He
[‘Abdu’l-Baha] was asked, `How is it that the desires of some people are
achieved while others are not?' The gist of the Master's response was:
What
conforms with divine decree will be realized. In addition, good intentions and
sound thoughts attract confirmations. The desires of human beings are endless.
No matter what level a human being reaches, he can still attain higher ones, so
he is always making effort and desiring more. He can never find peace but
through effort and resignation, so that, notwithstanding all efforts in worldly
affairs, the human heart remains free and happy. He neither becomes proud on
attaining wealth and position nor becomes dejected on losing them. This station
can be attained only through the power of faith.
- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, From a talk at San Francisco’s Jewish Temple, October
14, 1912, Pleasanton, California, USA, recorded by Mahmud Zarqani; ‘Mahmud’s
Diary’)
