Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/2819

2819 Spiritual progress - constant struggle and fight....

July 20, 1943: Book 37

All spiritual progress must be fought for.... must always be preceded by an overcoming of oneself if the soul is to mature and achieve spiritual success. And therefore the will always has to become active, the human being is not forced to do so but has to think and act in complete freedom of will.... And therefore it is often made difficult for him to test his will, obstacles are placed in his path, temptations of all kinds approach him which he can only resist with utmost strength of will, and if he does so then he will inevitably ascend. A constant struggle and overcoming is therefore man's lot on earth, because otherwise he cannot reach the heights. Life on earth is a test in which the human being has to prove himself and he will fail if he does not constantly struggle and strive. For God wants to kindle the desire for Himself in the human being, He wants to strengthen it through every resistance so that the human being strives ever more and thereby comes ever closer to Him. There is no ascent without a fight, for even the person who is willing to love has to fight against himself, he has to suppress all self-love, he has to deny himself what he wants to do to his fellow human being, and this is always an inner battle before he has reached that degree of perfection which makes him forget himself. As long as earthly matter surrounds the human being he has to fight against it, and it requires a lot of willpower to completely free himself from the desire for it because the body is still too closely connected to it. But the human being who strives towards God increasingly puts matter aside, and when he is faced with the choice he gives it up with a light heart because God helps him in this battle as soon as He recognizes his will, thus the battle will be easier the more the human being strives towards God. For now love also becomes active in him, and this renounces far sooner everything that hinders man from ascending. Anyone who has love has already travelled the path of battle and emerged victorious, he has progressed spiritually and now his life will be easier, for he is now serving and therefore no longer needs to fight.... And every service in love is spiritual progress, every service in love is an overcoming of oneself of one's own free will, which was preceded by a struggle as soon as the human being was in a low degree of maturity.... He must not become discouraged, for a high goal crowns his eager endeavour. He must always be mindful that he walks the earth for the sake of this goal and that only one thing is required of him.... submission to the divine will.... which he has so far resisted.... This requires overcoming and struggle until he has become love and fulfils the divine will without resistance.... until he has the same will and has thereby come close to God....

amen

Translated by Doris Boekers