The more they strive for harmony, the greater their progress; the more they exert effort to achieve unity, the more they will witness the tokens of divine assistance.… (From a Tablet of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá—translated from the Persian, from Give me Thy Grace to Serve Thy Loved Ones, Compilation for the 2018 Counsellors’ Conference, [15])
I’ve long thought that it doesn’t matter what we accomplish for the Faith in terms of activity or results but what does matter is the efforts we make towards love and unity. This newly translated quote seems to back this up. According to `Abdu’l-Bahá, we only make great progress when we strive for harmony and we only get divine assistance when we’re exerting effort to achieve unity. I wonder what would happen in our Bahá’í communities if this was the focus?
Recently I heard tales of wonderful things happening in Sydney Australia, so much so, that the Canadian NSA sent representatives from the learning sites to Sydney to find out how they did achieved so much. They came back with glowing reports of a community where everyone’s efforts are encouraged, where everyone has a place in the Plan, where encouragement and love are highly valued and gossip and negativity aren’t heard. That’s the kind of Bahá’í community I want to be involved in.
Knowing there are places in the world where love and unity are encouraged, I am grateful!
What jumped out for you as you read through today’s meditation? I’d love it if you would share so we can all expand our knowledge of the Writings!
If you liked this meditation, you might also like my book Learning How to Be Happy
Wow, so causing disunity is depriving one’s self from divine assistance . I still can pray for people who would harm and hurt me and be united with them on a higher level and not deprive myself from divine assistance .
So true, Noosha! I think the best answer to any problem is prayer. God can solve everything.
You hit the nail on the head. Thank you.
I’m glad to know it resonated with you Simona!
When I was investigating the Faith and learned that all that was required by God was to make the effort to serve, I fell in love. As a child I was expected to produce results, whatever it was my mother wanted at the moment. I failed more often than not. Not surprisingly, I was suicidal: there was no escape. When I learned that God was responsible for the results, I was exultant! I knew how to make effort, it was a relief not to be responsible for the results. In the past fifty years I have made many efforts – and the results from God continue to stagger my mind!!!
I agree, Duane! God magnifies our puny efforts a thousand fold. I love the quote which says: “An act, however infinitesimal, is, when viewed in the mirror of the knowledge of God, mightier than a mountain. Every drop proffered in His path is as the sea in that mirror.” (Bahá’u’lláh, Quickeners of Mankind, p. 4)