3254 World and earthly pleasures or spiritual realm....

September 14, 1944: Book 42

Anyone who makes the world his friend will have no share in the spiritual kingdom, for the earthly world prevents the human being from seeking contact with the spiritual kingdom, and without this connection there is no spiritual progress, thus no higher development of the soul. The human being is earthbound as long as he stays on earth, but he can still detach himself from it, he can overcome the earth as long as he only pays as much attention to earthly things as is necessary to fulfil his earthly task. Then he will be able to join the spiritual kingdom all the more eagerly and fully receive its treasures, the spiritual wealth which promotes his higher development. Spiritual treasures and earthly treasures can never be acquired at the same time, but only one at the expense of the other. And the human being must be clear about what he would rather give up and what he would like to receive. He will often be confronted with the decision, temptations will approach him, the world will entice him with earthly joys and pleasures; yet the spiritual kingdom will also send its messengers and make itself desirable to him, and then the human being must decide in all freedom of will which treasures he desires. Spiritual treasures are far more valuable than earthly treasures, for they outlast earthly life and ensure a blissful life in eternity. Earthly treasures and joys, on the other hand, are only temporarily gratifying, only to flatten out and leave an emptiness in the heart, for the soul feels that they do not contribute to its salvation, to its spiritual development. And therefore earthly pleasures are a danger for the souls as long as they fill the human being's heart and deny him the entrance into the spiritual kingdom. And yet the human being has to be confronted with such decisions, he has to learn to decide, he has to realize that he can only take one path, upwards or downwards. If he is seriously willing to acquire the kingdom of God he will always remain close to God in prayer and in loving activity, and then God Himself will take the lead and guide the earthly child through all dangers. He only needs the human being's complete devotion in order to be able to look after him with fatherly love, and He only wants what is right for His children. He wants to make them blissfully happy, and He will safely guide them towards the eternal home where glories await them which outweigh every earthly happiness a thousand fold. And therefore the human being should overcome himself, he should not worry about his life on earth but about eternal life in the spiritual kingdom. He should give up everything that prevents him from connecting with that kingdom, he should be strong in renunciation and even stronger in desire, yet only spiritual goods and be willing to sacrifice earthly goods for them. Then his higher development will not be questioned, for anyone who desires the world will also receive the world's goods; but anyone who longs for the spiritual kingdom will be given from this kingdom in abundance.... He will be instructed and strengthened, he need not fear a decline, he is always and constantly in contact with good spiritual forces, and his earthly body no longer desires anything for itself but joins the soul's desire which wants to gain eternal life and therefore sacrifices everything that means a danger to its spiritual development.... For the human being only received earthly life as a grace for this, and therefore spiritual development must never be disregarded....

Amen

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