Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/6654

6654 Individual's decision of will....

September 26, 1956: Book 71

It is every individual person's task to still reach the last aim on earth, but it is only fulfilled by a few. Every human being stands isolated in creation, even though he has contact with his fellow human beings; but everyone has to pursue his development of ascent for himself, he can only find loving support, but his own will is always a prerequisite. And this will is what earthly life is about.... The will can indeed be stimulated in many ways to take a certain direction but it cannot be forcibly determined to do so.... And it can often be influenced and yet it decides differently, and it renders all influences ineffective. But the decision of will alone is what matters in earthly life, which every human being has to make for himself. Hence there are two aims which the human being on earth can strive for.... the world, earthly matter, the goods which are transient, or the spiritual kingdom, which also reveals itself to people on earth but, because it is not visible or tangible, is mostly overlooked. Both aims are known to people, it is just that the spiritual aim is very often unbelievable to people, even though they are presented with knowledge about it.... Therefore the choice is not easy when it concerns visible and invisible goods for which the human being should decide. And he usually chooses what is visible and tangible to him and completely ignores the other aim. But his will is free.... There is therefore only one possibility to disparage in his eyes the goods that appear desirable to him.... to present them as pseudo-goods without value, as impermanent and illusory.... on the other hand, to emphasize the spiritual goods as solely valuable and permanent. Man cannot be forced to think rightly, but it is possible for him to do so.... And just as little can he be forced to think wrongly.... He is free to do both, he has to make the decision all by himself, because this decision also determines his later life in the spiritual kingdom. And therefore he is approached by the most diverse experiences which are all suitable to guide his thinking into the right direction, but opposing influences are not left out either.... And the human being is often forced to make decisions which he has to make himself. And now only his innermost attitude towards God is decisive.... If the human being only has a little faith in a God and creator then he will also feel that he belongs to Him and make the right decision.... But if he lacks this faith, then God's adversary will have the upper hand and the human being will decide in his favour. Only faith in God must be present, then the right decision is certain. But precisely this faith is not often present because humanity is on a low spiritual level, thus it is still in bondage to God's adversary who would like to stifle all realization, all knowledge of a God of eternity in people. Yet God constantly ensures that this knowledge is conveyed to people, and anyone of good will also knows that he is united with a power Which gave him life. And his will will also certainly turn to this power.... It is possible for every human being to come to this realization that a 'higher power' rules the world and that he himself is dependent on this power. But not every human being accepts this realization. There are many who close their minds to every reasonable explanation, who do not want to be subject to a power and who can therefore easily be ruled by God's adversary.... But their will is free.... And thus every individual person's decision remains a matter of free will, and eternal life depends on this decision.... the earthly or the spiritual world will dominate thinking, i.e., God or His adversary has an influence on the human being but the human being himself determines his lord.... And thus it will certainly also be possible for the human being to reach the final aim if only his will is correctly directed.... to God, Who will then also provide him with strength which, however, he will lack if he allows himself to be controlled by God's adversary....

Amen

Translated by Doris Boekers