Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/3155

3155 Maturing the soul in the world....

June 11, 1944: Book 41

The human soul remains undeveloped in the world's activity as long as it cannot detach itself in hours of quiet contemplation or establish contact with God through eager activity of love, for which it is also given ample opportunity in the midst of the world. And yet the human being is placed in it so that he can overcome the world and find the path to God in it, because this requires increased willpower. If the human being closes himself off from the world, his merit is less, for he avoids all temptations and oppositions, he does not need to fight the battle to which the human being is exposed who does not flee from the world. The greater the oppositions, the more strength they require, but the greater the success the soul can achieve if it overcomes all oppositions. And that is why great demands are made on the human being which he should not evade. He has to fulfill his task earthly, he has to be exposed to earthly temptations, but nothing should prevent him from seeking the intimate connection with God, because from this he also draws his strength to fulfill the earthly demands. Nevertheless, he will also be able to be spiritually active if this is what his will strives for. However, if the human being neither lives in love nor finds time for inner contemplation which introduces him to the spiritual kingdom, he will remain at the same spiritual degree of maturity or even develop regressively if matter captivates him and he is devoid of all love. In that case he will live his life on earth in vain, but even seclusion would not change such a person spiritually but only make him grumpy and dissatisfied because spiritual striving is alien to him and he cannot fulfill his earthly desires. A person can make God his own in every situation in life if his heart urges him to do so, and therefore he can also serve God always and everywhere, the hustle and bustle of the world will often give him enough opportunity to serve his neighbor, while in solitude a person lives only for himself and is hindered in his work of love. The latter, however, brings man to maturity, for it brings him closer to God, and therefore every opportunity should be used to practice serving charity. In the hustle and bustle of the world there are often greater opportunities for man's development, for hardship and suffering require help, which every human being can provide for his fellow human being, and spiritual hardship is also particularly great in the midst of the world, and this is also a field of work where man can be particularly successful. And this is why God calls His servants in the midst of the world, and He presents the adversity of fellow human beings to them so that they will now work diligently, so that they will practice love and give love in the midst of the world and, in hours of inner contemplation, gain the strength to overcome all temptations and oppositions of the world, and thus can also mature in the midst of the world to the height....

amen

Translated by Doris Boekers