Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/0876

0876 Efficiency of the soul.... renunciation.... preliminary stages.... light spheres....

April 21, 1939: Book 17

In an indescribably long past the soul was given tasks which demanded complete fulfilment, and only in this way was the course of higher development covered. If the soul's entire nature has reached the highest level of efficiency through the constant transformation of its cover, it must now also be given a task of equally great extent or responsibility in earthly life, which it can only fulfil if it endeavours to use all the abilities at its disposal and devotes itself eagerly to this work. It will be of immeasurable advantage for it if it makes use of every opportunity and overcomes everything difficult, for this alone promotes its state of maturity, that it willingly takes upon herself what is imposed on it for its own perfection. Thus, for example, it will take a certain time until the soul has freed itself from all earthly desire, and it can only achieve this if it practices renunciation, if it only ever considers that giving in to the body's desire is always detrimental to the soul.... if it equally considers how much the soul has to live in want when the body is considered and thus has to muster every ounce of resistance in order to help the soul. The human being bears responsibility for his soul because, on the other hand, he also has the ability to refrain from or do everything that is helpful to the soul.... and, in turn, it only depends on the human being's will to use these abilities correctly and, if the body demands something other than what is in the soul's best interest, to offer it the right resistance. For only in this way can the earthly task be completely fulfilled. And the human being has to fight this battle every day and every hour, and he should not tire, because it’s the highest stakes.... it’s about eternity.... This concept is incomprehensible to you humans, for you do not grasp the word in its deepest meaning. But you should know that you receive infinitely more than you give.... but that on the other hand you cannot receive in the state you are in now on earth.... that you would not be able to endure the glories if you had not first shaped yourselves in such a way that you could partake of them. Just as the soul had to form before in order to animate the human body.... just as its present condition is completely different from the previous stages, where the course through innumerable individual beings only brought about unification in an inconceivably long time in order to now embody itself in the human being.... the soul must now also try to reach the state in earthly existence that it can leave the dark stay in matter and rise into light regions, in order to be able to endure the very abundance of light, which is the epitome of bliss.... In order to receive the highest delights and enjoy unlimited bliss, the body's desire on earth must be met with the greatest resistance.... Then the soul will use its abilities in the right way by only ever striving for life in eternity and only regarding earthly life as an educational station....

Amen

Translated by Doris Boekers