Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/2895

2895 Temptations, inner struggles.... testing the will....

September 25, 1943: Book 37

In order to be able to perfect himself the human being has to go through difficult inner battles because he has to test his strength of resistance in them. Spiritual maturity can only be attained through a correctly applied will, and therefore this must be tested time and again, and this requires soul struggles; the human being must be confronted by temptations which only have the one purpose of being overcome so that the spirit becomes increasingly freer. The giving up of one's own physical desires has to be achieved and only the soul is to unfold, and therefore the will has to be strong, and a perpetual struggle against oneself is a necessity which necessitates the maturing of the soul. It is not an easy task, yet the fulfillment, the victory over oneself, is a reward, a success which is worth all efforts and overcoming, for the free spiritual state is so blissful that the human being has truly given up nothing but is only the recipient, for what he gives is of no lasting value, but the freedom of spirit remains with him eternally. People cannot be spared these struggles, for only through constant struggle does the soul purify and steel itself, and only then is it suitable for the free spiritual state, which presupposes a complete overcoming of matter, of earthly desires and cravings. And therefore the temptation has to approach the human being time and again so that he proves his power of resistance, so that he seriously works on himself and lets his will become active.... All spiritual progress consists of overcoming oneself, be it by giving up one's own desires towards God or one's neighbor, if the human being overcomes his desire for the sake of the latter and makes a sacrifice. He must always put his ego aside, he must strive upwards, he must strive for spiritual good and renounce every earthly pleasure, then he consciously strives for the perfection of his soul, then it will become easier and easier for him to withstand every temptation; desires and cravings will become weaker and weaker the more he has become victorious over himself. And the spirit within him will become freer and freer, for nothing will hold him back and he will be able to strive upwards unhindered. Temptations of all kinds are cliffs and obstacles that must be overcome if the right path is to be continued, which leads to the goal. And the world will still provide the human being with manifold incentives to test his will, inner battles of the soul will have to be fought again and again if earthly life is to bring constant progress, if the soul is to be able to mature through its own resistance. The goal cannot be achieved without a fight, the human being must always be prepared to face his adversary who, in all the temptations of the world, approaches him time and again and tries to make him fall.... Man must constantly be on his guard lest he succumb, and therefore he must fight without ceasing until he has defeated himself....

amen

Translated by Doris Boekers