The Philosophy of Trial: From the Essence of the Individual to the Destiny of Nations
1. Introduction: Redefining Trial as a Path to Divine Nearness
“The most severely tested people are those closest to God Almighty.” This principle demolishes the pillars of the prevailing superficial understanding and contradicts all the premises of what is known as the “modern awakening,” which links divine giving to satisfaction and withholding to anger. It presents trial as a calamity that must be rejected, whereas the deep spiritual truth reveals a perspective that overturns material standards entirely. Trial, in its essence, is the most precise measure of closeness to the Divine Presence. In this article, we will uncover the true nature of trial, delving into the dualities of withholding and giving, the apparent and the hidden, showing how excellence in dealing with affliction—through patience in hardship and gratitude in prosperity—is the essence of spiritual ascent, and how this divine law extends from the life of the individual to encompass the destiny of nations in the eternal struggle between truth and falsehood.
2. The Reality of Trial: Beyond Withholding and Giving
Understanding the reality of trial is a liberating step that frees the human being from the prison of appearances, and from tying their value before God to what is given or withheld in the world of manifestation. Trial is not pure evil; rather, it is “something that befalls you… good or bad.” It is everything that occurs in a person’s life—giving and withholding, connection and separation. God tests you by receiving something just as He tests you by losing it. The shocking truth is that no one can decisively say which of the two was better for them. No one truly knows which trial was more beneficial: whether they would have excelled in the trial of abundance or in the trial of deprivation.
This understanding establishes a fundamental relationship: the intensity of trial is directly proportional to closeness to God. Thus, “the most severely tested are the closest to God Almighty.” This principle dismantles the common belief that material blessings are evidence of God’s pleasure.
| Prevailing Concept (Modern Awakening) | Spiritual Truth (Essence of the Text) |
|---|---|
| Giving is a sign of closeness, withholding is a sign of distance. | Giving or withholding has no relation to closeness to God. |
| Rejecting trials and pursuing superficial blessings. | Trial is a path to nearness, in hardship as well as in ease. |
| Focusing on outward blessings as proof of divine love. | Focusing on how one responds to trial (excellence in trial). |
3. The Duality of Existence: Between Outer Shells and Inner Essence
Distinguishing between the outward and the inward is a tool of spiritual insight. Confusing them leads to a catastrophic misunderstanding of God’s will. The rule here is strict: “Giving is general, while nearness is specific.” God may grant the forms and appearances of blessings to all people—those He loves and those He does not— but closeness to Him is a secret attained only by the people of trial. The reason is profound: God’s sanctity and sacredness do not allow entry into His holiness except for one who has been tried.
Thus, you may see someone who has been given everything outwardly—wealth, power, countless blessings— and assume they are favored by God, while in reality they may be the farthest of creation from Him. Conversely, God may withhold from a servant outwardly in order to grant them the “essence of blessings” that endure inwardly.
- The form of the blessing: accidental, perishable—like a body that dies, wealth that vanishes, and relationships that end. This form is given to those God loves and those He does not.
- The essence of the blessing: enduring, eternal—like a soul that does not perish. It is a special matter granted only to those God loves: steadfast patience in the heart of adversity, constant gratitude at the height of blessing, and inner certainty and happiness unaffected by external circumstances.
Hence comes the resounding warning: “Do not magnify the shells lest they dominate you and grow great in your heart.” Exalting appearances causes them to enslave the human being, while true strength lies in the imperishable essence. Recognizing this duality raises the most practical question: how, then, should one respond correctly to trial?
4. The Path of the Soul: Patience and Gratitude as the Highest Forms of Response
Knowledge of the reality of trial is incomplete without mastering the art of “excellence in trial,” which represents the essence of practical worship. Everything that befalls a person is an opportunity for ascent or descent. Trial is a spiritual elevator; the correct response determines the direction.
- Patience in hardship: Patience is not laziness or passive surrender. In truth, it is “exhausting all opportunity and readiness.” It is a state of full preparedness, using all available means, then awaiting God’s command with trust and certainty. Whoever knows God in hardship truly knows Him—without veil. It is knowledge of the Truth through the Truth.
- Gratitude in prosperity: Gratitude is the impregnable
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