MUZAKRA – 14

MORE ON RESISTING FALL-DOWSN

SOUL: Why is it, Lord, that I often experience difficulties after gloriously
defeating Satan, even though I feel I am motivated by an exclusive desire to please You?
Is one ever fee from danger?

LORD: No, My friend. The spiritual warrior must ever beware, for there is
great danger of a second, third, even a fourth attack by the powers of darkness.
Moreover, each successive time he must fight with all the passion of previous encounters.
He must arouse his hatred for Satan and battle him with contempt and determination.

SOUL: I don’t understand how this should be done, Lord.

LORD: It is most important that you sincerely desire to protect your soul
with virtue and, thereby, to acquire habitual holiness. This means rendering a life of pure
devotional service to Me. To accomplish this, it is often imperative to practice acts of
virtue directly contrary to the inclination of the flesh.

For instance, if you desire to achieve a transcendental degree of patience, it is

necessary to practice certain virtues. Otherwise, the natural and extreme impatience
brought about by unwarranted insult and injury from others cannot be overcome.

Indeed, you must proceed to acquire an affection for – even a desire for – the
temptation itself. Wish for it to happen again and again, as a historical queen did. Be
determined to patiently endure even more contemptuous acts against you if necessary.

SOUL: I still don’t understand why the virtue practiced has to be directly
opposed to the vice.

LORD: If you really desire total perfection, you should perform acts
directly contrary to your temptations. Other virtuous acts, however good and efficacious
in themselves, do not strike directly and powerfully at the root f the evil that plagues you.

For instance, even if you do not give in to the vice of impatience, the danger is not
over. The vice will return to test you, again and again, until the impulses that give rise to
the vice are dead. For that to happen, you must come to enjoy the cause – the contempt
of the world, for example – by seeing it as My mercy. You must become positively
blissful in such contempt. Until you do, you will never entirely root out the vice of
impatience, for it springs from a dread of censure and a love for the praise f men.

As long as the smallest root of this vice remains, it will sprout again – like a weed
– and your virtue may be choked out. If it is left alone, it will eventually strip you f all
your good habits and place you in continual danger of falling down.
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You cannot hope to acquire firm faith or solid virtue without surmounting all
attachment to the approval of men. Therefore, steadfastly and continuously perform acts
of devotional service, even when they are directly opposed by the masses of men. (La
yakhafuna loumata laim. – Quran) “Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and
persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice,
and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the
prophets which were before you.” (Matt. 5.11-12) Note that I did not say t hold your
tongue and tolerate the situation; not did I say to keep a stiff upper lip. I said, “Rejoice,
and be exceedingly glad.”

SOUL: How often do I have to perform such acts, Lord?

LORD: I said, “steadfastly and continuously,” for continual practice is

necessary to build virtuous habits. Even vicious habits are formed only after repeated
sinful acts. As Christ told his disciples to forgive “seventy times seven,” the point being
that by then you will have forgotten your count.

Also, you should remember that your practice is made difficult or easy according
to the association you keep. Since you are very small and weak, you tend to imitate your
associates. Therefore, always associate with My pure devotees, and gradually you will
also become a pure devotee.

Still, My friend, I must advise you that certain virtues cannot be developed apart
from the performance of external acts. These acts are the necessary expression of an
internal disposition. This especially holds true with patience. Thus you should always
speak with great mildness and compassion to those who have wronged you, regardless of
the offense. Indeed, you should even render positive help and seek t assist them to the
best of your ability.

SOUL: But aren’t these externals mere formalities, Lord?

LORD: Friend, you should not think that you are so advanced that you do
not need external help. Furthermore, whether these acts are internal or external, whether
they appear pleasant or repugnant, whether they seem important or insignificant, you
should not neglect them. However, trivial they may seem, they will support you in your
battle against ignorance and will greatly aid you in your victory over the powers of
illusion.
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In short, you should be on guard at all times. Do not be content to fight only great
battles and to restrain only violent surges of passion. You must also resist the small,
minute acts- even mere thoughts – of unnecessary sense gratification. A small seed may
appear most insignificant, but it may contain the embryo of an immense vine that can kill
even the stoutest tree. Small vices lead to bigger vices, and they soon make the path of
vicious practices broad indeed.

History abounds with examples of people who showed amazing courage and
endurance during heroic trials, but who were trapped and ungloriously defeated by a
seductive enemy weakly disguised. Illusion and ignorance enter when you fail to mortify
your passions in seemingly trivial situations, or to restrain your senses from common but
unnecessary sense gratification.

The spiritual warrior must learn to deny himself unnecessary sense pleasure, even
when the object itself is not unlawful. Such training gives him the character and strength
that insures victory on more dangerous occasions. Not only does he gain much-needed
experience and exercise in resisting temptation, but he also wins a valuable opportunity to
please Me, his Lord.

So, My friend, do not fail to practice the spiritual exercises I have mentioned.
They are absolutely necessary for the development of your spiritual life. They lead to
mastery of the body and mind. When you are no longer under the away of the
uncontrolled mind and senses, you will be victorious and will soon come to Me.

SOUL: Is this the only way, Lord? Aren’t there other paths?

LORD: By following other methods and formulas, however pleasant or

intellectually stimulating they may seem, there are great dangers. Such paths may give
you a taste of spiritual delight, and they may even make you feel intimately united with
Me; but you will never attain firm, steady faith or solid virtue, nor will you know what is
true spirituality, unless you follow the path I have outlined.

Real opportunity does not depend on the individual soul’s perception. Rather, it
depends on My perception. That is, real spirituality does not depend on acts that are
agreeable or pleasant to your body, but on acts that please Me. Ultimately, it is only My
pleasure that counts, and I am most pleased by surrender. That’s all. Just surrender to
Me, and I will take care of the rest. Do not fear. You are My beloved friend, and I want
the best for you. Have faith, My friend.