itself bring love.

I understand the distracting nature of shameful deeds and wicked thoughts, but self-affliction of the flesh can be as distracting.

There is something in what Maximos prescribes that smacks of worthiness. In my experience accepting God's love has much more to do with readiness.

Readiness requires making time and space for God. It also requires being in meaningful relationship with others. What you do and think is part of readiness, but so is why you are doing it and thinking it.

Motivation is key to readiness. If motivated to be worthy of God's love, we will fail. But opening ourselves to the the presence of God is something, just barely, within our ability... with God's help.