Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/2022

2022 Carelessness - danger.... reflection - beginning of spiritual influence....

August 10, 1941: Book 30

What is useful for earthly life is not always beneficial for the shaping of the soul, instead, human endeavours are often precisely suited to prevent or unfavourably influence the work on the soul. And therefore man should have understanding for the fact that failures are granted to him by fate, he should know that with a permanent favourable situation in life a certain carelessness takes possession of the soul, that the spiritual striving becomes less and conversely the desire for the world awakens again or increases. It is precisely carelessness that makes people strive for more.... for the fulfilment of the enjoyment of life.... while worries and hardships weaken the desire for it and man is absorbed in the spiritual. Man's constant struggle on earth stimulates him to reflect, and reflection is the beginning of spiritual connection and therefore also the beginning of spiritual influence. Through contemplation, man places himself in the power of otherworldly good or evil forces, depending on the object that prompts him to contemplate. If man reflects, this is already his will to receive enlightenment.... A carefree life, however, brings so many earthly things close to man, which then steer his train of thought in the wrong direction. Only when the human being has completely closed himself off from the world, when spiritual striving moves his whole thinking, can he be granted a life of carefree living, for then it will make little difference to his thinking and striving and his soul's work will not suffer any interruption or unfavourable influence.... What puts you humans in a bad mood is often unspeakably beneficial for the soul, as it gives the human being cause for introspection, especially when he himself suffers from his bad mood. Then he will try to give account to himself and, if he is honest with himself, will also look for the cause in himself and then make the best resolutions to change. The most important thing in life on earth is always to recognize oneself. To judge oneself mercilessly, to criticize oneself severely and not to stop asking God for strength to refine one's nature is absolutely necessary for conscious soul work. And when a person feels unburdened, he often slackens off; slacking off, however, is a stagnation that is far more likely to lead to regression than to progress. Human life must therefore bring disappointments, failures or more or less severe suffering and hardship for the sake of shaping the soul....

Amen

Translated by Doris Boekers