Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/6753

6753 Trial of faith....

February 3, 1957: Book 72

God certainly hides Himself at times but He does not abandon you.... He only wants you to seek Him, that you don't become indifferent towards Him and that He can reveal Himself to you again and again when you are in need. Even the believer sometimes needs an impulse to strive more actively because the world approaches him again and again and wants to take him captive. You are in the midst of the world and will therefore always be exposed to temptations but you should resist them. And the strength to resist can only come to you from God Himself, and this requires a constant bond with Him which, however, is often in danger when the world pushes itself forward particularly strongly and demands its tribute. And then it happens that an earthly adversity approaches Him which shall strengthen this bond with God.... But it also often happens that God now keeps Himself hidden, that the adversity does not end immediately, that it sometimes becomes even stronger and thus the human being's faith is put to a hard test.... But then it must also prove itself.... The human being must not slacken in prayer and his faith must be unshakeable that he will be helped when the time comes, that God hears his call and His forgiveness is not unfounded. And his faith will not be put to shame, for the closer the bond will be and God will reveal Himself in His love and power. People could truly achieve everything with Him if they had this faith and did not slacken in prayer in every adversity. And the fact that God sometimes keeps Himself hidden should not shake such faith or make it waver, instead, the human being should hold on to his faith, he should unwaveringly trust in God that help will come at the right time, but that God Himself will recognize and determine it. God's adversary is obviously active in the last days, and his activity often causes a person's faith to waver if it is not very strong. But especially in the end time God reveals Himself in His love and power in order to invalidate the work of His adversary. And therefore faith need not be in danger, for God also demonstrates His presence to people in the most obvious way, yet only to those who call upon Him for help. The weak believer but willing person will very quickly feel the help in adversity so that his faith will strengthen.... Yet if God forgives, if He is not immediately willing to help, then faith should be all the stronger, and the person should not slacken in prayer, for then he himself will become ever more convinced in his faith because he will nevertheless achieve what he asks for.... For God does not disappoint those who trust in Him, and every person should adhere to this in times of need.... As true as God is, Who is your creator and father from eternity, so true also does He hear you who call upon Him as your father.... But He determines the time, and you should submit yourselves to His will, then you will not wait in vain, because a believing child achieves everything from the father which is of use to it....

Amen

Translated by Doris Boekers