After This Storm, the Divine Spring

Among the Tablets gathered by the House of Spirituality of Chicago and published as *Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbas* is a letter which, according to the compilers' note, belongs to a series of Tablets addressed to that House of Spirituality. The Master opens by acknowledging the friends' letters, which had told of their steadfastness in the Cause of God. Then He tells them what to expect.

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> O ye beloved of God! When the winds blow severely, rains fall > fiercely, the lightning flashes, the thunder roars, the bold > descends and storms of trial become severe, grieve not; for after > this storm, verily, the divine spring will arrive, the hills and > fields will become verdant … These favors are results of those > storms and hurricanes.

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He goes on to contrast two kinds of people:

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> The discerning man rejoiceth at the day of trials, his breast > becometh dilated at the time of severe storms … because he > foreseeth the result and the end (of these trials), the leaves, > blossoms and fruits (which follow this wintry storm); while the > ignorant (short-sighted) person becometh troubled when he seeth a > storm …

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He then recalls the days of Christ, when a storm of trials arose and the weak were shaken, while the disciples endured and remained firm; afterward God "changed the sorrow to joy." And so He prepares the friends in advance:

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> Therefore, O ye beloved of God, be not grieved when people stand > against you, persecute you, afflict and trouble you and say all > manner of evil against you.

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The darkness will pass away and the > light of the manifest signs will appear … This we inform you > before it occurs, so that when the hosts of people arise against > you for my love, be not disturbed or troubled; nay, rather, be > firm as a mountain, for this persecution and reviling of the > people upon you is a pre-ordained matter. Blessed is the soul who > is firm in the path!

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*A retelling based on **Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbas**. For the fuller account, see the original.*

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