| Meditate profoundly, that the secret of things unseen may be revealed unto you, that you may inhale the sweetness of a spiritual and imperishable fragrance, and that you may acknowledge the truth that from time immemorial even unto eternity the Almighty hath tried, and will continue to try, His servants, so that light may be distinguished from darkness, truth from falsehood, right from wrong, guidance from error, happiness from misery, and roses from thorns. Even as He hath revealed: “Do men think when they say ‘We believe’ they shall be let alone and not be put to proof?” -Bahá’u’lláh in the Kitáb-i-Íqán |
The concept of faith is sometimes degraded in society, and the word used to describe holding a belief that is contrary to science and reason. Consider instead how the world can be likened to that of a school, with people being the students and the divine Messenger being the teacher. We know students must be tested on what they have learned as part of their education. Testing ones knowledge exposes the truth of our understanding. Is it enough for a student to say "I have mastered this subject" and move on to the next? Without a test the mastery cannot be determined. Additionally, the test is not for the teachers benefit, but for the students, to help them ascertain their status and improve their understanding. A student upon entering the classroom must take certain things on faith. For example, that the teacher will provide opportunity for the student to learn. That the teacher will not test the student in an unfair way. And that the teacher, while possibly asking a question beyond the understanding of the student at that moment, has not asked a question which is beyond their capacity at that moment. Faith therefore means trusting that God has provided you with all the tools you need to succeed. It means trusting that God will deal fairly with you and with others. Faith means trusting that through continued learning, effort and struggle we can find answers to even the most difficult questions we will face.
We should understand that the life of a Bahá’í is not one of ease and luxury, but one of tests and trials. Inasmuch as the purpose of life is to grow spiritually, and that growth is impossible without effort, struggle, sometimes setbacks, faith, and hard work. Bahá’ís are called upon to sacrifice their comfort for the sake of their families and others in their community. In the face of difficult events in our life, in the face of questions we are as of yet unable to answer, in the face of what seems like overwhelming adversity, how do we respond? The following is a prayer revealed by Bahá’u’lláh that may be said during moments of prayer and reflection:
| Glory to Thee, O my God! But for the tribulations which are sustained in Thy path, how could Thy true lovers be recognized; and were it not for the trials which are borne for love of Thee, how could the station of such as yearn for Thee be revealed? Thy might beareth me witness! The companions of all who adore Thee are the tears they shed, and the comforters of such as seek Thee are the groans they utter, and the food of them who haste to meet Thee is the fragments of their broken hearts.
How sweet to my taste is the bitterness of death suffered in Thy path, and how precious in my estimation are the shafts of Thine enemies when encountered for the sake of the exaltation of Thy word! Let me quaff in Thy Cause, O my God, whatsoever Thou didst desire, and send down upon me in Thy love all Thou didst ordain. By Thy glory! I wish only what Thou wishest, and cherish what Thou cherishest. In Thee have I, at all times, placed my whole trust and confidence. Raise up, I implore Thee, O my God, as helpers to this Revelation such as shall be counted worthy of Thy name and of Thy sovereignty, that they may remember me among Thy creatures, and hoist the ensigns of Thy victory in Thy land. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. No God is there but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. -Bahá’u’lláh in Prayers and Meditations |
It is through prayer, meditation, reflection, consultation with others, and through faith and trust in God that we find the strength to face and overcome our tests. Understand that while God will test us, we certainly have the capacity to test ourselves too. A student who comes to class but does not pay attention is adding to their burden in a way the teacher did not intend. An individual who does not follow the laws and teachings of God adds to their burden with the consequences of those actions. We should strive with all our effort to avoid these self-inflicted tests, which will be different for each individual. But when we fail, remember that God is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful, All-Loving, and we are not expected to be perfect.
The following words of Bahá’u’lláh include a prayer you can say for forgiveness:
| Set thine heart towards Him Who is the Kaaba of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting, and raise thou thine hands with such firm conviction as shall cause the hands of all created things to be lifted up towards the heaven of the grace of God, the Lord of all worlds. Turn, then, thy face towards Him in such wise that the faces of all beings will turn in the direction of His shining and luminous Horizon, and say: “Thou seest me, O my Lord, with my face turned towards the heaven of Thy bounty and the ocean of Thy favor, withdrawn from all else beside Thee. I ask of Thee, by the splendors of the Sun of Thy revelation on Sinai, and the effulgences of the Orb of Thy grace which shineth from the horizon of Thy Name, the Ever-Forgiving, to grant me Thy pardon and to have mercy upon me. Write down, then, for me with Thy pen of glory that which will exalt me through Thy Name in the world of creation. Aid me, O my Lord, to set myself towards Thee, and to hearken unto the voice of Thy loved ones, whom the powers of the earth have failed to weaken, and the dominion of the nations has been powerless to withhold from Thee, and who, advancing towards Thee, have said: ‘God is our Lord, the Lord of all who are in heaven and all who are on earth!’” -Bahá’u’lláh in Epistle to the Son of the Wolf |
