1. The Beloved: My son, I am the Lord; no strength like his in the hour of distress.¹ When things are not going well with you, come to me. The chief hindrance to your receiving heavenly comfort is your slowness in turning to prayer; you do not come to me straightway and pray to me earnestly, but first you go seeking other things to comfort you, trying to find diversion in created things. All these things, as it happens, do little to help you; it is then that you remember that I am the deliverer of all who put their hope in me; that apart from me there is no help that can do much, no counsel that can be taken with profit, no remedy whose effects can last. But now, when the storm is over and you can breathe freely again, recruit your strength in the light of my mercies; for I am near, I the Lord, to restore all things not only to their former perfection, but to pile them high and make them overflow with added graces.
2. How should any task be too difficult for me?² Shall I be like a man who promises something and then fails to do it? Where is your faith? Stand firm and hold your ground. Be a man of courage, and wait in patience; my comfort will come to you in its own good time. Watch out for me; yes, watch; I will come and look after you. The trouble that now distresses you is my way of testing you; the fears which fill you with terror have no foundation. What use is it to worry about what the future will bring? It will only make you have sorrow upon sorrow. For today, today's troubles are enough.³ It is silly and useless to get worried or pleasantly excited about future events; quite likely they will never happen at all.
3. Yet it is part of man's make-up to be deceived by picturing things to himself in this way; it is a sign of small spiritual stature when you take to heart so readily whatever your enemy the Devil slips into your mind. He is not particular in his choice of tricks to catch you out; truth or falsehood, it's all one to him. So long as he can bring you down, he doesn't mind how he trips you; it may be by making you love the present, or it may be by making you fear the future. So do not let your heart be distressed, or play the coward!4 Trust in me, and have confidence in my mercy. Often, when you feel you are far away from me, I am nearer than you think; when you reckon everything is all but lost, a greater reward for your striving is often just ahead of you. Everything is not lost, just because things are going against you. So don't let your present feelings affect your judgement; and don't cling obstinately to any mood of depression, whatever its origin, letting it settle as though you had lost all hope of ever coming out of it.
4. Don't imagine you have been completely abandoned if I send some trial to afflict you for a while, or if I withdraw from you the comfort you had hoped for; this is the road by which you reach the kingdom of heaven. You may be sure that it is better for you and the rest of my servants to be harassed with things that go against the grain than always to have everything to your liking. I know the thoughts you keep hidden; it is very necessary for your salvation for you to be left now and then without any taste of spiritual sweetness; otherwise, you might start getting conceited ideas about your good progress in the ways of the spirit, and be highly pleased with yourself for reaching a state which is not yet yours. What I have given, I can take away, and restore again when it pleases me to do so.
5. When I give you something, it is still mine; when I take it back, I am not taking anything of yours, because every good gift, every perfect gift, belongs to me. If I send you some affliction or trouble, do not be indignant about it or let it break your heart; I can quickly relieve you of your burden and turn it all into joy. Nevertheless, I am just, and when I so deal with you, you ought to give me all the praise that is my due.
6. If you are truly wise and see things as they really are, you must never allow troubles to make you unhappy and depressed; no, you should be glad and thank me for them. Indeed, you ought to account it your sole joy that by afflicting you with sorrows I do not spare you. I have bestowed my love upon you, just as my Father has bestowed his love upon me;5 that is what I said to my beloved disciples, and you know what I sent them out to; not to have worldly pleasures, but to fight great battles; not to be honoured, but to be despised; not to have an easy time, but to work hard; not to rest, but to bring forth much fruit in patience. Remember these words of mine, my son.
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¹ Nahum 1:7
² Jeremiah 32:27
³ Matthew 6:34
4 John 14:27
5 John 15:9
2. How should any task be too difficult for me?² Shall I be like a man who promises something and then fails to do it? Where is your faith? Stand firm and hold your ground. Be a man of courage, and wait in patience; my comfort will come to you in its own good time. Watch out for me; yes, watch; I will come and look after you. The trouble that now distresses you is my way of testing you; the fears which fill you with terror have no foundation. What use is it to worry about what the future will bring? It will only make you have sorrow upon sorrow. For today, today's troubles are enough.³ It is silly and useless to get worried or pleasantly excited about future events; quite likely they will never happen at all.
3. Yet it is part of man's make-up to be deceived by picturing things to himself in this way; it is a sign of small spiritual stature when you take to heart so readily whatever your enemy the Devil slips into your mind. He is not particular in his choice of tricks to catch you out; truth or falsehood, it's all one to him. So long as he can bring you down, he doesn't mind how he trips you; it may be by making you love the present, or it may be by making you fear the future. So do not let your heart be distressed, or play the coward!4 Trust in me, and have confidence in my mercy. Often, when you feel you are far away from me, I am nearer than you think; when you reckon everything is all but lost, a greater reward for your striving is often just ahead of you. Everything is not lost, just because things are going against you. So don't let your present feelings affect your judgement; and don't cling obstinately to any mood of depression, whatever its origin, letting it settle as though you had lost all hope of ever coming out of it.
4. Don't imagine you have been completely abandoned if I send some trial to afflict you for a while, or if I withdraw from you the comfort you had hoped for; this is the road by which you reach the kingdom of heaven. You may be sure that it is better for you and the rest of my servants to be harassed with things that go against the grain than always to have everything to your liking. I know the thoughts you keep hidden; it is very necessary for your salvation for you to be left now and then without any taste of spiritual sweetness; otherwise, you might start getting conceited ideas about your good progress in the ways of the spirit, and be highly pleased with yourself for reaching a state which is not yet yours. What I have given, I can take away, and restore again when it pleases me to do so.
5. When I give you something, it is still mine; when I take it back, I am not taking anything of yours, because every good gift, every perfect gift, belongs to me. If I send you some affliction or trouble, do not be indignant about it or let it break your heart; I can quickly relieve you of your burden and turn it all into joy. Nevertheless, I am just, and when I so deal with you, you ought to give me all the praise that is my due.
6. If you are truly wise and see things as they really are, you must never allow troubles to make you unhappy and depressed; no, you should be glad and thank me for them. Indeed, you ought to account it your sole joy that by afflicting you with sorrows I do not spare you. I have bestowed my love upon you, just as my Father has bestowed his love upon me;5 that is what I said to my beloved disciples, and you know what I sent them out to; not to have worldly pleasures, but to fight great battles; not to be honoured, but to be despised; not to have an easy time, but to work hard; not to rest, but to bring forth much fruit in patience. Remember these words of mine, my son.
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¹ Nahum 1:7
The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.
² Jeremiah 32:27
"Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too hard for me?
³ Matthew 6:34
"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.
4 John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
5 John 15:9
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love.
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