Fall colors are beginning to creep in:

Status:

Prepped another load to take to the Furniture Bank of Central Ohio.

Queued three more boxes of books—mostly related to the Bahá’í Faith—for cataloguing.

Bahá’í Quote - Jamál, 1 Mashíyyat, 178 B.E.

51 O Son of Man!

My calamity is My providence, outwardly it is fire and vengeance, but inwardly it is light and mercy. Hasten thereunto that thou mayest become an eternal light and an immortal spirit. This is My command unto thee, do thou observe it. 1

The idea that tests are gifts from God, rather than punishments, is the radical vision that is presented in this book, and it is only available to us if we are willing to trust God and believe in our own essential goodness.

In other words, tests are a source of guidance—they look like punishment, but are really gifts. If we are wise, we will look forward to them so that our spirits will learn how to shine.

I encourage you to set aside your preconceived ideas about tests based on fear, shame and punishment. I invite you to focus instead on trusting in God’s love and wisdom. Have faith and look for God’s hidden gifts. 2

  1. Bahá’u’lláh. The Hidden Words. Bahá’í Reference Library, https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/bahaullah/hidden-words/2#746355706. Accessed 26 Sept. 2021. [return]
  2. St. Rain, Justice. Why Me?: A Spiritual Guide to Growing through Tests : Life Lessons Gleaned from the Teachings of the Bahá’í Faith. 1st ed., Special Ideas, 2003, 8. [return]