Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/5897

5897 Earthly life is the path but not the goal....

March 7, 1954: Book 64

The world was given to you for the test of your will, i.e. you had to be placed into a sphere of activity which should stimulate you to use your will in one direction. This world cannot be avoided but has to be overcome by the person who wants to reach his goal. The final embodiment of the soul, the spiritual essence in you, as a human being on this earth is absolutely necessary because an opportunity had to be created for you to exercise your free will which, until then, had been constrained due to your past apostasy from Me. A soul trying to avoid this last embodiment will not be able to come into possession of free will, for its considerable opposition to Me would not allow for it. Only when it is willing to take the path of helpful love on earth will it receive the grace of embodiment, for this willingness testifies of its degree of maturity which is necessary for the last test of will. And every soul prior to its embodiment is indeed willing to take this final path because it can result in its total release from the form, and it has the will to become free.

But it loses all recollection, it enters earth completely without knowledge and then slowly starts to develop.... it learns to use its will, it gets educated and taught until its will begins to make its own decisions, and then it will be offered by Me every kind of assistance to recognise what is right and good and to voluntarily also do both. I on My part will do everything to promote a right decision of will.... And yet the human being maintains his freedom of will, and then the whole of earthly life will effectively affect him like an object which he can select or reject.... For the human being should experience everything in order to reach Me in My kingdom.... but he should not get drawn into it.... he should not get caught up in captivity again when his final freedom beckons. Earthly life is a path he has to take but not the goal itself.... And if he keeps his eyes on the pinnacle then he will follow his path determinedly and without fail, but if his eyes stay glued to the ground he will only see what happens around him and risk being held fast to the ground so that his flight of ascent cannot take place....

He has to muster the will and the strength to liberate himself from everything he finds desirable on earth, then he will be victorious, he will travel the earthly path as a necessary final phase of his higher development and pass his test of will. His will was and remains directed towards Me in spite of My adversary’s artful temptations, who equally fights for his soul, for his will.... He became a conqueror of this world and an aspirant for My kingdom which is not of this world....

Amen

Translated by Heidi Hanna