Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/6328

6328 Right will.... truthful knowledge....

August 8, 1955: Book 68

Thoughtless acceptance of religious doctrines can never develop a soul upwards, for such knowledge cannot be evaluated as spiritual thought, instead it always only remains worldly knowledge, even though it concerns spiritual questions. Only that which is received by the heart is of benefit to the soul, and for this a mental examination of the content of a teaching is absolutely necessary. And this will also inform the person demanding truth whether the teaching corresponds to truth or is erroneous.... And therefore every person can come into possession of truth if he desires it, for then he will think about everything that is presented to him and his spirit will guide him. But thoughtless acceptance also betrays indifference towards the truth and the heart will remain empty, the soul will not benefit from such teachings. This explanation therefore proves to you why one person penetrates deeper into spiritual knowledge while the other remains ignorant.... And this explanation also proves to you that the will has to become active first.... If this will for truth is not present then the human being will remain in spiritual darkness, for nothing can be given to him if he desires nothing. But the will is free.... And the great spiritual darkness on earth therefore only proves that people don't use their free will or use it wrongly, for they could truly stand on a higher spiritual level because everything is given to them for their spiritual progress if only they would strive for it themselves, if their innermost thoughts and impulses would want to apply to the most important thing.... to experience the truth.... No one, neither spiritual nor earthly forces, can determine the inner desire, and the human being is considered according to the inner desire. Just as well as the desire can be turned towards worldly things, it can also be directed towards spiritual aims.... The human being determines this himself in free will, and the supply of truthful knowledge will not be guaranteed to him from outside but from within. Truthful knowledge, however, will also lead to right faith.... So right faith is also the result of a rightly directed will. God's adversary does everything in his power to misdirect this very will and thereby eradicate faith.... Yet grace from God will always flow to people in abundance so that they will not be defenceless against God's adversary.... But in order for the graces to become effective, the human being's free will must become active.... The human being need not fail, for he will always be helped by God to direct his will correctly, but therefore he must also answer for his free will.... For ultimately it concerns the passing of his test of will in earthly life, and God does not demand anything from people which they cannot fulfil.... but their will decides....

Amen

Translated by Doris Boekers