2299 Serving.... vice of idleness....

April 12, 1942: Book 32

The walk through earthly life is a conscious and unconscious serving, but always activity if this walk is to be a bearable one. If it is not possible for the beingness to serve, then this is a state of death, indeed caused by its own will, but unspeakably agonizing. In the stage as a human being, however, the beingness is free to be of service or to be inactive. And this does not have as agonizing an effect as in the previous stages, but it is all the more serious because the inertia places a tremendous burden on the soul. The soul perceives inactivity as an obstacle to ascent. It feels it, but is more turned towards the body and fulfils its desires. And just as it neglects its task on earth, it will also not fulfil the demands made of it in the beyond in order to change its agonizing state, which is the result and effect of its earthly life. It will not recognize its state of inactivity in the beyond as the cause of its suffering and therefore will not be willing to escape it either, yet it will still feel the torment of its lack of freedom. Moreover, as on earth, it will crave distractions and the fulfilment of earthly desires, but will never be prepared to help those who suffer like it in servant love. This state is extremely hopeless if the soul has no inner drive to be active, which is a consequence of its idle way of life. On earth power is constantly flowing to people and this should be utilized, it should be utilized for serving activity, for only through such activity does the soul redeem itself and also help the still immature spiritual substance in matter to develop higher. However, as soon as the human being indulges in idleness, he misuses the strength he receives without gaining any benefit for his soul. This would only be a standstill if idleness were not at the same time the danger that man falls into vices which mean a regression for him. For now the adversary of God comes into action by holding up all the comforts of earthly life to the sluggish human being and urging him to chase after them. Indulgence, gluttony and carnal desires tempt him to commit many sins, weaken the body and soul and make them unfit for resistance. The desire for earthly goods is increased and the soul is now kept completely away from its actual earthly task if it does not give in to the urging of the spirit, which makes suggestions to the soul to give up this way of life. If the soul still has this strength of will, then it is saved, but this requires great willpower and heartfelt prayer to God for help and strengthening of the will. In most cases, however, the desire for the world goes hand in hand with idleness and the person pays no attention to the spiritual task. And the soul must bitterly atone for such a wrongly led way of life in the beyond, for it will not be spared the torments of the state of inactivity. It has to endure it until it longs for activity of its own accord, which can take an inconceivably long time....

Amen

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