Temptations and free will.

Spiritual Reflections. 

Temptations and free will.

How to take advantage of everything that tempts us, to strengthen our will.

This reflection deals with the universal law that says that every force, to exist and express itself, has an opposing force that counters it and tries to overcome it. Life is made up of opposing forces and one depends on the other; neither can exist alone as it would be immediately canceled out. Ancient military strategies or Jesus Christ himself when he asks us to love even our enemies express this knowledge or wisdom of polarities and their mutually reinforcing interaction. The honor given to a defeated enemy in ancient times was an expression of gratitude in the open acknowledgment that he contributed to our own strengthening. Today, our blind vanity has foolishly abandoned this wisdom, which has served so many to overcome themselves, not by humiliating anyone, but by honoring the forces that opposed them, both external and internal. 

Understanding this principle is extremely helpful in bringing about a change in our perception of our own contradictions, which are no longer a mere annoyance but a necessary system for our personal development and help us to get to know ourselves better, because we will always have pairs of opposing forces that want to guide us for good or for evil, to selfless love or to selfishness, to light or to darkness, something that has a much more literal and transcendent meaning than one might think. 

We call temptations the forces within and without us that want to push us into darkness. However, this darkness is often shrouded in an apparent light or brightness that lures us in, just as a fish is lured at night under water to snap at the bait. Every halfway honest person must admit that they have been this poor fish more than once. Namely, when they were lured by the false shine of a lie; by a force that kept them from simply doing the right thing. If he is defeated by this enemy, he has only two options: to deceive himself or to repent. The latter would be highly desirable. 

Let us try to understand what has happened in us and how we can improve in the daily struggle against the polar opposites of love and truth. Our best tool in this fight is our will, supported by our ability to think independently. Neither of these qualities is fashionable, and the world is out to suppress them with all the weapons at its disposal, in order to weaken both reason and willpower in people. These weapons use a single toxic substance to attack and destroy our mental energy: fear. Be aware that you are in a war; in fact, you have come to prove yourself on Earth in this war. Being aware of this is the first step to better defending yourself against the enemy, an enemy within, for the enemy without is only an expression of your own dark side. 

Let us enter fearlessly this world where polar opposites are in constant tension, without which we could not progress, even if the risk of failure is considerable. Earth is a vast proving ground for the soul. Only the most intrepid come here. Why? Among other things, to strengthen their will in a world full of temptations. Let's look at how this can be achieved and why it is so important, even though it is not the trend in a world where desire wants to win the game.


The temptations.

Temptations are everything that prevents us from being better, more helpful, more patient and more caring persons. Temptations are very real and can be of great benefit to us if we understand why and for what purpose God allows the great tempter to take every opportunity to seduce us for this perishable life, to trap us in it and in his false ideas about our death , lies that the tempter uses to win us over definitively to his cause, namely, to strip our soul of all possible strength, but not because he steals it from us, but because we willingly give it to him when we seek immediate self-gratification in this life.  Being more or less selfish is part of our nature. It goes way back, since what we call the great fall from grace, which removed us from our perfection, with which we were created by God as beings of light and goodness. Living on Earth and experiencing a life full of pain and death is the ultimate challenge to test our inner balance; to see if it tends towards good or evil, because the fear of death makes us vulnerable and compels us to choose between the forces that tempt us to selfishness and the nobler ones that uplift us to faith and love. 

Every time we give in to one of the forces that oppose the good in us, that is, the good we can do to our environment, we weaken both our will and our ability to distinguish between good and evil. Selfishness, meanwhile, is being touted as something desirable, because it means overcoming our inhibitions to be happier. Self-control, which should actually be an expression of my will, is dismissed as the mere suppression of our impulses. But a life without self-control can only make us weaker. This weakening of our spirit, which manifests itself in depression and anxiety, eventually also transfers to the physical plane of our self, our body. There, the consequences of a life at the mercy of the forces of the enticing pole show up in chronic fatigue, general exhaustion, and diseases of the immune system. If we do not fight against the temptations, they weaken us greatly. Just look at the vital state of humanity, which is addicted to stimulants and narcotic substances and has serious fertility problems in the more advanced nations, which is a clear sign of weakening. We can ask a farmer or agricultural engineer where the life force of a plant is, and he will answer: in its seed, which is its ability to reproduce, that is where its life force is concentrated. The numbers of fertility problems in humans are alarming, and this is not due to environmental pollution and certainly not to climate change. Why? Because we are spiritual beings and everything that affects our body is a reflection of what is happening to us, especially on the mental or spiritual level, in the soul. 

Let us reflect on the relationship between our will and what takes it from us, as well as on the great importance of willpower for our soul, which is our transcendent, i.e. immortal self, because it transcends the death of our body. That is why the soul is the part of us that we must cultivate and strengthen. This life is a preparation for the life that awaits us in the pure spiritual world, because on the spiritual plane it is the will that is the direct power of our creations.

Speaking of creations: the first temptation I felt when I had the idea of putting these thoughts into written words was not to do so! That was reason enough for me to realize that I absolutely had to and wanted to write them down. Many people know the temptation to give up a task before it has even begun. I wanted to do this or that, but I didn't do it. Among all the things we don't do, there are many things that are not very important, but there are also some that would bring us incomparable happiness. And these are not the ones that others prescribe for us or a travel advertisement, but the ones that correspond to a calling and an inner voice. We must pay attention to these calls, which is quite difficult in this noisy world. I have to listen more to my inner voice, disconnect from the worldly theater and its desire to get my attention. And to listen to what comes out of me is an exercise in love, but not a love that takes, but a love that wants to give, that gives the best of me, that is creative.

Doing something, taking action, is only possible thanks to our will, because it involves transforming a desire into a reality, for which you always have to make an effort, and it almost always encounters a doubt that, if we let it grow, will completely destroy our idea.

Well, as for this written reflection, at this point I have overcome my doubt, which has created in me another force in my favor, namely the commitment to finish what I have started, another action that requires my will.

Seen in this way, my doubt, which is a weakness, becomes a force that supports my goal. Therefore, I understand that I must not run away from temptations, curse and condemn them, and certainly not cast myself as a victim, but rather take the initiative by sensing their power, which opposes the power that wants to move me to a new action, and which increases my commitment to the power of progress and learning, because all progress is learning.

In other words, I cannot completely withdraw from the temptation to do something more pleasant than trying to organize my ideas, to transform them into something that I consider useful and good for the mind, and to offer them to the reader, that is, to you. I can only resist it with my willpower! At this moment, I am using its energy in the right way, to my advantage, because I would be doing myself a disservice if I lapsed into idleness.

Now that I have begun to give shape to these reflections, I am confident that the blank pages will emerge, like marble, a David whose form will radiate life and strength, even love. No one asked me to do this, I am not following a trend or a tendency and I am not trying to be liked or to find followers; I am simply following the dictates of my own conviction, what I want and need to do at this moment, and trying to convey some happiness and wisdom. Creating is an act of giving. And that is only possible and valuable if it happens in freedom - a freedom that is systematically attacked by the world.

Freedom is the sacred framework for my development. I must act in freedom and be able at any time to give up my task, to break my commitment to this meditation and to you, and to direct my love elsewhere - which does not mean that I will do so. And it is my love, united with my will and guided by the wisdom that God has given me, that will determine the course of my action.

Directing my love begins with something external or internal to me, a thought or a word I hear that briefly captivates me. But my love is weak in itself, because it is a force without its own criteria, and it needs the force of reason or my spirit so that my self directs its energies to something that yields a return, a good, and not a waste! This is of the utmost importance and should be well thought out, each for themselves. 

In reality, it is an economic principle, an investment and profitability, and it is precisely this profitability, which can be short-, medium- or long-term, that I have to calculate well if I do not want to lose the strength of my soul, weaken and become ill, which yielding to temptations that are easy and comfortable brings me, namely nothing, exhaustion and death! Just think of a person who indulges in drugs, alcohol or tobacco. As soon as he has given in to this (bad) habit, which gives him a short-term reward that he has to repeat over and over again, he has lost his will and when he loses it completely, he condemns himself to death, which is tantamount to suicide. In this case, his immortal soul can only be saved very gradually in the spiritual realm, in order to bring him back to life, which may take years, decades or centuries, in comparison to the time here on earth.

As a general rule, if I only focus my love on things that give me immediate gratification, I will come out of it with a loss for my soul. This is a problem caused by an excess of self-love, or selfishness.

How should I invest so that everything is a win, i.e. with a guaranteed return? The guideline is simple: that the profit generated not only benefits me, but that my work or effort becomes a benefit for others. Sharing and giving brings back happiness, which at its core is life energy, spiritual nourishment. Those to whom I give this good may not appreciate it as much as I would like them to, but it is enough if I see that I was able to help just one person, so that my soul receives this additional flow of energy that increases its spiritual balance, provided that my actions were not planned to receive merit, but to be a support or a guide to a brother in need. 

Everything depends on how I see life and the world around me. It depends on whether I pay little attention to what is happening around me or whether I am able to awaken my love for others, to feel their suffering and disorientation. The world wants me to feel envy, anger and fear, which weakens me and increases my desire for well-being and comfort, whatever the cost. But when I disconnect from this manipulation of my feelings and thus of my will; when I stop feeding the feelings that the world imposes on me and start connecting with my own spirit, I will discover that a whole new love arises in me, leading me to see and treat others with compassion

In short, if I think only of my own gain and pleasure, my investments will not bring a positive and, above all, lasting return to my life, but will drain the strength of my soul, leading to illness or death. However, if I seek the good of others with my actions, without neglecting my own, I accumulate interest for my soul because I am acting according to the law of love for my neighbor. It's as simple as that, and now we can understand why selfish acts are the temptations that weaken me, and why it is necessary for me to make choices that lead me to do the right thing in every moment, because in this life I will always have a choice between what gives me immediate pleasure and what gives me a deeper satisfaction that translates into greater vital energy for my mind, which learns to seek not only gain and pleasure but also to be useful and kind to others. Yes, this life is hell, but I will no longer try to save myself by oppressing others, but I will be an outstretched hand for those who stumble and fall or are already down, not knowing how they came to be in this miserable situation, weak and sick. The first thing that happened to them is that they lost their will because they misdirected their love, which can also be described as selling their soul to the devil!


The strength of my will.

I have to measure the strength of my will against what is still able to overcome it in me; against the temptations that still make me a sinner, and thus an egoist, that tempt me to be selfish. I would say that I am a person with a strong will. Over the last 25 years, I have organized and built several companies, even if they were small, and I usually do most of the work and make most of the decisions, which I am not afraid of. I learn from my mistakes and am not afraid to correct my own actions, just as I am not afraid to point out others' mistakes to others, because I see life as a path of constant improvement and progress, where we just have to recognize our mistakes, analyze them and try not to repeat them, something that often happens to weak-willed people who repeatedly fall into the same actions that rob them of strength and discourage them. This is a common and serious problem, and it is all a matter of willpower. However, I consider myself to be just as weak-willed as my own temptations indicate, especially the inner ones, because the world tempts me little or not at all, and I certainly don't blame it for my failures. We all live at the limits of our abilities, each at our own level, and we must continue to rise above our weaknesses through small victories, because you can't fell an oak in a single blow. Proper humility is my best armor for overcoming my own weaknesses. Pride will only bring me down.

There is a saying that serves as a guide to avoid succumbing to the negative emotions that being in this world causes in many: be meek on the outside and firm on the inside. Meek on the outside because I feel compassion for my brothers and sisters, not anger or envy; firm on the inside because I do not let the world's attempts to manipulate me rob me of my will. We must know how to remain neutral, because the moment we take sides, we misjudge reality and have allowed ourselves to be seduced by someone else's victimhood. We all carry an infallible wisdom within us, which we must cultivate if we want to stand firm in the love that gives and yields the best fruit for the soul. But often the enemy is more within us than without. The battle here is relentless and anyone who is not careful will be lost. However, all this forms the counterbalance to the strength of my will, a pole that I must not try to eliminate, like this idea of completely eradicating evil on earth, but which I must use as a countervailing force that strengthens me. God puts each of us on the stage of life where we can overcome our struggles with a little willpower and a good chance of success. And it is God to whom we must turn for strength. He has put us in this world to strengthen us in spirit, and there are many opportunities for this here! Don't get discouraged!

If our own inner voices, the negative ones, or someone around us tries to undermine our good intentions, we should by no means fear them, but see them as help to reaffirm our decisions and to move from thought, from idea to action, unless, of course, we harm ourselves or, even worse, others. In these considerations, we assume that we are guided by a morality that only wants the good for all. In what is creative and especially in what we can do to benefit the world, even in a very modest way, we should consider those who discourage us as our best friends, because to take a leap forward, we need a counterforce to force us to flex our muscles or train them to strengthen them. It is the same with the mind and our will: without resistance, it would never develop; without temptations showing us an easier and more complacent path, we would never learn to say no. 

Any suggestion, whether from outside or inside, that promotes our selfishness, this self-love that only looks to its own satisfaction, is a red line that we must not cross. We can all do better, do our best and help someone weaker than us. I must focus my efforts on that. Sometimes it's just a small kindness in the morning, because even that small gesture requires a good dose of willingness.

And every gesture that is the fruit of your goodwill is credited to your soul, in the form of energy for your life on the spiritual plane, just like all deeds that are the fruit of the absence of that goodwill. This account is the one you take with you to the other side when you die, because it is an account of your love, how you have used it and where you have directed it, whether only or mainly to yourself or to others (family doesn't count for much, because it is an extension of you). This love will be judged, and this judgment will be made by your own mind, by no one else. Depending on the outcome of this judgment, your life in the hereafter will develop in one direction or the other and will be the starting point for your further growth in love and willpower, which you will need much more there than here. I assure you that it is not me who is saying this, but your own conscience, if you ever start to listen to it. Of course you can deny everything and believe in nothing. But then at least you can't claim that you didn't know anything; that you never received information, because you have already read it here, whether you are open or closed to it is up to you.

I cannot emphasize enough to you the importance of the will; with it we do everything. If we remember what has been said here in this train of thought, as an expression of my love for you, love must first pass through the filter of the light of a sensible mind; then it must be placed in the hands of the will to carry out what is desired. We have a triad of forces in our soul that is inseparable: love, reason, and will. The latter is opposed by all kinds of forces that we call selfishness, which is characterized by the pursuit of immediate and selfish gain. 

The most manipulable part of my being is my love. That is why the world's propaganda also attacks the intelligence as the inner guide of that love, which comes out confused, directed by marketing, which defends the vision of investing exclusively in my own pleasure and well-being; that the state take care of the rest, as long as I pay my taxes. They want us to be passive and obedient. Everything is geared towards our dependence on them, a dependency that is achieved through the addiction to pleasure. Every advertisement is an incentive to make a new investment in pleasure. Not only do they succeed in taking our money, but we also put our lives in their hands and with it our vitality. The world does not want people with strong wills, but with love that can be manipulated by what they call fashions and trends. They know all too well that most people lack initiative, they do not explore, they do not take risks, they do what others do. An army of professionals and amateurs is responsible for getting millions of people to do the same thing, or at least to try, as long as they don't think for themselves, which would cause their love to submit to the light of their own intelligence for the first time and to be guided by things that really have to do with the creative being we all carry within us. The world does not want creators, it wants consumers of things, products and even experiences, consumed as another drug of the ego, which finds no peace or satisfaction because it only takes and never gives! The challenge for each individual is colossal, because the world has redoubled its efforts to make the enjoyment of life the ultimate selfish pursuit of all time, for which one does not need much will or independent spiritual discourse, but only a love that is easily led by external agents, who swarm in the social networks, the horde of false prophets announced in the Holy Scripture. They are all our antithesis.

But the formation of my will does not end as an end in itself for this life on the earthly or material plane.

I have already mentioned that everything in our soul is recorded in the form of love and that the soul, as our immortal being, transcends the boundary of the death of the physical body and arrives at the level of a spiritual world that is characterized by its love, i.e. transparent to God and its own higher spirit, which we call conscience on earth. Its love thus brings the soul to a sphere of spiritual reality from which it must begin its ethereal life. This life is not static, but offers infinite levels of light and love, one connected to the next. Soon the soul will realize that it will either be stuck in its sphere or level forever, or it will begin to desire to evolve to a better life. Better means, above all, freer and more creatively empowered. And it will realize that it can only ascend if it uses its will to do so, if it works and learns everything that its level offers it, which basically means helping other souls that are in a similar or worse situation than itself. And if she has not fared very badly from the outset, she will see that other souls, the souls of people who did not resist their temptations and gave themselves over to vices, drugs and other evils, lie in dark places, barely alive. Others have used their will only to inflict suffering on others. They all find themselves in spheres that we would call hell, and which serve to direct their will for good through compassion. Even the coldest and darkest corner of the spiritual world is imbued with divine mercy to bring souls back to life and change their love, to guide it for good.

On the spiritual side of life, everything happens through the will, which is a real force there, giving real power. The truth is that life on earth is the best test of our willpower, but at the same time it is also the place where we can fail miserably!


The will and good.

Both here and on the spiritual plane, there is a big difference between using the will for good or for evil. There are people here and spirits there – people without a physical body – who have a very strong will, but feel love only for themselves and are oppressors and a threat to the lives of others. We have already said that everything begins with the love we put into an idea, which is nourished by that love and depends on our will to be carried out. If these ideas are evil and life-giving love is instilled in them and there is a determined will to carry them out, the result is naturally horror. With this double warning, we conclude our reflections: Control your love through the wisdom that is within you to distinguish good from evil, and use your will to do as much good as you can.

Remember the law of polarity and use everything that stands in the way of your best intentions to strengthen your seriousness, your steadfastness and your patience, but above all to strengthen your will as the power of your spirit, for a well-trained will will be your immortal power, making you invincible here and there.

May God bless you.