Copyright © 2008-2016 True Gnostic Church (a non-prophet organization). All rights reserved. Terms and Conditions
Copyright © True Gnostic Church. All rights reserved. Terms and Conditions
TOPICS
ADVERSITY
For even as a child is given shape and life through the coming together of opposites, being in the man and the woman bound, even so is the soul of man given shape and life also by the coming together of good and evil.
And as a child drawn freshly from the womb is made to live and breathe in the midst of great travail, so in like manner is the soul of man drawn forth from the midst of adversity.
This truth then would I place within the heart; for I would have you know...that except there be some great and inner strength within the heart and mind of you, there can be found no place for virtue to grow and flourish.
Fear not, therefore, such adversities and hardships as will fall upon you throughout the days of your life;
Neither be you filled with complaints and bitter cursings because of it; for adversity is but the teacher which would make you stronger still; and not the enemy as those which are weak might suppose.
But yet is the test of the soul not found in the trials of this hardship or that adversity, for these do prove as teachers only, revealing in the moment of some outward struggle the inward condition of the heart and spirit together.
For fortitude is that strong resolve which permits that we continue in seeking after God, being ourselves unbeaten by such adversities as do arise from time to time, to pounce upon us unawares.
Yet would we prove ourselves indomitable and relentless in acquiring the greater portion, becoming in our heart and mind and soul as one invincible and unyielding before such things as would distract and weigh us down.
6. Know then, my children, that it is in adversity that the depth of the soul is made revealed for all to see, disclosing before the eye, the true goodness that dwells within; for in the days of ease and happy fortune do many stand deceived, being themselves deluded by the pretenses of the self.
7. But in the day when sorrow comes to beat upon the doors, then does the truer self come forth to answer, to unveil before the eye the worth of who we are.
8. For adversity does strip away the facades which we do make, to leave as bare and unadorned the heart and soul together, causing that we might know, if we would just see, the things of greatest worth.
9. If then you would know joy, to keep it forever within the heart, then receive with calmness such sorrows as may spring upon you.
10. For this I tell you for your own learning: that in that day when you would dance with joy, being yourselves filled with song and happy light, even in that selfsame hour does sorrow walk upon the way to catch you unawares.
11. Prove yourselves calm then in the day of testing; for even though all your joy be consumed midst sudden trials, yet in the heart of God is there found the sum of all good things.
12. Cast, therefore, your soul and heart and mind into the very midst of God, and there shall descend upon you a great and pleasing calm; causing that even in the midst of some outward sorrow, still shall there well up within you a fount of endless blessings, taking from the onward rush of many sorrows, the sting of all their hurt.
Follow the Spirit,
And you become a leader.
Accept adversity with gentle grace,
And
you will overcome it.
Embrace your life to live your joy,
And you will never fear.
For this I tell you for your learning, that the battle between the greater and lesser portion is not found in such adversities as do swirl about you, but rather is it found within the very soul of you.
For such trials and hardships which come upon you from time to time, even these are made the teacher which would make known within your own heart, the thing which rules within, whether it be the raging tempest of the ego or that gentle song which comes from God.
For in the godly are hardships made a passing thing, drawing from our soul the truth of who we are; revealing through the pressing of some adversity the goodness which in us lies, giving hope to those which likewise suffer, that they might likewise be filled with faith and hope and inward joy, even in the midst of such outward trials as do afflict from time to time.
Thus would every trial and every hardship reveal within your soul the full measure of your fortitude, for in the mortal life does every adversity prove itself a hard and needful teacher; which thing you must bear without complaint.
For you know yourselves that without the struggle of mighty efforts, the muscles of your flesh grow weak and flaccid, being atrophied and of little use; causing that the body of your flesh should waste and wither away, going from a greater to a lesser state.
So it is with the spirit within you, for such glory as you would seek for yourself in Heaven, even this requires of both spirit and soul a good and noble resolve, which resolve is made most firm while in the mortal life, to stand revealed before your eyes.
Know then that every trial would prove itself a needful thing, causing that you should grow in power and firm resolve, revealing at once the strengths and weaknesses of all your heart and mind and soul.
Meet not, therefore, the trials of your life with tears, neither with whining and bitter complaint; but greet instead with eager heart and firm resolve the test which swirls about you, seeing in each adversity a challenge to be met, endured and overcome.
Look not alone upon your weaknesses, to think yourselves unworthy, but look upon such strengths as you possess while holding on to God; for God is able to make even the weakest of you strong, if it so be that you believe and do much righteousness.
Let then the will of God dwell richly in you, to be to you a guide and comfort; that you may stand as one resolved and fully knowing, becoming yourselves the ambassadors of God the Father and the Mother while yet you live the mortal life.
Proving yourselves before every trial as one indomitable and invincible before the fiery blast, being yourselves in the midst of adversity both calm and gracious, and filled with deeper knowing.
Seeing with your inward eye the prize for which you reach, being yourselves relentless in seizing hold the greater portion; proving yourselves undistracted by lesser things, but focused only on the God which calls after you night and day.
Being quick to stand up for that which is always just and good and even though you be a little fearful, stand you bravely calm in the heart of God; for even your Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother will strengthen you in the moment of your trial, to whisper in your mind words of high and noble courage.
Know then and be you wise, for it is not given that any trial or hardship or adversity should break you, but of bitterness and anger and hate, these are the things which break and shatter, having arisen within your very selves to fill you up with darkness.
For every trial have you endured already, but of your own bitterness and anger and hate, this do many not survive, having devoured yourselves through the refreshing of hurtful memories and bitter passions;
Making your speech hard and filled with wrath, to make your heart and mind as something brittle and weakly thin; breaking yourselves again and again for you will not let go the hurtful thing.
Now consider also how you would seek to control the issues of your life, thinking that you can guard yourself against the whims of circumstance and blind misfortune; hedging against tomorrow the labors of the day.
Seeking through artifice to control the mortal life, becoming yourself as someone rushed and harried, forgetting how to live while yet you labor on, thinking yourselves advantaged in the midst of great illusions.
For in controlling your life is there found that certain shadow; for when there should spring upon you suddenly the weight of some adversity, then are you exposed; revealing not your mastery and control, but exposing for yourself to see your need for God and Heaven’s grace to bear you up again.
Thus would the illusion of control rob you of your need for God, thinking yourselves advantaged through the controlling of your life, paying lip service to God, pretending yourselves as one devout, yet having no devotion.
Think not, therefore, that you can control the sum of all your life, thinking to yourself that you might set free your life of adversity and trial; for circumstance and misfortune are made to fall upon every man and every woman, to prove the spirit within.
For this cause only have I been brought before the vastness of the Deep; that I might discover within the mystery of myself, the awakening of some indomitable will which would strengthen well the goodness which was given me of God.
That by such adversities as might rise against me, I might find within some greater challenge; which challenge I would most calmly meet, to measure for my knowing, the height and breadth and depth of such goodly powers as God did give in the shaping of my life.