Divine good pleasure: grace and the life of deeds

I for one have not succeeded; God willing, thou mayest succeed and pray in turn for my success. For the good-pleasure of God and that of His servants are the greatest of divine bestowals; indeed God’s good-pleasure resideth in our being pleased with His servants.

Every soul should consider where the good-pleasure of God resides, what brings one nearer unto Him and whether it is through behaviour, deeds or circumstances that one can find acceptance in His sight. And then with all his heart and soul let him endeavour to achieve these desirable qualities.

How many a man hath secluded himself in the climes of India, denied himself the things that God hath decreed as lawful, imposed upon himself austerities and mortifications, and hath not been remembered by God, the Revealer of Verses. Make not your deeds as snares wherewith to entrap the object of your aspiration, and deprive not yourselves of this Ultimate Objective for which have ever yearned all such as have drawn nigh unto God. Say: The very life of all deeds is My good pleasure, and all things depend upon Mine acceptance.

The foundation of all deeds is the good-pleasure of God, and His good-pleasure is not attained except through acting according to what He hath commanded in His Book.

That which remains lasting and enduring for man is the good-pleasure of the Lord God and conduct and behavior in accordance with the teachings of the Forgiving One.

Hearken unto the divine counsel and act in accordance with that wherefrom the sweet-smelling savor of His good-pleasure may be inhaled. If thou attainest unto this exalted and most high station, thou shalt be blessed with the word of His good-pleasure from the Lord of Names.

A Baha'i must conform all his great and small affairs in accord with the good-pleasure of the Blessed Perfection. This is the unerring criterion.

Blessed are they who have attained unto God's good-pleasure and have held fast unto that which is in the Book.

They have no desire except the good-pleasure of God and seek no movement except in the path of truth.

The essence of the Cause hath been and shall ever be the good-pleasure of God. Should someone manifest all virtuous and praiseworthy deeds, yet God be not pleased with him, it hath yielded and shall yield no fruit whatsoever.

The spirit of all deeds is the good-pleasure of God, for if one should perform all good deeds, yet from them the fragrance of God's good-pleasure be not inhaled, those deeds will yield neither fruit nor effect nor result.

For all things are dependent upon His Will, and the worth of all acts is conditioned upon His acceptance and pleasure. The whole universe is but a handful of clay in His grasp.

For the doings of men are all dependent upon Thy good-pleasure, and are conditioned by Thy behest. Shouldst Thou regard him who hath broken the fast as one who hath observed it, such a man would be reckoned among them who from eternity had been keeping the fast. And shouldst Thou decree that he who hath observed the fast hath broken it, that person would be numbered with such as have caused the Robe of Thy Revelation to be stained with dust, and been far removed from the crystal waters of this living Fountain.

For in all deeds performed by anyone in his life, he desireth naught but the good pleasure of God, inasmuch as this is the uttermost end of all. But it is undoubtedly true that the good pleasure of God shall not be manifested save through the good pleasure of the One unto Whom God hath conferred His supreme testimony.

Thou art, in truth, He Whose mercy hath encompassed all the worlds, and whose grace hath embraced all that dwell on earth and in heaven. Who is there that hath cried after Thee, and whose prayer hath remained unanswered? … I bear witness that Thou hadst turned toward Thy servants ere they had turned toward Thee, and hadst remembered them ere they had remembered Thee.

Neither the candle nor the lamp can be lighted through their own unaided efforts, nor can it ever be possible for the mirror to free itself from its dross. It is clear and evident that until a fire is kindled the lamp will never be ignited, and unless the dross is blotted out from the face of the mirror it can never represent the image of the sun nor reflect its light and glory.

In the darksome night of despair, my eye turneth expectant and full of hope to the morn of Thy boundless favor and at the hour of dawn my drooping soul is refreshed and strengthened in remembrance of Thy beauty and perfection. He whom the grace of Thy mercy aideth, though he be but a drop, shall become the boundless ocean, and the merest atom which the outpouring of Thy loving-kindness assisteth, shall shine even as the radiant star.

O Lord! I am a broken-winged bird and desire to soar in Thy limitless space. How is it possible for me to do this save through Thy providence and grace, Thy confirmation and assistance. … O Lord! Should the breath of the Holy Spirit confirm the weakest of creatures, he would attain all to which he aspireth and would possess anything he desireth.

Man cannot free himself from the onslaught of vain and selfish desires save through the confirming grace of the Holy Spirit.

For faith, which is life eternal, is a token of grace and not the result of justice. The flame of the fire of love, in this world of earth and water, burns by the power of attraction and not through human effort and striving, although through the latter one may indeed acquire knowledge, learning, and other perfections. It is the light of the divine Beauty, then, that must stir up and move the spirit through its attractive power. Wherefore is it said: "many are called, but few are chosen".

This plenty is a special favor bestowed by a loving God, these are blessings and rare gifts deriving from His grace. In the Gospel He saith: "For many are called, but few are chosen." That is, to many is it offered, but rare is the soul who is singled out to receive the great bestowal of guidance. "Such is the bounty of God: to whom He will He giveth it, and of immense bounty is God."

O ye peoples of the Kingdom! How many a soul expended all its span of life in worship, endured the mortification of the flesh, longed to gain an entry into the Kingdom, and yet failed, while ye, with neither toil nor pain nor self-denial, have won the prize and entered in.

O ye loved ones of God! Is there any giver save God? He singleth out for His mercy whomsoever He willeth.

Whomsoever Thou willest Thou causest to draw nigh unto the Most Great Ocean, and on whomsoever Thou desirest Thou conferrest the honor of recognizing Thy Most Ancient Name.

God's eternal Mercy is immeasurable. He has always chosen certain souls upon whom He has shed the Divine Bounty of His heart, whose minds He has illumined with celestial light, to whom He has revealed the sacred mysteries, and kept clear before their sight the Mirror of Truth.

Hence it is clear and evident that the holy reality---the true existence---of every great man proceeds from God and owes its being to the breath of the Holy Spirit.

These gifts, however, do not manifest themselves in the reality of man save through a celestial and divine power and through the heavenly teachings, for they require a supernatural power. Traces of these perfections may well appear in the world of nature, but they are as fleeting and ephemeral as rays of sunlight upon the wall.

The human spirit refers to the rational soul by which humans are distinguished from animals. It is not from the realm of physical elements but rather from spiritual substances that are not subject to corruption.

… The divine spirit which is from God's command refers to the holy power, divine confirmations, eternal assistance, divine knowledge and heavenly sciences with which God aids whomever He wishes among His righteous servants. Through it they attain spiritual unveilings and certain visions, and they achieve complete, precedent mercy and abundant grace.

The spirit of man must acquire its bounties from the Kingdom of God in order that it may become the mirror and manifestation of lights and the dawning point of divine traces, because the human reality is like the soil. … Similarly, the human spirit or reality of man, unless it becomes the recipient of the lights of the Kingdom, develops divine susceptibilities and consciously reflects the effulgence of God, will not be the manifestation of ideal bounties, for only the reality of man can become the mirror wherein the lights of God are revealed.

It is clear, however, that mere human power is incapable of fulfilling this great office, and that the results of human thought alone cannot secure such bounties. How can a single person, with no aid or assistance, lay the foundations of such a lofty edifice? A divine and spiritual power is therefore needed to enable him to carry out this mission.

O thou maid-servant of God! The aim of the theosophists is to attain to Truth, but the Truth is unattainable except through the favor of the Holy Spirit. The light hath a center and if one desire to seek it otherwise but from the center, he can never attain to it.

Inasmuch as it hath been clearly shown that only those who are initiated into the divine mysteries can comprehend the melodies uttered by the Bird of Heaven, it is therefore incumbent upon every one to seek enlightenment from the illumined in heart and from the Treasuries of divine mysteries regarding the intricacies of God's Faith and the abstruse allusions in the utterances of the Daysprings of Holiness. Thus will these mysteries be unraveled, not by the aid of acquired learning, but solely through the assistance of God and the outpourings of His grace.

… Only when the lamp of search, of earnest striving, of longing desire, of passionate devotion, of fervid love, of rapture, and ecstasy, is kindled within the seeker's heart, and the breeze of His loving-kindness is wafted upon his soul, will the darkness of error be dispelled, the mists of doubts and misgivings be dissipated, and the lights of knowledge and certitude envelop his being.

Now, thou hast reached development and apprehended the degree of maturity: Gaze at the grades of the existence, the realities of beings, the allegories in the epistles of God, and the mysteries in the Old and New Testament. By the life of Baha', the covering will be removed from off thee (i. e., facts will be unfolded to thee), and thou wilt be informed of that which all the philosophers and wise men are unable to apprehend. Verily, this is a gift which God assigns only to such of His chosen servants as He willeth.

87 These journeys have no visible ending in this temporal world, but the detached wayfarer-should invisible confirmation descend upon him and the Guardian of the Cause assist him-may traverse these seven stages in seven steps, nay rather in seven breaths, nay even in a single breath, should God will and desire it.

God, through His Grace in the course of the life of every man opens a wide door of golden opportunity before his face. There are some people who take such a great privilege by the forelock and enter in the garden of the heavenly good-pleasure and ever pray and strive to protect this spiritual station; others shut their eyes and let the opportunity slip out of their hands.

Forever supplicate and entreat at the court of Majesty and beg confirmation and assistance. Make ye an effort that you may win the good pleasure of Baha'u'llah. All the natural and supernatural advancements in the human world revolve around this one problem.

Say: O people! Withhold not from yourselves the grace of God and His mercy. Whoso withholdeth himself therefrom is indeed in grievous loss.

Inspire then my soul, O my God, with Thy wondrous remembrance, that I may glorify Thy name.

He is the Healer, Sufficer, the Help in need

Glory be to Thee, O Lord my God! I implore Thee by Thy Name, through which Thou didst lift up the ensigns of Thy guidance, and didst shed the radiance of Thy loving-kindness, and didst reveal the sovereignty of Thy Lordship; through which the lamp of Thy names hath appeared within the niche of Thine attributes, and He Who is the Tabernacle of Thy unity and the Manifestation of detachment hath shone forth; through which the ways of Thy guidance were made known, and the paths of Thy good pleasure were marked out; through which the foundations of error have been made to tremble, and the signs of wickedness have been abolished; through which the fountains of wisdom have burst forth, and the heavenly table hath been sent down; through which Thou didst preserve Thy servants and didst vouchsafe Thy healing; through which Thou didst show forth Thy tender mercies unto Thy servants and revealedst Thy forgiveness amidst Thy creatures -- I implore Thee to keep safe him who hath held fast and returned unto Thee, and clung to Thy mercy, and seized the hem of Thy loving providence. Send down, then, upon him Thy healing, and make him whole, and endue him with a constancy vouchsafed by Thee, and a tranquillity bestowed by Thy highness.

Thou art, verily, the Healer, the Preserver, the Helper, the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Glorious, the All-Knowing.

O God, my God! Look not upon my hopes and my doings, nay rather look upon Thy will that hath encompassed the heavens and the earth. By Thy Most Great Name, O Thou Lord of all nations! I have desired only what Thou didst desire, and love only what Thou dost love.

Ask whatsoever thou wishest of Him alone; seek whatsoever thou seekest from Him alone.

With a look He granteth a hundred thousand hopes, with a glance He healeth a hundred thousand incurable ills, with a nod He layeth balm on every wound, with a glimpse He freeth the hearts from the shackles of grief.

He doeth as He doeth, and what recourse have we? He carrieth out His Will, He ordaineth what He pleaseth. Then better for thee to bow down thy head in submission, and put thy trust in the All-Merciful Lord.

Grievous is it for the Friend to be separated from the friend, yet the Friend hath so desired. What befitteth the friend is submission to, and contentment with, the good-pleasure of the Friend. The Friend saith: "My friend, thou wilt surely love that which I love." Therefore, be thou content with the good-pleasure of the Friend and with whatsoever proceedeth from Him.

To attain the pleasure of God is the most important thing. Thank God thou art content with the will of God and art attached in heart to His divine wishes; and as thou art thus, all thy desires will be granted thee.

In all conditions hold fast unto God and fix your gaze upon the horizon of His good-pleasure. Nothing hath been or will be sweeter to the taste of lovers than the good-pleasure of God. Blessed is the servant who hath attained, and the maidservant who hath attained unto this exalted station.

O Javad! The heart's desire of every person of understanding is to increase in nearness to the Divine Threshold, and the wish of every wise one is to attain the good-pleasure of the Most Glorious Beauty, may my spirit be a sacrifice for His loved ones.

The attainment of the good pleasure of God is the greatest of all stations. Until one drinks from this clear fountain that gives life to those nigh unto Him, one cannot ascend to the heights divine reunion or proximity.

One word of His good-pleasure is better for every seeker than whatsoever is visible and hidden in the earth.

His favor is better than a hundred thousand children, and His good-pleasure sweeter than a hundred thousand worlds. If thou attain this station and achieve this blessing, thou art possessed of the Kingdom. This is the most great bounty and the supreme bestowal.

Hearken unto the counsel of the Faithful Counselor and strive that thou mayest attain unto the most great gift, which is the good-pleasure of the One Friend, and become free and independent of all else.

To be approved of God alone should be one's aim.

All the people are negligent, they are not thinking of pleasing God and spreading the word of God. Notwithstanding it has been tried (and found out) that whoever tried to please the people displeased God, and he who tried to please God, became assisted and confirmed.

If a man lives a thousand years or achieves the most wonderful service, this does not avail him. If he becomes the most famous man in the world it is like the mirage and phantasm; but the good-pleasure of the Lord is the most important object to be attained. If a man does not become confirmed and assisted with His good-pleasure and his name immortalized, it will benefit him not.

Pray that we may so live as to win the good-pleasure of the Blessed Perfection. Then all the doors will be opened before our faces.

All that I beg of Thee, O my God, is to enable me, ere my soul departeth from my body, to attain Thy good-pleasure, even were it granted to me for a moment tinier than the infinitesimal fraction of a mustard seed. For if it departeth while Thou art pleased with me, then I shall be free from every concern or anxiety; but if it abandoneth me while Thou art displeased with me, then, even had I wrought every good deed, none would be of any avail, and had I earned every honor and glory, none would serve to exalt me.

Blessed is the soul that hath drunk from the ocean of true understanding and hath turned toward the horizon of the appearance of the Lord of Religions. Such a one is among the companions of the Crimson Ark which hath been mentioned and recorded by the Most Exalted Pen in the Book of Names.

Spirituality was my comfort, and turning to God was my greatest joy. If this had not been so, do you think it possible that I could have lived through those forty years in prison?

Thus, spirituality is the greatest of God's gifts, and 'Life Everlasting' means 'Turning to God'.

Paradise signifieth first and foremost the good-pleasure of God. Whosoever attaineth His good-pleasure is reckoned and recorded among the inhabitants of the most exalted paradise and will attain, after the ascension of his soul, that which pen and ink are powerless to describe.

I swear by the Sun of the horizon of inner meanings that God has and will have paradises beyond compare. But in this first life, what is meant by paradise is His good-pleasure and entry into His Cause. And after the believers ascend from this world, they enter incomparable paradises and partake of boundless blessings, which are the fruits of their deeds in this world.

Yes, in the divine utterances it is mentioned that paradise is the recognition of God and hellfire is separation from the Lord of Lords. The intent of this utterance is not that there is no divine realm or infinite bounty beyond this - God forbid! Rather, the meaning is that recognition and separation are like the tree, while bliss and torment in all divine worlds are like the fruit. … But in God's realm, for accepted souls there exists that which no eye hath seen, nor ear heard, nor hath entered into the heart of man.

Say: O people! Let not this life and its deceits deceive you, for the world and all that is therein is held firmly in the grasp of His Will. He bestoweth His favor on whom He willeth, and from whom He willeth He taketh it away. He doth whatsoever He chooseth.

To 'get to heaven' as you say is dependent on two things - faith in the Manifestation of God in His Day, in other words in this Age in Baha'u'llah; and good deeds, in other words living to the best of our ability a noble life and doing unto others as we would be done by. But we must always remember that our existence and everything we have or ever will have is dependent upon the Mercy of God and His Bounty, and therefore He can accept into His heaven, which is really nearness to Him, even the lowliest if He pleases. We always have the hope of receiving His Mercy if we reach out for it.

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For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

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It is right that the soul, as far as it is able, should work to purify itself, that it may merit that God take it into his Divine care and heal it of those imperfections before which it is helpless. For, after all the efforts of the soul, it cannot by its unaided labours make itself fitted for union with God in love. God must take it himself into his own hands and purify it in the dark fire.

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