On Thoughts and Aphorisms

Aphorism - 243, 244, 245, 246, 247

243—God guides best when He tempts worst, loves entirely when He punishes cruelly, helps perfectly when violently He opposes.

244—If God did not take upon Himself the burden of tempting men, the world would very soon go to perdition.

245—Suffer yourself to be tempted within so that you may exhaust in the struggle your downward propensities.

246—If you leave it to God to purify, He will exhaust the evil in you subjectively; but if you insist on guiding yourself, you will fall into much outward sin and suffering.

247—Call not everything evil which men call evil, but only that reject which God has rejected; call not everything good which men call good, but accept only what God has accepted.

Page 284

If one gives oneself completely to the Divine, is it necessary to develop one's personal will, one's power of choice, etc.? Will these things not become obstacles?

Personal will and power of choice are necessary qualities for those who live in the ordinary ignorance and illusion.

True self-giving to the Divine of course means their surrender. But unfortunately, many people live in the illusion that they have entirely given themselves to the Divine, and yet preserve in themselves a very active "ego" which prevents them from clearly perceiving the Divine Will; if these people abandon their personal will and discernment, they are in danger of becoming incoherent and erratic.

You must first acquire a perfect sincerity in order to be sure of not deceiving yourself, and you must have clear evidence that it is truly the Divine Will which moves and guides you.

22 December 1969