BD.5647
April 9, 1953

MAN'S JOURNEY OF SORROWS

Him who God loves He often lets go along stony paths, to carry burdens that nearly crush him, yet only for his best; for every burden under the cross can, with the right attitude towards Him Who guides his destiny, serve him for a blessing. His love verily extends to all His beings, but especially those not far from reaching their goal. He recognises every man's disposition and hence knows the individual's stance towards his God and Father from eternity; and hence He often seizes him with a view to helping him reach his goal with certainty.

Only in this way shall you be able to explain how pious people often, notwithstanding their obvious devotion to god, have to suffer and often have a great struggle on earth, which, among other things, allows God's goodness and love to be questioned. God knows the purpose of everything. If men only were convinced of His love and goodness, they would recognise all difficulties as His providence, and not rebel; they would know themselves to be seized by God's love, and would patiently wait for their destiny to change.

There verily is much suffering upon the earth; mankind is smarting under His pressure, yet they do not regard themselves as in need of nurturing and they therefore inwardly resist where they should submit, in order for their difficulties to be taken away, with God's help plainly coming to the fore, to make Him recognisable as a loving Father to all those who want it. - God allows those to suffer whom He loves. - These words find little credence, for men do not consider sorrow an effective means towards nurturing, in a world where perpetually only what is agreeable to the body is striven for, and no love on God's part is admitted in sorrow and want. It nonetheless is a manifestation of His love in a way beneficial to the soul, for God knows the blessings of sorrow, and hence applies such means as will hold men back from the earthly world. He will rather see them suffer than sink in the mire of the world and sin.

He knows that sickness and pain can bring about a change, but that the world can offer no spiritual progress; and that therefore the world has to first be marked down, whereto God lends His indirect help - by means lacking God's love in appearance only, but which are of no harm to the soul, - unless man rebels against his destiny and invokes God's adversary. Then same shall help indeed, but in a way different from that desired; same helps, but never without service in return, the return service consisting in the soul's giving herself up to him.

Hence surrender yourselves to God's will when struck with want and grief; do not grumble and complain, and bow to His arrangements and set your sights on Him alone. And He shall take the cross from you; He shall make it easy for you as soon as you hand yourselves over to His grace-filled guidance with resignation.

Because you can know yourselves guided by Him Who through suffering and want only wants to win you for Himself; Who wants to purify your soul and give it occasion to time and again test itself in patience and gentleness: for the help of God to then come visibly, so that His love would then visibly intervene and heal all your wounds at the right time.

AMEN