Calamity in the Path of God Is a Favor

O thou who art controlled by the attraction of the Fragrances of God!

I perused thy letter which speaks of thy love to God and thine attraction to the Beauty of God, and I became cheered in heart by its beautiful contents. In my previous letter to thee it was my intention to point out to thee that in the way of exalting the Word of God there are tests and trials, and in His love there are at all times calamities and afflictions and sufferings. Therefore, it behooveth one to first ponder over these calamities and wistfully accept them, then undertake to spread the fragrances of God and exalt His Word. At that time, whatever may befall him in the love of God, of reproach, persecution, reviling, abuse, insult, beating, imprisonment or assassination, will not offend him; rather it will augment his attraction to the Beauty of God. This was what I intended previously. Otherwise, woe and misery to the soul which hunts after comfort, luxury, wealth and affluence, while it is remiss of the mention of God; because calamity in the path of God is a favor to Abdul-Baha.

In one of the Tablets the Beauty of El-Abha sayeth, “I never passed by a tree that my heart did not address it, saying, ‘Would that thou was cut in My Name, that upon thee my body should be crucified!’”

This is that which was uttered by the Greatest Name. This is His Path! This is the evidence of His Great Kingdom!

Source: 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbas (1909). Public domain text from Project Gutenberg eBook #19312.

'Abdu'l-Bahá. (1909). *Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbas*. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/19312/pg19312-images.html