# Little Book of Comfort / Librito Reconfortante

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> Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Lesley Shams, Little Book of Comfort / Librito Reconfortante, bahai-library.com.
> ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
> 
> Little Book of
> Comfort
> 
> by
> Lesley Shams
> © National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of India
> 
> First Indian Edition: February 2015
> 
> Artwork: Nicole Dawn Mercredi
> Photos: Badi Shams
> 
> ISBN: 978-81-7896-121-7
> 
> Bahá’í Publishing Trust
> F-3/6, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-I, New Delhi – 110 020, India
> Printed at: _________________
> Acknowledgments
> Dedicated to my husband, Badi’, whose
> painstaking care and continuous support
> of my efforts made publication of this
> book possible.
> Table of Contents
> The Reason for Suffering ..................... 1
> Tools to Transform Suffering .............. 17
> Words of Comfort ................................ 47
> Prayers ................................................. 58
> References ........................................... 77
> The Reason for Suffering
> We live in a beautiful world. Every time we step
> out of our homes, we are bombarded by the
> incredible majesty of nature – towering verdant
> mountains; an azure sea edged with pearly sand;
> flowing rivers gurgling down ebony rocks; majestic
> trees providing a leafy canopy with birds carolling
> in their branches. These are only a few of the
> beauties of nature. And we, God’s noblest creation,
> are also part of this beautiful world. What joys
> we experience in our lives at the birth of a child,
> 
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> 
> a love found between two souls that grows and
> matures through time, precious friendships that
> enrich us and expand our hearts and souls. And
> for many of us, a connection with a Creator who
> blesses our lives in a myriad ways.
> But into this beautiful world must also come pain
> and suffering. Sometimes the pain forces us to
> slow down and recognize that our lives are out of
> control. When pain arrives at our doorstep we
> have two choices – to become overwhelmed by
> it and to stay stuck in it or to work through it,
> trying to understand why and allow it to help us
> grow, change and evolve. In this little volume I
> have included an explanation of why we experience
> suffering in our lives and some suggestions for
> coping in difficult times. This is followed by a
> selection of words of comfort. Finally I have written
> about the power of prayer in our lives and provided
> some prayers for healing for yourself and for your
> loved ones.
> Why do we have suffering, tests, difficulties and
> adversity in our lives? There are always challenges
> and they are part of life. We can grow stronger
> through challenges but sadly we are not just given
> 
> The Reason for Suffering
> 
> one test to pass in life; they are never over and
> we are always given more. Learning to face the
> tests and trials of life may be a life-long journey.
> And we need a Guide to accompany us on this
> journey if we are to reach our true potential. When
> something really terrible happens to you or those
> you love and there seems to be no reasonable
> explanation for it, it is difficult for us to have faith
> that God is on our side, that He truly loves us.
> We really need to understand why bad things
> happen to good people.
> Justice St. Rain, in his book, Why Me, A Spiritual
> Guide to Growing through Tests,1 uses the analogy
> of four bushes to illustrate this point. Four rose
> bushes in a garden did their best all summer to
> grow long and produce many blossoms, only to
> be shocked when the gardener chopped off their
> branches at the end of the season. The first rose
> bush was angry and yelled at the gardener about
> the injustice of being cut down after trying to please
> him. It decided to rebel and concentrated on its
> root system the next spring, so that eventually it
> had only a few leaves and began to die. The
> second rose bush thought it was being punished
> for blossoming and so decided in the spring not to
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> 
> grow or blossom, but to do nothing so it might as
> well have been dead. The third rose bush thought
> that things happened in life quite haphazardly and
> didn’t have to be fair so in the spring it did the
> same thing it had done before, growing long
> branches with blossoms. Knowing that the gardener
> The Reason for Suffering
> 
> might just chop it down again at the end of the
> summer, it did not resist when the aphids began
> munching on leaves and petals. But the fourth bush
> trusted the gardener and wondered what he wanted
> it to do or learn from the experience. In the spring
> it noticed that it had many nodes on each branch
> and could branch out in many directions and
> blossom. And so with effort it could become a
> better rose bush with more blossoms rather than
> a leggy bush with only one blossom at the end of
> each stalk. We need to be like the fourth rose
> bush. In the face of calamities, we need to trust
> in God and know we can cope with any situation
> because we have faith in His love. And just like
> the fourth rose bush, we need to learn about
> ourselves and strive to achieve our potential by
> making efforts to be the best we can be. In the
> Bible we are told that “God is love”; the Bahá’í
> Writings state that God is “more friend to me than
> I am to myself “. We can only understand why bad
> things happen by believing in this view of God.
> Life is meant to be difficult and fraught with
> problems and we know that facing them is very
> painful. The Bahá’í Writings offer an explanation
> of the purpose of tests:
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> “Suffering, of one kind or another,
> seems to be the portion of man in this
> world. Even the Beloved ones, the
> Prophets of God, have never been
> exempt from the ills that are to be found
> in our world; poverty, disease,
> bereavement, - they seem to be part of
> the polish God employs to make us finer,
> and enable us to reflect more of His
> attributes!” 2
> “Tests are benefits from God, for which
> we should thank Him. Grief and sorrow
> do not come to us by chance, they are
> sent to us by the Divine Mercy for our
> own perfecting.” 3
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the son of the founder and
> Messenger of the Bahá’í Faith, wants us to
> experience suffering and tribulation because He
> knows how it benefits us:
> “The more difficulties one sees in the
> world the more perfect one becomes.
> The more you plough and dig the ground
> the more fertile it becomes. The more
> you cut the branches of a tree the higher
> The Reason for Suffering
> 
> and stronger it grows. The more you
> put the gold in the fire the purer it
> becomes. The more you sharpen the
> steel by grinding the better it cuts.
> Therefore, the more sorrows one sees
> the more perfect one becomes…
> Therefore I am happy that you have
> had      great    tribulations        and
> difficulties…Strange it is that I love you
> and still I am happy that you have
> sorrows.” 4
> Here is a story that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá told related to
> suffering:
> “A certain ruler wished to appoint one
> of his subjects to a high office: so, in
> order to train him, the ruler cast him
> into prison and caused him to suffer
> much. The man was surprised at this,
> for he expected great favours. The ruler
> had him taken from prison and beaten
> with sticks. This greatly astonished the
> man, for he thought the ruler loved him.
> After this he was hanged on the gallows
> until he was nearly dead. After he
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> recovered he asked the ruler, ‘If you
> love me, why did you do these things?’
> The ruler replied: ‘I wish to make you
> prime minister. By having gone through
> these ordeals you are better fitted for
> that office. I wish you to know how it
> is yourself. When you are obliged to
> punish, you will know how it feels to
> endure these things. I love you so I wish
> you to become perfect.’ Even so with
> you. After this ordeal you will reach
> maturity. God sometimes causes us to
> suffer much and to have many
> misfortunes that we may become
> strong… 5
> “…so suffering and tribulation free man
> from the petty affairs of this worldly
> life until he arrives at a state of
> complete detachment. His attitude in
> this world will be that of divine
> happiness. Man is, so to speak, unripe:
> the heat of the fire of suffering will
> mature him. Look back to the times
> past and you will find that the greatest
> men have suffered most.” 6
> The Reason for Suffering
> 
> One of our greatest difficulties in life is dealing
> with physical pain.
> Again, from the Bahá’í Writings:
> “Physical pain is a necessary
> accompaniment of all human existence,
> and as such is unavoidable…But
> suffering, although an inescapable
> reality, can nevertheless be utilized as
> a means for the attainment of
> happiness. This is the interpretation
> given to it by all the prophets and saints
> who, in the midst of severe tests and
> trials, felt happy and joyous and
> experienced what is best and holiest in
> life. Suffering is both a reminder and a
> guide. It stimulates us to better adapt
> ourselves to our environmental
> conditions, and thus leads the way to
> self-improvement. In every suffering
> one can find a meaning and a wisdom.
> But it is not always easy to find the
> secret of that wisdom. It is sometimes
> only when all our suffering has passed
> that we become aware of its usefulness.
> 
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> What man considers to be evil turns
> of ten to be a cause of infinite
> blessings.” 7
> “Verily the Will of God acts sometimes
> in a way for which mankind is unable
> to find out the reason. The causes and
> reasons shall appear. Trust in God and
> confide in Him, and resign thyself to
> the Will of God. Verily thy God is
> af fectionate, compassionate and
> merciful ... and will cause His Mercy to
> descend upon Thee.” 8
> And we are promised that God will never test us
> beyond our capacity:
> “He will never deal unjustly with any
> one, neither will He task a soul
> beyond its power. He, verily, is the
> Compassionate, the All-Merciful.” 9
> “Whatever hath befallen you, hath been
> for the sake of God. This is the truth,
> and in this there is no doubt. You should,
> therefore, leave all your affairs in His
> Hands, place your trust in Him, and
> The Reason for Suffering
> 
> rely upon Him. He will assuredly not
> forsake you. In this, likewise, there is
> no doubt. No father will surrender his
> sons to devouring beasts; no shepherd
> will leave his flock to ravening wolves.
> He will most certainly do his utmost to
> protect his own.” 10
> “Rest assured in the protection of God.
> He will preserve his own children under
> all circumstances. Be ye not afraid nor
> be ye agitated. He holds the scepter of
> power in his hand, and like unto a hen
> he gathereth his chickens under his
> wings. ‘To everything there is a season,
> and a time for every purpose under
> the sun. A time to be born, and a time
> to die, a time to weep and a time to
> laugh; a time to keep silent and a time
> to speak.’ Now, friends, this is the time
> of assurance and faith and not fear
> and dread.” 11
> We are also promised days of “blissful joy”:
> “Sorrow not if, in these days and on
> this earthly plane, things contrary to
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> your wishes have been ordained and
> manifested by God, for days of blissful
> joy, of heavenly delight, are assuredly
> in store for you. Worlds, holy and
> spiritually glorious, will be unveiled to
> your eyes. You are destined by Him, in
> this world and hereafter, to partake of
> their benefits, to share in their joys,
> and to obtain a portion of their
> sustaining grace. To each and every
> one of them you will, no doubt,
> attain.” 12
> 
> And here’s a story that illustrates clearly why we
> suffer in this world:
> A couple vacationing in Europe went strolling
> down a little street and saw a quaint little gift
> shop with a beautiful teacup in the window.
> The lady collected teacups and she wanted
> this one for her collection so she went inside
> to pick up the teacup, and as the story goes
> the teacup spoke and said:
> “I want you to know that I have not always
> looked like this. It took the process of pain to
> 
> The Reason for Suffering
> 
> bring me to this point. You see, there was a
> time when I was just clay and the master came
> and he pounded me and he squeezed me and
> he kneaded me and I screamed: ‘STOP THAT’.
> But he just smiled and he said, ‘Not yet’.
> Then he took me and put me on the wheel
> and I went round and round and round and
> round … and while I was spinning and getting
> dizzier and dizzier I screamed again and I said,
> ‘Please get me off this thing … please get me
> off!!!’ And the master was looking at me and
> he was smiling, as he said, ‘Not yet’.
> Then he took me and walked toward the oven
> and he shut the door and turned up the heat
> and I could see him through the window of
> the oven and it was getting hotter and hotter
> and I thought, ‘He’s going to burn me to death’.
> And I started pounding on the inside of the
> oven and I said ‘Master, let me out, let me
> out, let me out, and I could see that he was
> smiling as he said ‘Not yet’.
> Then he opened the door and I was fresh and
> free and he took me out of the oven and he
> 
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> 
> put me on the table and then he got some
> paint and a paintbrush. And he started dabbing
> me and making swirls all over me and I started
> to gag and I said: ‘Master, stop it … stop it …
> stop it please … you’re making me gag’ and
> he just smiled as he said ‘Not yet’.
> Then very gently he picked me up again and
> he started walking toward the oven and I said,
> ‘Master, NO! Not again, pleeeeease’. He
> opened the oven door and he slipped me
> inside and he shut the door and this time he
> turned the heat up twice as hot as before
> and I thought, ‘He’s going to kill me’, and I
> looked through the window of the oven and
> I started to pound saying, ‘Master … Master,
> please let me out … please let me out …let
> me out … let me out’. And I could see that he
> was smiling, but I also noticed a tear trickle
> down his cheek as I watched him mouth the
> words, ‘Not yet!’
> Just as I thought I was about to die, the door
> opened and he reached in ever so gently and
> took me out, fresh and free and he went and
> placed me on a high shelf and he said: ‘There,
> 
> The Reason for Suffering
> 
> I have created what I intended. Would you
> like to see yourself?’ I said ‘Yes’, so he handed
> me a mirror and I looked and I looked and I
> looked again and I said, ‘That’s not me, I’m
> just a lump of clay.’ And he said: ‘Yes, that IS
> you, but it took the process of pain to bring
> you to this place. ‘You see, had I not worked
> you when you were clay, then you would have
> dried up. If I had not subjected you to the
> stress of the wheel, you would have crumbled.
> If I had not put you into the heat of the oven
> you would have cracked. If I had not painted
> you there would be no color in your life. But,
> it was the second oven that gave you the
> strength to endure. And now you are
> everything that I intended you to be – from
> the beginning.’
> And I, the tea cup, heard myself saying
> something I never thought I would hear myself
> saying: ‘Master, forgive me, I did not trust you,
> I thought you were going to harm me, I did
> not know you had a glorious future and a hope
> for me. I was too short-sighted, but I want to
> thank you. I want to thank you for suffering.
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> I want to thank you for the process of pain.
> Here I am! I give you myself - fill me, pour
> from me, use me as you see fit. I really want
> to be a vessel that brings you glory within my
> life.’” 13
> 
> Tools to Transform Suffering
> Now let us consider how we can cope with
> suffering. We know that we are going to have
> difficulties in life and that God has given us these
> tests for our own perfecting. Knowing God and feeling
> His presence in our lives gives our soul a protective
> armor, an immunity that aids us from being bounced
> around by all the difficult circumstances we must
> face in life. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá tells us:
> “In this world we are influenced by two
> sentiments, Joy and Pain. Joy gives us
> wings! In times of joy our strength is
> more vital, our intellect keener, and our
> understanding less clouded. We seem
> better able to cope with the world and
> to find our sphere of usefulness. But
> when sadness visits us we become
> weak, our strength leaves us, our
> comprehension is dim and our
> intelligence veiled. The actualities of life
> seem to elude our grasp, the eyes of
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> 
> our spirits fail to discover the sacred
> mysteries, and we become even as dead
> beings.
> There is no human being untouched by
> these two influences; but all the sorrow
> and the grief that exist come from the
> world of matter — the spiritual world
> bestows only the joy!
> If we suffer it is the outcome of material
> things, and all the trials and troubles
> come from this world of illusion.
> For instance, a merchant may lose his
> trade and depression ensues. A
> workman is dismissed and starvation
> stares him in the face. A farmer has a
> bad harvest, anxiety fills his mind. A
> man builds a house which is burnt to
> the ground and he is straightway
> homeless, ruined, and in despair.
> All these examples are to show you that
> the trials which beset our every step,
> all our sorrow, pain, shame and grief,
> are born in the world of matter; whereas
> Tools to Transform Suffering
> 
> the spiritual Kingdom never causes
> sadness. A man living with his thoughts
> in this Kingdom knows perpetual joy.
> The ills all flesh is heir to do not pass
> him by, but they only touch the surface
> of his life, the depths are calm and
> serene.
> Today, humanity is bowed down with
> trouble, sorrow and grief, no one
> escapes; the world is wet with tears;
> but, thank God, the remedy is at our
> doors. Let us turn our hearts away from
> the world of matter and live in the
> spiritual world! It alone can give us
> freedom! If we are hemmed in by
> difficulties we have only to call upon
> God, and by His great Mercy we shall
> be helped.
> If sorrow and adversity visit us, let us
> turn our faces to the Kingdom and
> heavenly consolation will be outpoured.
> If we are sick and in distress let us
> implore God’s healing, and He will
> answer our prayer.
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> When our thoughts are filled with the
> bitterness of this world, let us turn our
> eyes to the sweetness of God’s
> compassion and He will send us
> heavenly calm! If we are imprisoned in
> the material world, our spirit can soar
> into the Heavens and we shall be free
> indeed!
> I myself was in prison forty years —
> one year alone would have been
> impossible to bear — nobody survived
> that imprisonment more than a year!
> But, thank God, during all those forty
> years I was supremely happy! Every day,
> on waking, it was like hearing good
> tidings, and every night infinite joy was
> mine. Spirituality was my comfort, and
> turning to God was my greatest joy. If
> this had not been so, do you think it
> possible that I could have lived through
> those forty years in prison?” 14
> Here’s a story to illustrate our need to trust in God:
> “One day a despondent little Jewish girl,
> all in black, was brought into the
> Tools to Transform Suffering
> 
> Master’s presence. With tears flowing,
> she told Him her tale of woes: her
> brother had been unjustly imprisoned
> three years before – he had four more
> years to serve; her parents were
> constantly depressed; her brother-in-
> law, who was their support, had just
> died. She claimed the more she trusted
> in God the worse matters became. She
> complained,’…my mother reads the
> Psalms all the time; she doesn’t deserve
> that God should desert her so. I read
> the Psalms myself, - the ninety-first
> Psalm and the twenty-third Psalm every
> night before I go to bed. I pray too.’
> Comforting and advising her,
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá replied, ‘To pray is not to
> read Psalms. To pray is to trust in God,
> and to be submissive in all things to
> Him. Be submissive, then things will
> change for you. Put your family in
> God’s hands. Love God’s will. Strong
> ships are not conquered by the sea, -
> they ride the waves. Now be a strong
> ship, not a battered one.’” 15
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> And we are told that living in the spiritual realm
> may aid our physical health:
> “Spiritual health is conducive to
> physical health, but physical health
> depends upon many factors, some of
> which are outside the control of the
> individual. Even the most exemplary
> spiritual attitude on the part of the
> individual, therefore, may not ensure
> physical health in every case. The holiest
> men and women sometimes suffer
> illness. Nevertheless, the beneficent
> influence on bodily health which results
> from a right spiritual attitude is far
> more potent than is generally imagined,
> and is sufficient to banish ill-health in
> a large proportion of cases.” 16
> It is often difficult for us to see beyond our
> immediate circumstance and we are fearful of
> terrible things that can happen to us in life. We try
> to avoid calamities, not seeing beyond the present
> to realize that we may need difficult situations in
> our lives to grow. We want to avoid health
> problems but through physical ailments we learn
> 
> Tools to Transform Suffering
> 
> to appreciate health. Physical suffering also touches
> the deepest emotions of our hearts and we want
> to avoid the pain at all costs. Our rewards for
> suffering only come much later. So we need some
> tools to transform our suffering to another plane.
> We need to learn to be patient, to be contented,
> to be grateful, to be happy in the face of adversity,
> to learn to serve others in the midst of our own
> grief and to forgive. Words of comfort in relation
> to these valuable virtues are offered in this section.
> 
> The tool of happiness:
> “On his way to church, a scholar was surprised
> to see a man in tattered clothes and barefoot.
> Nevertheless, as a good Christian, he greeted
> the poor man: ‘May God give you a good
> morning!’
> The poor man replied cheerfully, ‘I have never
> yet had a bad morning.’
> ‘Then may God give you good luck!’
> ‘I have never yet had bad luck.’
> ‘Well, may God give you happiness!’ ‘I have
> never yet been unhappy.’
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> The scholar then asked the man, ‘Could you
> please explain yourself to me? I do not
> understand.’
> And the poor man replied, ‘With pleasure! You
> wish me a good morning, yet I have never had
> a bad morning. For when I am hungry, I praise
> God; when I feel cold, or when it is raining or
> snowing, I praise God; and that is why I have
> never had a bad morning. You wish that God
> may give me luck. However, I have never had
> bad luck. This is because I live with God and
> always feel what he does for me is the best.
> Whatever God sends me, be it pleasant or
> unpleasant, I accept with a grateful heart. That
> is why I have never had bad luck. Finally, you
> wish that God should make me happy. But I
> have never been unhappy. For all I desire is to
> follow God’s will; I have surrendered my will
> so totally to God’s will that, whatever God
> wants, that is what I also want. That is why I
> have never been unhappy.’” 17
> And so we can approach life with happiness and
> with “radiant acquiescence”. “Radiant acquiescence”
> means not only to give up your will to the Divine
> Tools to Transform Suffering
> 
> Will, but to do so joyfully and with radiance,
> knowing it is the best way. We cannot control what
> happens to us but we can control how we respond.
> Our deepest happiness often comes through our
> suffering and we reach new spiritual horizons and
> bask in the joy of the presence of God.
> “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but
> a broken spirit saps a person’s
> strength.” 18
> “To attain eternal happiness one must
> suffer. He who has reached the state of
> self-sacrifice has true joy. Temporal joy
> will vanish.” 19
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> “If ye were aware of what God hath
> destined for you in the kingdom of His
> glory, verily ye would rejoice
> exceedingly and soar with the wings of
> joy unto the heights of happiness, crying
> with the most loud voice: ‘Blessings and
> happiness from this great attainment
> and evident bounty.” 20
> “Abdu’l-Bahá loved laughter and His laughter
> was often a source of solace . . . When they
> were in prison, He said, and under the utmost
> deprivation and difficulties, each of them at
> the close of the day would relate the most
> ludicrous event which had happened.
> Sometimes it was difficult to find one but
> always they would laugh until the tears would
> run down their cheeks. Happiness, He said, is
> never dependent upon material surroundings,
> otherwise, how sad those years would have
> been. As it was they were always in the utmost
> state of joy and happiness . . .” 21
> We are blessed with the ability to laugh. It is a
> medicine for healing. Studies have indicated that
> laughter can boost our immune and circulatory
> Tools to Transform Suffering
> 
> systems, stimulate our lungs and heart, help
> digestion, serve as a pain reliever by triggering the
> release of endorphins, balance our blood pressure,
> improve our alertness, creativity and memory and
> reduce stress and relax us. Norman Cousins in his
> book Anatomy of an Illness tells the story of how
> he cured himself of ankylosing spondylitis (a very
> painful degenerative disease) mostly by watching
> funny movies and laughing.
> 
> The tool of serving others:
> When we are able to forget our woes for a time
> and reach out to help others, then we relieve our
> own sorrows and are truly blessed.
> 
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> “To ease another’s heartache is to forget
> one’s own.” 22
> “If you want happiness for an hour take a nap.
> If you want happiness for a day, go fishing.
> If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune.
> If you want happiness for a lifetime, help
> someone else.” 23
> “If you learn from your suffering, and really
> come to understand the lesson you were taught,
> you might be able to help someone else who’s
> now in the phase you may have just completed.
> Maybe that’s what it’s all about after all...” 24
> “This is my simple religion. There is no need
> for temples; no need f or complicated
> philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is
> our temple; the philosophy is kindness.” 25
> “Not all of us can do great things. But we can
> do small things with great love.” 26
> “I shall pass through this world but once. Any
> good therefore that I can do or any kindness
> that I can show to any human being, let me do
> it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I
> shall not pass this way again” 27
> Tools to Transform Suffering
> 
> “A person starts to live when he can live
> outside himself.” 28
> “No one is useless in this world who lightens
> the burdens of another.” 29
> “Thousands of candles can be lit from
> a single candle, and the life of the
> candle will not be shortened. Happiness
> never decreases by being shared.” 30
> “Strive that your actions day by day
> may be beautiful prayers. Turn towards
> God, and seek always to do that which
> is right and noble. Enrich the poor, raise
> the fallen, comfort the sorrowful, bring
> healing to the sick, reassure the fearful,
> rescue the oppressed, bring hope to the
> hopeless, shelter the destitute!” 31
> “Man is he who forgets his own interests
> for the sake of others. His own comfort
> he forfeits for the well-being of all. Nay,
> rather, his own life must he be willing to
> forfeit for the life of mankind. Such a
> man is the honor of the world of
> humanity. Such a man is the glory of
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> the world of mankind. Such a man is
> the one who wins eternal bliss. Such a
> man is near to the threshold of God.
> Such a man is the very manifestation of
> eternal happiness.” 32
> And it is important to visit the sick:
> “We should all visit the sick. When they
> are in sorrow and suffering, it is a real
> help and benefit to have a friend come.
> Happiness is a great healer to those
> who are ill…call upon the patient often
> and meet him individually…show the
> utmost kindness and compassion to the
> sick and suffering. This has greater
> effect than the remedy itself. You must
> always have this thought of love and
> affection when you visit the ailing and
> afflicted.” 33
> “The work of healing the sick, however,
> is a matter that concerns not the patient
> and the practitioner only, but everyone.
> All must help, by sympathy and service,
> by right living and right thinking, and
> especially by prayer, for of all remedies
> Tools to Transform Suffering
> 
> prayer is the most potent. ‘Supplication
> and prayer on behalf of others,’ says
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, ‘will surely be effective.’
> The friends of the patient have a special
> responsibility, for their influence, either
> for good or ill, is most direct and
> powerful. In how many cases of
> sickness the issue depends mainly on
> the ministrations of parents, friends or
> neighbors of the helpless sufferer! Even
> the members of the community at large
> have an influence in every case of
> sickness. In individual cases that
> influence may not appear great, yet in
> the mass the effect is potent. Everyone
> is affected by the social ‘atmosphere’
> in which he lives, by the general
> prevalence of faith or materialism, of
> virtue or vice, of cheerfulness of
> depression; and each individual has his
> share in determining the state of that
> social ‘atmosphere.’ It may not be
> possible for everyone, in the present
> state of the world, to attain to perfect
> health, but it is possible for everyone
> 
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> to become a ‘willing channel’ for the
> health-giving power of the Holy Spirit
> and thus to exert a healing, helpful
> influence both on his own body and on
> all with whom he comes in contact.” 34
> “The Prophet Muhammad used to comfort the
> ill when he visited them and would say the
> following prayer:
> ‘O Allah remove the hardship, O Lord of
> mankind, grant cure for You are the Healer.
> There is no cure but from You, a cure which
> leaves no illness behind.’
> He would also make the following prayer for
> his own health:
> ‘O Allah cure my body, cure my heart and cure
> my eyesight from any illness.’ (repeated 3
> times). 35
> 
> The tool of patience:
> Because we are always going to experience
> suffering in our lives, developing patience is a
> valuable tool. Dealing with an illness is one
> example of the need for an ampler share of
> 
> Tools to Transform Suffering
> 
> patience. A patient often has to wait for tests after
> seeing a doctor, then for the test results that could
> indicate something serious. Patience is needed
> when a diagnosis is not clear or doctors differ in
> their diagnoses. Then there are treatment options
> to choose from and finally the waiting time for the
> necessary treatment. And throughout this process
> one must deal with the physical pain. Other
> hardships and difficulties in our lives similarly test
> 
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> our ability to be patient. We need patience to
> cope with life and we are promised blessings for
> the virtue of patience.
> “He, verily, shall increase the reward
> of     them that       endure with
> patience…Blessed are the steadfastly
> enduring, they that are patient under
> ills and hardships, who lament not over
> anything that befalleth them, and who
> tread the path of resignation.” 36
> “For everything there is a sign. The
> sign of love is fortitude under My
> decree and patience under My trials.” 37
> “Verily! I have rewarded them this Day
> for their patience; they are indeed the
> ones that are successful.” 38
> “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction,
> faithful in prayer.” 39
> “...to be firm or patient in pain or
> suffering, and adversity, and throughout
> all periods of panic. Such are the people
> of truth, the God fearing.” 40
> 
> Tools to Transform Suffering
> 
> “Since God chose you to be the holy
> people he loves, you must clothe
> yourselves with tenderhearted mercy,
> kindness, humility, gentleness, and
> patience.” 41
> “Patience does not mean to passively endure. It
> means to be farsighted enough to trust the end
> result of a process. What does patience mean? It
> means to look at the thorn and see the rose, to
> look at the night and see the dawn. Impatience
> means to be shortsighted as to not be able to see
> the outcome. The lovers of God never run out of
> patience, for they know that time is needed for
> the crescent moon to become full.” 42
> “Patience is the key to joy.” 43
> “If thy daily living become difficult, soon
> thy Lord will bestow upon thee that which
> shall satisfy thee. Be patient in the time
> of affliction and trial, endure every
> difficulty and hardship with a dilated
> heart, attracted spirit and eloquent tongue
> in remembrance of the Merciful. Verily
> this is the life of satisfaction, the spiritual
> existence, heavenly repose, divine
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> benediction and the celestial table! Soon
> thy Lord will extenuate thy straitened
> circumstances even in this world.” 44
> “O ye who believe! Persevere in
> patience and constancy; vie in such
> perseverance; strengthen each other;
> and fear Allah, that ye may prosper.” 45
> “I seek patience only in God. Verily He
> is the best protector and the best helper.
> No refuge do I seek save God. Verily
> He is the guardian and the best
> supporter...I swear by the glory of God,
> My Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most
> Great, He assuredly, as is divinely
> ordained, will make His Cause shine
> resplendent, while there will be no
> helper for the unjust…Verily I seek
> patience only in God, and Him do I
> regard as the goal of My desire.” 46
> 
> The tool of contentment:
> If we can accept our lot in life with contentment
> and even thankfulness, we have truly attained an
> honorable state.
> Tools to Transform Suffering
> 
> “Contentment is real wealth. If one
> develops within himself the quality of
> contentment he will become independent.
> Contentment is the creator of happiness.
> When one is contented he does not care
> either for riches or poverty. He lives
> above the influence of them and is
> indifferent to them.” 47
> “The greatest bestowal in the world of
> existence is a tranquil heart…This station
> is joy succeeded by joy, confidence after
> confidence and Paradise after Paradise.” 48
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> “Christian contentment is that sweet, inward,
> quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely
> submits to and delights in God’s wise and
> fatherly disposal in every condition.” 49
> “Joy is a deeply felt contentment that transcends
> difficult circumstances and derives maximum
> enjoyment from every good experience.” 50
> With the hands of power I made thee
> and with the fingers of strength I
> created thee; and within thee have I
> placed the essence of My light. Be thou
> content with it and seek naught else,
> for My work is perfect…” 51
> “Health is the greatest gift, contentment
> the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best
> relationship.” 52
> “Patience is the key to contentment.” 53
> “Be content with what you have; rejoice in the
> way things are. When you realize there is nothing
> lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” 54
> “The greatest wealth is to live content with
> little.” 55
> Tools to Transform Suffering
> 
> “Anybody can be happy in the state of
> comfort, ease, health, success, pleasure
> and joy; but if one will be happy and
> contented in the time of trouble, hardship
> and prevailing disease, it is the proof of
> nobility. Thanks be to God that that dear
> servant of God is extremely patient under
> the disastrous circumstances, and in the
> place of complaining gives thanks.” 56
> 
> The tool of forgiveness:
> There is one more gem, one more truth that has
> been proven to be extremely important in the
> 
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> process of healing and dealing with difficulties in
> life and that is the quality of forgiveness. Studies
> have indicated that forgiveness can contribute to
> emotional and physical healing. But if someone
> holds a grudge, is resentful, wants revenge, is
> bitter and full of anger and hatred, these negative
> emotions can exacerbate illness.
> Schiraldi and Kerr in The Anger Management
> Sourcebook state:
> “Forgiving means that we choose to release
> resentment, hatred, bitterness, desires for
> revenge for wrongs done to us; it is a way to
> come to peace with the past. In forgiving,
> we decide to break our troubling connection
> to the offender. We realize that no offense is
> worth the price of destroying our peace.
> Forgiving is taking the arrows out of our gut,
> rather than twisting them around inside us.
> We move away from it beyond the offender
> and the offense and take full responsibility
> for our present happiness. We choose to
> forgive so that we will suffer less and be free
> to live.
> Tools to Transform Suffering
> 
> Forgiving is a personal choice that does not
> depend on the offender’s deserving it, asking
> for it, or expressing remorse–although this
> certainly can make forgiving easier. Forgiving
> is about the offended person’s inner strength,
> rather than the offender’s. We voluntarily
> forgive because we realize that getting even
> does not heal.” 57
> “The practice of forgiveness is our most important
> contribution to the healing of the world.” 58
> “When asked by an offender for
> forgiveness, one should forgive with a
> sincere mind and a willing spirit . . .” 59
> “And when you stand praying, if you
> hold anything against anyone, forgive
> him, so that your Father in heaven may
> forgive you your sins.” 60
> “But I tell you who hear me: Love your
> enemies, do good to those who hate
> you, bless those who curse you, pray
> for those who mistreat you. If someone
> strikes you on one cheek, turn to him
> the other also.” 61
> 
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> “Then Peter came and said to Him,
> ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin
> against me and I forgive him? Up to
> seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do
> not say to you, up to seven times, but
> up to seventy-seven times.’” 62
> “Let not those among you who are
> endued with grace and amplitude of
> means resolve by oath against helping
> their kinsmen, those in want and those
> who migrated in the path of God. Let
> them forgive and overlook. Do you not
> wish that God should also forgive you.
> Indeed God is Oft-Forgiving, Most
> Merciful 63
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá gives us the pearl for living our lives:
> “Act in such a way that your heart may
> be free from hatred. Let not your heart
> be offended with anyone. If some one
> commits an error and wrong toward
> you, you must instantly forgive him. Do
> not complain of others. Refrain from
> reprimanding them, and if you wish to
> Tools to Transform Suffering
> 
> give admonition or advice, let it be
> offered in such a way that it will not
> burden the bearer. Turn all your
> thoughts toward bringing joy to hearts.
> Beware! Beware! lest ye offend any
> heart. Assist the world of humanity as
> much as possible. Be the source of
> consolation to every sad one, assist
> every weak one, be helpful to every
> indigent one, care for every sick one,
> be the cause of glorification to every
> lowly one, and shelter those who are
> overshadowed by fear.” 64
> “…the constitution of the communities
> depends upon justice, not upon
> forgiveness. Then what Christ meant
> by forgiveness and pardon is not that,
> when nations attack you, burn your
> homes, plunder your goods, assault your
> wives, children and relatives, and
> violate your honor, you should be
> submissive in the presence of these
> tyrannical foes and allow them to
> perform all their cruelties and
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> oppressions. No, the words of Christ
> refer to the conduct of two individuals
> toward each other: if one person
> assaults another, the injured one should
> forgive him.” 65
> And how can we forgive and love others? By
> loving them for the sake of God.
> “Love the creatures for the sake of God
> and not for themselves. You will never
> become angry or impatient if you love
> them for the sake of God. Humanity is
> not perfect. There are imperfections in
> every human being, and you will always
> become unhappy if you look toward the
> people themselves. But if you look
> toward God, you will love them and be
> kind to them, for the world of God is
> the world of perfection and complete
> mercy. Therefore, do not look at the
> shortcomings of anybody; see with the
> sight of forgiveness.” 66
> “O ye friends of God! Show ye an
> endeavor that all the nations and
> Tools to Transform Suffering
> 
> communities of the world, even the
> enemies, put their trust, assurance and
> hope in you; that if a person falls into
> errors for a hundred-thousand times he
> may yet turn his face to you, hopeful
> that you will forgive his sins; for he
> must not become hopeless, neither
> grieved nor despondent.” 67
> As a fitting ending to this section and a reminder
> that we are not alone in all our struggles, I am
> including this well-known passage:
> “One night I dreamed I was walking along
> the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from
> my life flashed across the sky. In each scene
> I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes
> there were two sets of footprints, other times
> there were one set of footprints. This bothered
> me because I noticed that during the low
> periods of my life, when I was suffering from
> anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only
> one set of footprints. So I said to the Lord,
> ‘You promised me Lord, that if I followed
> you, you would walk with me always. But I
> have noticed that during the most trying
> 
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> periods of my life there has only been one
> set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I
> needed you most, have you not been there
> for me?’ The Lord replied, ‘The years when
> you have seen only one set of footprints, my
> child, is when I carried you.’” 68
> 
> Words of Comfort
> “When a man turns his face to God he finds
> sunshine everywhere.” 69
> “Healing may not be so much about getting
> better, as about letting go of everything that
> isn’t you – all of the expectations, all of the
> beliefs – and becoming who you are.” 70
> “Sorrow looks back with sadness. Worry looks
> up and down, from side to side, with fear.
> 
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> Faith looks f orward with hope and
> gladness.” 71
> “Our sorrows and wounds are healed only
> when we touch them with compassion.” 72
> “There is no disaster that can’t become a
> blessing...” 73
> “Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile,
> but sometimes your smile can be the source of
> your joy.” 74
> “When an appreciation for just being alive
> becomes a daily awareness, your life finds the
> threshold of bliss.” 75
> “All healing is f irst a healing of the
> heart.” 76
> “It takes both rain and sunshine to make a
> rainbow.” 77
> “When you reach the end of your rope, tie a
> knot in it and hang on.” 78
> “My love is My stronghold; he that entereth
> therein is safe and secure.” 79
> 
> Words of Comfort
> 
> “Everything can be taken from a man but
> one thing: the last of the human freedoms
> – to choose one’s attitude in any given
> ci rcu ms t a n c es, t o c h o o s e o n e’s o wn
> way.” 80
> “My love is in thee, know it, that thou mayest
> find Me near unto thee.” 81
> “May the long time sun shine upon you, all
> love surround you and the sweet light within
> you guide your way on.” 82
> “If you knew Who walked beside you at all
> times, on the path that you have chosen, you
> could never experience f ear or doubt
> again.” 83
> “The healer of all thine ills is remembrance
> of Me, forget it not.” 84
> “Healing does not mean going back to the
> way things were before, but rather allowing
> what is now to move us closer to God.” 85
> “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you: I have
> summoned you by name; you are mine. When
> 
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> you pass through the waters, I will be with
> you; and when you pass through the rivers,
> they will not sweep over you. When you walk
> through the fire, you will not be burned; the
> flames will not set you ablaze…Do not be
> afraid, for I am with you.” 86
> “This, too, shall pass.” 87
> “You were given this life because you were
> strong enough to live it.” 88
> “Armed with the power of Thy name nothing
> can ever hurt me, and with Thy love in my
> heart all the world’s afflictions can in no
> wise alarm me.” 89
> “Most of the shadows of this life are caused
> by our standing in our own sunshine.” 90
> “Don’t confuse your path with your
> destination. Just because it’s stormy now
> doesn’t mean you aren’t headed for
> sunshine.” 91
> “You never know how strong you are until
> being strong is the only choice you have.” 92
> 
> Words of Comfort
> 
> “The wound is the place where the Light
> enters you.” 93
> “May the God of hope fill you with all joy
> and peace as you trust in him.” 94
> “Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you
> earth; burst into song, you mountains! For
> the LORD comforts his people and will have
> compassion on his afflicted ones” 95
> “He heals the broken-hearted and binds up
> their wounds.” 96
> “Come to me, all you who are weary and
> burdened… and I will give you rest.” 97
> “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but
> in rising each time we fall.” 98
> “He who has hope has everything” 99
> “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and
> courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be
> discouraged, for the LORD your God will be
> with you wherever you go.” 100
> “Even though I walk through the darkest
> valley, I will fear no evil, for you are
> 
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> with me; your rod and your staff, they
> comfort me.” 10 1
> “Hope is like a bird that senses the dawn and
> carefully starts to sing while it is still dark.” 102
> “It is better to light one candle than to curse
> the darkness.” 103
> “There are only two ways to live your life. One
> is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is
> as though everything is a miracle.” 104
> “Our care should not be to have lived long as
> to have lived enough.” 105
> “God will not look you over for medals,
> degrees or diplomas, but for scars.” 106
> “O Tender One, Bestowing One, Thou didst
> calm their pain with the balm of Thy bounty
> and grace, and didst heal their ailments with
> the    sovereign     m edicine     of    Thy
> compassion.”
> “Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth
> living and your belief will help create the
> fact.” 108
> Words of Comfort
> 
> “I think only through suffering all our
> wonderful human qualities come out in us.
> Unless and until you suffer, how will you
> understand other’s suffering?” 109
> “Happiness is different from pleasure. Happiness
> has something to do with struggling and
> enduring and accomplishing.” 110
> “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert
> you, nor will I ever forsake you.’” 111
> “To embrace one’s brokenness, whatever it
> looks like, whatever has caused it, carries
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> within it the possibility that one might come to
> embrace one’s healing.” 112
> “O thou who art turning thy face towards
> God! Close thine eyes to all things else, and
> open them to the realm of the All-Glorious.
> Ask whatsoever thou wishest of Him alone;
> seek whatsoever thou seekest from Him alone.
> With a look He granteth a hundred thousand
> hopes, with a glance He healeth a hundred
> thousand incurable ills, with a nod He layeth
> balm on every wound, with a glimpse He
> freeth the hearts from the shackles of grief.
> He doeth as He doeth, and what recourse
> have we? He carrieth out His Will, He
> ordaineth what He pleaseth. Then better for
> thee to bow down thy head in submission,
> and put thy trust in the All-Merciful
> Lord.” 113
> “In the morning when I began to wake, it
> happened again - That feeling that you,
> Beloved, had stood over me all night keeping
> watch, that feeling that as soon as I began to
> stir you put Your lips on my forehead and lit a
> Holy lamp inside my heart.” 114
> 
> Words of Comfort
> 
> “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes
> courage is the little voice at the end of the day
> that says I’ll try again tomorrow.” 115
> “Never fear shadows. They simply mean there’s
> a light shining somewhere nearby.” 116
> “Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers,
> but to be fearless in facing them. Let me not
> beg for the stilling of my pain, but for the
> heart to conquer it.” 117
> “Do not fear the winds of adversity.
> Remember: a kite rises against the wind rather
> than with it.” 118
> “Nothing is im possible to the Divine
> Benevolence of God.” 119
> “Man is, in reality, a spiritual being, and
> only when he lives in the spirit is he truly
> happy.” 120
> “Seek out the beauty in nature and absorb its
> glory. What your eye sees and what your ear
> hears can have a dramatic impact on the
> healing process.” 121
> 
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> “We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but
> rarely admit the changes it has gone through
> to achieve that beauty.” 122
> “God will answer the prayer of every servant
> if that prayer is urgent. His mercy is vast,
> illimitable. He answers the prayers of all
> His servants…But we ask for things which
> the divine wisdom does not desire for us,
> and there is no answer to our prayer. His
> wisdom does not sanction what we wish. We
> pray, ‘O God! Make me wealthy!’ If this
> prayer were universally answered, human
> affairs would be at a standstill. There would
> be none left to work in the streets, none to
> till the soil, none to build, none to run the
> trains. Therefore, it is evident that it would
> not be well for us if all prayers were
> answered. The affairs of the world would be
> interfered with, energies crippled and
> progress hindered. But whatever we ask for
> which is in accord with divine wisdom, God
> will answer. Assuredly!
> For instance, a very feeble patient may ask
> the doctor to give him food which would be
> Words of Comfort
> 
> positively dangerous to his life and condition.
> He may beg for roast meat. The doctor is
> kind and wise. He knows it would be
> dangerous to his patient so he refuses to allow
> it. The doctor is merciful; the patient,
> ignorant. Through the doctor’s kindness the
> patient recovers; his life is saved. Yet the
> patient may cry out that the doctor is unkind,
> not good, because he refuses to answer his
> pleading.
> God is merciful. In His mercy He answers
> the prayers of all His servants when according
> to His supreme wisdom it is necessary.” 123
> 
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> Prayers
> When we are in distress and when we are
> suffering, it is a natural act to turn to God in prayer.
> We want to reach out and beseech Him for help.
> Perhaps our souls know that our only hope and
> the true source of our comfort and strength is in
> God. And there is a power in prayer:
> “Prayer and supplication are so
> effective that they inspire one’s heart
> 
> Prayers
> 
> for the whole day with high ideals and
> supreme sanctity and calmness.” 124
> “As to thy question, ‘Why pray? What
> is the wisdom thereof, for God has
> established everything and executes all
> affairs after the best order and He
> ordains everything according to a
> becoming measure and puts things in
> their places with the greatest propriety
> and perfection – therefore what is the
> wisdom in beseeching and supplicating
> and in stating one’s wants and seeking
> help?’ Know thou, verily, it is becoming
> of a weak one to beseech the glorious,
> bountiful One. When one supplicates to
> his Lord, turns to Him and seeks bounty
> from His ocean this supplication is by
> itself a light to his heart, an illumination
> to his sight, a life to his soul and an
> exaltation to his being.
> Therefore during thy supplications to
> God and thy reciting’ Thy name is my
> healing’, consider how thy heart is
> cheered, thy soul delighted by the spirit
> 
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> of the love of God and thy mind
> attracted to the kingdom of God! By
> these attractions one’s ability and
> capacity increase. When the vessel is
> widened the water increaseth and when
> the thirst grows the bounty of the cloud
> becomes agreeable to the taste of man.
> This is the mystery of supplication and
> the wisdom of stating one’s wants.” 125
> And so we pray to God and ask for His guidance.
> We need His guidance because we are lost souls
> without His help. When we ask Him for assistance,
> we will receive it. At times we find ourselves
> bargaining with God and begging Him to meet our
> request. We ask Him to fulfill our wishes, but He
> knows best; He may not fulfill our wishes in the
> way we expect. We need to trust in Him and
> know that He is responding in a way that He feels
> is right for us.
> “Ask not of Me that which We desire
> not for thee, then be content with what
> We have ordained for thy sake, for this
> is that which profiteth thee, if therewith
> thou dost content thyself.” 126
> 
> Prayers
> 
> We need only to trust in God, to be at peace
> and contented with His will and believe that He
> knows best.
> Here are some prayers we can use to help us to
> deal with painful situations in our lives:
> God grant me the serenity to accept the things
> I cannot change, the courage to change the
> things I can, and the wisdom to know the
> difference. 127
> O Thou Benevolent God, forgive my sins, grant
> Thy Bestowals, overlook my faults, provide for
> me a shelter, immerse me in the Fountain of Thy
> Patience and heal me of all sickness and disease.
> Purify and sanctify me. Give me a portion from
> the outpouring of holiness, so that sorrow and
> sadness may vanish, joy and happiness descend,
> despondency and hopelessness be changed into
> cheerfulness and trustfulness, and courage take
> the place of fear. Verily Thou art the Forgiver, the
> Compassionate, and Thou art the Generous, the
> Beloved! (‘Abdu’l-Bahá) 128
> 
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> O Lord, my God and my Haven in my distress!
> My Shield and my Shelter in my woes! My Asylum
> and Refuge in time of need and in my loneliness my
> Companion! In my anguish my Solace, and in my
> solitude a loving Friend! The Remover of the pangs
> of my sorrows and the Pardoner of my sins!
> Wholly unto Thee do I turn, fervently imploring
> Thee with all my heart, my mind and my tongue,
> to shield me from all that runs counter to Thy will
> in this, the cycle of Thy divine unity, and to cleanse
> me of all defilement that will hinder me from
> seeking, stainless and unsullied, the shade of the
> tree of Thy grace. Have mercy, O Lord, on the
> feeble, make whole the sick, and quench the
> burning thirst…
> O God, my God! Stay not from me the gentle
> gales of Thy pardon and grace, and deprive me
> not of the wellsprings of Thine aid and favor.
> ‘Neath the shade of Thy protecting wings let me
> nestle, and cast upon me the glance of Thine all-
> protecting eye…Thou art, in all truth, the Gracious,
> the Glorified, the Mighty, the Omnipotent.
> (‘Abdu’l-Bahá) 129
> Prayers
> 
> Dispel my grief by Thy bounty and Thy generosity,
> O God, my God, and banish mine anguish through
> Thy sovereignty and Thy might. Thou seest me, O
> my God, with my face set towards Thee at a time
> when sorrows have compassed me on every side.
> I implore Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord of all
> being, and overshadowest all things visible and
> invisible, by Thy Name whereby Thou hast
> subdued the hearts and the souls of men, and by
> the billows of the Ocean of Thy mercy and the
> splendors of the Day-Star of Thy bounty, to
> number me with them whom nothing whatsoever
> hath deterred from setting their faces toward Thee,
> O Thou Lord of all names and Maker of the
> heavens!
> Thou beholdest, O my Lord, the things which
> have befallen me in Thy days. I entreat Thee, by
> Him Who is the Day-Spring of Thy names and
> the Dawning-Place of Thine attributes, to ordain
> for me what will enable me to arise to serve Thee
> and to extol Thy virtues. Thou art, verily, the
> Almighty, the Most Powerful, Who art wont to
> answer the prayers of all men!
> 
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> And, finally, I beg of Thee by the light of Thy
> countenance to bless my affairs, and redeem
> my debts, and satisfy my needs. Thou art He to
> Whose power and to Whose dominion every
> tongue hath testified, and Whose majesty and
> Whose sovereignty every understanding heart
> hath acknowledged. No God is there but Thee,
> Who hearest and art ready t o answer.
> (Bahá’u’lláh) 130
> 
> Lauded and glorified art Thou, O my God! I
> entreat Thee by the sighing of Thy lovers and by
> the tears shed by them that long to behold Thee,
> not to withhold from me Thy tender mercies in
> Thy Day, nor to deprive me of the melodies of
> the Dove that extolleth Thy oneness before the
> light that shineth from Thy face. I am the one
> who is in misery, O God! Behold me cleaving
> fast to Thy Name, the All-Possessing. I am the
> one who is sure to perish; behold me clinging to
> Thy Name, the Imperishable. I implore Thee,
> therefore, by Thy Self, the Exalted, the Most
> High, not to abandon me unto mine own self and
> unto the desires of a corrupt inclination. Hold
> Prayers
> 
> Thou my hand with the hand of Thy power, and
> deliver me from the depths of my fancies and
> idle imaginings, and cleanse me of all that is
> abhorrent unto Thee.
> Cause me, then, to turn wholly unto Thee, to put
> my whole trust in Thee, to seek Thee as my
> Refuge, and to flee unto Thy face. Thou art, verily,
> He Who, through the power of His might, doeth
> whatsoever He desireth, and commandeth, through
> the potency of His will, whatsoever He chooseth.
> None can withstand the operation of Thy decree;
> none can divert the course of Thine appointment.
> Thou art, in truth, the Almighty, the All-Glorious,
> the Most Bountiful. (Bahá’u’lláh) 131
> He is the Compassionate, the All-Bountiful! O
> God, my God! Thou seest me, Thou knowest
> me; Thou art my Haven and my Refuge. None
> have I sought nor any will I seek save Thee; no
> path have I trodden nor any will I tread but the
> path of Thy love. In the darksome night of despair,
> my eye turneth expectant and full of hope to the
> morn of Thy boundless favor and at the hour of
> dawn my drooping soul is refreshed and
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> strengthened in remembrance of Thy beauty and
> perfection. He whom the grace of Thy mercy
> aideth, though he be but a drop, shall become the
> boundless ocean, and the merest atom which the
> outpouring of Thy loving- kindness assisteth, shall
> shine even as the radiant star.
> Shelter under Thy protection, O Thou Spirit of
> purity, Thou Whom art the All-Bountiful Provider,
> this enthralled, enkindled servant of Thine. Aid
> him in this world of being to remain steadfast and
> firm in Thy love and grant that this broken-winged
> bird attain a refuge and shelter in Thy divine nest
> that abidet h upon t he celestial tree.
> (‘Abdu’l-Bahá) 132
> O thou kind God! To me Thou art kinder than
> myself, and Thy love is more abundant and more
> ancient. Whenever I am reminded of Thy bestowals
> I am made happy and hopeful. If I have been agitated
> I obtain ease of heart and soul. If I am sick, I gain
> eternal health. If I am disloyal, I become loyal. If I
> have been hopeless, I become hopeful. O thou Lord
> of the Kingdom! Cause Thou the rejoicing of my
> 
> Prayers
> 
> heart; empower my weak spirit and strengthen my
> exhausted nerves. Illumine Thou my eyes: suffer my
> ears to become hearing, so that I may hearken to
> the music of the Kingdom and attain to the joy and
> happiness everlasting. Verily, thou art the Generous,
> the Giver, and the Kind! (‘Abdu’l-Bahá) 133
> Create in me a pure heart, O my God, and renew
> a tranquil conscience within me, O my Hope!
> Through the spirit of power confirm Thou me in
> Thy Cause, O my Best-Beloved, and by the light
> of Thy glory reveal unto me Thy path, O Thou
> the Goal of my desire! Through the power of
> Thy transcendent might lift me up unto the heaven
> of Thy holiness, O Source of my being, and by
> the breezes of Thine eternity gladden me, O Thou
> Who art my God! Let Thine everlasting melodies
> breathe tranquillity on me, O my Companion,
> and let the riches of Thine ancient countenance
> deliver me from all except Thee, O my Master,
> and let the tidings of the revelation of Thine
> incorruptible Essence bring me joy, O Thou Who
> art the most manifest of the manifest and the
> most hidden of the hidden! (Bahá’u’lláh) 134
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> O God! Refresh and gladden my spirit. Purify
> my heart. Illumine my powers. I lay all my affairs
> in Thy hand. Thou art my Guide and my Refuge.
> I will no longer be sorrowful and grieved; I will
> be a happy and joyful being. O God! I will no
> longer be full of anxiety, nor will I let trouble
> harass me. I will not dwell on the unpleasant
> things of life.
> O God! Thou art more friend to me than I am to
> myself. I dedicate myself to Thee, O Lord.
> (‘Abdu’l-Bahá) 135
> O God, my God! I beg of Thee by the ocean of
> Thy healing, and by the splendors of the Day-
> Star of Thy grace, and by Thy Name through
> which Thou didst subdue Thy servants, and by
> the pervasive power of Thy most exalted Word
> and the potency of Thy most august Pen, and by
> Thy mercy that hath preceded the creation of all
> who are in heaven and on earth, to purge me
> with the waters of Thy bounty from every affliction
> and disorder, and from all weakness and
> feebleness.
> Prayers
> 
> Thou seest, O my Lord, Thy suppliant waiting at
> the door of Thy bounty, and him who hath set his
> hopes on Thee clinging to the cord of Thy
> generosity. Deny him not, I beseech Thee, the
> things he seeketh from the ocean of Thy grace
> and the Day-Star of Thy loving-kindness.
> Powerful art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. There
> is none other God save Thee, the Ever-Forgiving,
> the Most Generous. (Bahá’u’lláh) 136
> Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! I implore
> Thee, by Thy Most Great Name through Which
> Thou didst stir up Thy servants and build up Thy
> cities, and by Thy most excellent titles, and Thy
> most august attributes, to assist Thy people to
> turn in the direction of Thy manifold bounties, and
> set their faces towards the Tabernacle of Thy
> wisdom. Heal Thou the sicknesses that have
> assailed the souls on every side, and have deterred
> them from directing their gaze towards the Paradise
> that lieth in the shelter of Thy shadowing Name,
> which Thou didst ordain to be the King of all
> names unto all who are in heaven and all who are
> on earth. Potent art Thou to do as pleaseth Thee.
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> In Thy hands is the empire of all names. There is
> none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Wise.
> I am but a poor creature, O my Lord; I have
> clung to the hem of Thy riches. I am sore sick; I
> have held fast the cord of Thy healing. Deliver me
> from the ills that have encircled me, and wash me
> thoroughly with the waters of Thy graciousness
> and mercy, and attire me with the raiment of
> wholesomeness, through Thy forgiveness and
> bounty. Fix, then, mine eyes upon Thee, and rid
> me of all attachment to aught else except Thyself.
> Aid me to do what Thou desirest, and to fulfill
> what Thou pleasest.
> Thou art truly the Lord of this life and of the next.
> Thou art, in truth, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most
> Merciful. (Bahá’u’lláh) 137
> Glory be to Thee, O my God! I beg of Thee by
> Thy name, the Most Merciful, to protect Thy
> servants and Thy handmaidens when the tempests
> of trials pass over them, and Thy manifold tests
> assail them. Enable them, then, O my God, so to
> seek refuge within the stronghold of Thy love and
> 
> Prayers
> 
> of Thy Revelation, that neither Thine adversaries
> nor the wicked doers among Thy servants, who
> have broken Thy Covenant and Thy Testament,
> and turned away most disdainfully from the
> Day-Spring of Thine Essence and the Revealer of
> Thy glory, may prevail against them. They
> themselves, O my Lord, have waited at the door
> of Thy grace. Do Thou open it to their faces with
> the keys of Thy bountiful favors. Potent art Thou
> to do what Thou willest, and to ordain what Thou
> pleasest. These are the ones, O my Lord, who
> have set their faces towards Thee, and turned
> unto Thy habitation. Do with them, therefore, as
> becometh Thy mercy, which hath surpassed the
> worlds. (Bahá’u’lláh) 138
> Glory be to Thee, O Lord my God! I beg of
> Thee by Thy Name through which He Who is
> Thy Beauty hath been stablished upon the throne
> of Thy Cause, and by Thy Name through which
> Thou changest all things, and gatherest together
> all things, and callest to account all things, and
> rewardest all things, and preservest all things,
> and sustainest all things — I beg of Thee to
> 
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> guard this handmaiden who hath fled for refuge
> to Thee, and hath sought the shelter of Him in
> Whom Thou Thyself art manifest, and hath put
> her whole trust and confidence in Thee.
> She is sick, O my God, and hath entered beneath
> the shadow of the Tree of Thy healing; afflicted,
> and hath fled to the City of Thy protection;
> diseased, and hath sought the Fountain-Head of
> Thy favors; sorely vexed, and hath hasted to attain
> the Well-Spring of Thy tranquillity; burdened with
> sin, and hath set her face toward the court of Thy
> forgiveness.
> Attire her, by Thy sovereignty and Thy loving-
> kindness, O my God and my Beloved, with the
> raiment of Thy balm and Thy healing, and make
> her quaff of the cup of Thy mercy and Thy favors.
> Protect her, moreover, from every affliction and
> ailment, from all pain and sickness, and from
> whatsoever may be abhorrent unto Thee.
> Thou, in truth, art immensely exalted above all
> else except Thyself. Thou art, verily, the Healer,
> the All-Sufficing, the Preserver, the Ever-Forgiving,
> the Most Merciful. (Bahá’u’lláh) 139
> Prayers
> 
> Thy name is my healing, O my God, and
> remembrance of Thee is my remedy. Nearness to
> Thee is my hope, and love for Thee is my
> companion. Thy mercy to me is my healing and
> my succor in both this world and the world to
> come. Thou, verily, art the All-Bountiful, the
> All-Knowing, the All-Wise. (Bahá’u’lláh) 140
> Glory be to Thee, O Lord my God! I implore
> Thee by Thy Name, through which Thou didst lift
> up the ensigns of Thy guidance, and didst shed
> the radiance of Thy loving-kindness, and didst
> reveal the sovereignty of Thy Lordship; through
> which the lamp of Thy names hath appeared within
> the niche of Thine attributes, and He Who is the
> Tabernacle of Thy unity and the Manifestation of
> detachment hath shone forth; through which the
> ways of Thy guidance were made known, and the
> paths of Thy good pleasure were marked out;
> through which the foundations of error have been
> made to tremble, and the signs of wickedness
> have been abolished; through which the fountains
> of wisdom have burst forth, and the heavenly table
> 
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> hath been sent down; through which Thou didst
> preserve Thy servants and didst vouchsafe Thy
> healing; through which Thou didst show forth Thy
> tender mercies unto Thy servants and revealedst
> Thy forgiveness amidst Thy creatures — I implore
> Thee to keep safe him who hath held fast and
> returned unto Thee, and clung to Thy mercy, and
> seized the hem of Thy loving providence. Send
> down, then, upon him Thy healing, and make him
> whole, and endue him with a constancy vouchsafed
> by Thee, and a tranquillity bestowed by Thy
> highness. Thou art, verily, the Healer, the Preserver,
> the Helper, the Almighty, the Powerful, the
> All-Glorious, the All-Knowing. (Bahá’u’lláh) 141
> Thou art He, O my God, through Whose names
> the sick are healed and the ailing are restored,
> and the thirsty are given drink, and the sore-vexed
> are tranquillized, and the wayward are guided,
> and the abased are exalted, and the poor are
> enriched, and the ignorant are enlightened, and
> the gloomy are illumined, and the sorrowful are
> cheered, and the chilled are warmed, and the
> downtrodden are raised up. Through Thy name,
> Prayers
> 
> O my God, all created things were stirred up, and
> the heavens were spread, and the earth was
> established, and the clouds were raised and made
> to rain upon the earth. This, verily, is a token of
> Thy grace unto all Thy creatures.
> I implore Thee, therefore, by Thy name through
> which Thou didst manifest Thy Godhead, and didst
> exalt Thy Cause above all creation, and by each
> of Thy most excellent titles and most august
> attributes, and by all the virtues wherewith Thy
> transcendent and most exalted Being is extolled,
> to send down this night from the clouds of Thy
> mercy the rains of Thy healing upon this suckling,
> whom Thou hast related unto Thine all-glorious
> Self in the kingdom of Thy creation. Clothe him,
> then, O my God, by Thy grace, with the robe of
> well-being and health, and guard him, O my
> Beloved, from every affliction and disorder, and
> from whatever is obnoxious unto Thee. Thy might,
> verily, is equal to all things. Thou, in truth, art the
> Most Powerful, the Self-Subsisting. Send down,
> moreover, upon him, O my God, the good of this
> world and of the next, and the good of the former
> and latter generations. Thy might and Thy wisdom
> are, verily, equal unto this. (Bahá’u’lláh) 142
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> O kind Lord! O Comforter of anguished hearts!
> Send down Thy mercy upon us, and Thy grace,
> bestow upon us patience, give us the strength to
> endure. With Thy generous hand, lay Thou a balm
> upon our sores, grant us a medicine for this
> never-healing woe. Console Thou Thy loved ones,
> comfort Thy friends and handmaids, heal Thou
> our wounded breasts, and with Thy bounty’s
> remedy, restore our festering hearts.
> With the gentle breeze of Thy compassion, make
> fresh and green again these boughs, withered by
> autumn blasts; restore Thou to flourishing life these
> flowers, shrivelled by the blight of bereavement.
> With tidings of the Abha Paradise, wed Thou our
> souls to joy, and rejoice Thou our spirits with
> heartening voices from the dwellers in the realm
> of glory.
> Thou art the Bounteous, Thou art the Clement; Thou
> art the Bestower, the Loving. (Bahiyyih Khanum) 143
> (For more information about The Bahá’í Faith, please
> contact your local Bahá’í community and the
> international website www.bahai.org.)
> 
> References
> 1   St. Rain, Justice, Why Me, A Spiritual Guide to
> Growing Through Tests (Heltonville, IN: Special
> Ideas, 2003), p. 1-4
> 2   Shoghi Effendi, Lights of Guidance (New Delhi,
> India: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1994), 2049,
> p. 603-604
> 3   ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks (London: Bahá’í Publishing
> Trust, 1995), The Benefits of God to Man, [7], p. 50
> 4   ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Star of the West, vol. XIV, no. 2, p. 41
> 5   ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Star of the West, vol. IV, no. 12, p. 205
> 6   ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks, The Progress of the
> Soul, [1], p. 178
> 7   Shoghi Effendi, Lights of Guidance, 944, p. 280
> 8   ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, in Dr. J. E. Esslemont, Bahá’u’lláh
> and the New Era (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing
> Trust, 1980), p. 110
> 9   Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of
> Bahá’u’lláh (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust,
> 1976), LII, p. 106
> 10 Bahá’u’lláh, The Compilation of Compilations vol.
> I, prepared by the Universal House of Justice
> 1963-1990      (Victoria,   Australia:    Bahá’í
> Publications, 1991), 334, p. 171
> 
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> 11 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Star of the West vol. 8, no. 19, p. 241
> 12 Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of
> Bahá’u’lláh, CLIII, p. 329
> 13 Author unknown. Variation submitted to local
> Bahá’í bulletin by Daryush Yazdani; the story can
> be found on several websites, including http://
> www.turnbacktogod.com.story-teacup-speaks-
> about-its-potter
> 14 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks, Pain and Sorrow,
> [1-10; 14], p. 109-112
> 15 Honnold, Annamarie, Vignettes from the Life of
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (Oxford: George Ronald, 1982),
> p. 115-116
> 16 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Dr. J.E. Esslemont, Bahá’u’lláh and
> the New Era, p. 110-111
> 17 Meister Eckhart, http://www.elsajoy.com/free2/
> htm
> 18 Proverbs 17:22, http://www.biblegateway.com
> 19 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks, The Progress of the Soul,
> [3],p. 179
> 20 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Vol. I (New
> York: Bahá’í Publishing Committee, The National
> Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United
> States, 1980), p. 70
> 21 Honnold, Annamarie, Vignettes from the Life of
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 149-151
> 22 Abraham Lincoln, http://www.goodreads.com/
> quotes/
> 
> References
> 
> 23 Chinese proverb, http://www.beliefnet.com
> 24 Anonymous, http://quotationsbook.com/quote/37925
> 25 Dalai Lama, http://www.brainyquote.com/quote/
> quotes/d/dalailama101711.html
> 26 Mother Teresa, http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/
> 27 Stephen Grellet, http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/
> 28 Albert Einstein, http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/
> 29 Charles Dickens, http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/
> 30 Buddha, http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/
> quotes/b/buddha417367.html
> 31 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks, Good Ideas must be
> Carried into Action, [7], p. 80
> 32 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá , Foundations of World Unity
> (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1968), p. 42
> 33 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace
> (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1982), 17
> June 1912, [1], p. 204
> 34 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Dr. J.E. Esslemont, Bahá’u’lláh and
> the New Era, p. 113
> 35 Shahid Athar, http://www.onislam.net/english/
> h ealth-an d-s c ie n ce /faith -an d-th e-s c ie n c es /
> 435134-prophet-mohammads-advices-of-healiing-
> wih-prayers.html?the-sciences
> 36 Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of
> Bahá’u’lláh, LXVI, p. 129
> 37 Bahá’u’lláh, The Hidden Words (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í
> Publishing Trust, 2003), Arabic no. 48, p. 15
> 
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> 38 Qu’ran 23: 111 in http://www/islamreligion.com/
> articles/3534
> 39 Romans 12:12, http://www.biblegateway.com
> 40 Qu’ran 2:177, http://.www.qurantoday.com/
> BaqSec22.htm
> 41 Colossians 3:12, http://www.biblegateway.com
> 42 Elif Shafak, The Forty Rules of Love, http://
> www.colourenergyworks.co.uk/the-forty-rules-of-love/
> 43 Rumi, http://www.entheos.com/quotes/by_topic/
> patience
> 44 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í World Faith (Wilmette, IL:
> Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1976), p. 375
> 45 Qu’ran 3:200, http://quran.com/search?=patience
> 46 The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab,
> compiled by the Research Department of the
> Universal House of Justice (Haifa, Israel: Bahá’í
> World Centre, 1978), p. 21
> 47 Attributed to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the diary of Ahmad
> Sohrab, Star of the West, vol. 8, no. 2, p. 17
> 48 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Star of the West, vol. 16. no. 1,
> p. 401
> 49 Jeremiah Burroughs, http://www.goodreads.com/
> quotes/
> 50   Charles R, Swindoll, http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/
> 51 Bahá’u’lláh, The Hidden Words, Arabic no, 12, p. 6
> 52 Buddha, http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/
> quotes/b/buddha140966.html
> 
> References
> 
> 53 Mohammed, http://quotationsbook.com/quote/
> 249466/
> 54 Lao Tzu, http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/
> quotes/1/laotzu393061.html
> 55 Plato, http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/
> 56 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í World Faith, p. 363-364
> 57 Schiraldi, Glenn R. and Kerr, Melissa Hallmark,
> The Anger Management Sourcebook (New York:
> McGraw-Hill, 2002), p. 182
> 58 Marianne Williamson, http://www.goodreads.com/
> quotes/
> 59 Mishneh Torah, Teshuvah 2:10,               http://
> en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forgiveness
> 60 Mark 11:25, http://en/wikipedia.org/wiki/Forgiveness
> 61 Luke 6:27-29, http://en/wikipedia.org/wiki/
> Forgiveness
> 62 Matthew 18:21-22, http://en/wikipedia.org/wiki/
> Forgiveness
> 63 Qu’ran 24:22, http://www/islamawakened.com/
> quran/24/..%5C24%5C22%5Cdefault.htm
> 64 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace,
> 2 December 1912, [2], p. 453
> 65 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era, p. 154
> 66 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace,
> 5 May 1912, [4], p. 93
> 67 Abdu;l-Baha, The Compilation of Compilations vol. I,
> 786, p. 373
> 
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> 68 Mary Stevenson, http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/
> 69 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks, The Duty of Kindness
> and Sympathy towards Strangers and
> Foreigners, [1], p. 15
> 70 Rachel       Naomi        Remen,         http://
> freehealingweb.blogspot.ca/p/quotes.html
> 71 Anonymous, http://goodreads.com
> 72 Buddha, http://freehealingweb.blogspot.ca/p/
> quotes.html
> 73 Richard Bach, http://www.goodreads.com
> 74 Thich Nhat Hanh, http://freehealingweb.blogspot.ca/
> p/quotes.html
> 75 J.J.Goldwag, http://quotes-motivational.com/
> Motivational/Healing -Quotes-6.html
> 76 Carl Townsend, http://freehealingweb.blogspot.ca/
> p/quotes.html
> 77 Anonymous, http://www.quotes.cl
> 78 Franklin D. Roosevelt, http://www/brainyquote.com
> 79 Bahá’u’lláh, The Hidden Words, Arabic no. 9, p. 5
> 80 Viktor E. Frankl, http://www.goodreads.com/
> quotes/quotes/f/franklind101840.html
> 81 Bahá’u’lláh, The Hidden Words, Arabic no. 10, p. 6
> 82 Traditional blessing, http://www.worldprayers.org/
> archive/prayers/celebrations
> 83 Wayne Dyer, http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/
> 84 Bahá’u’lláh, The Hidden Words, Persian no. 32, p. 33
> 
> References
> 
> 85 Ram Dass, http://www.freehealingweb.blogspot.ca/
> p/quotes.html
> 86 Isaiah 43: 1-5, http://www.biblegateway.com/
> passage/?search=Isaiah+43&version=NIV
> 87 Originally   Persian   Sufi     poets,    http://
> en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
> 88 Unknown, http://shareinspirequotes.blogspot.ca
> 89 Bahá’u’lláh, Bahá’í Prayers (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í
> Publishing Trust, 2002), p. 145
> 90 Ralph     Waldo       Emerson,            http://
> www.goodreads.com/quotes/
> 91 Unknown, http://www.searchquotes.com
> 92 Cayla Mills, http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/
> 93 Rumi, http://www/goodreads.com/quotes/
> 94 Romans 15:13, http://www.biblestudytools.com/
> 95 Isaiah 49:13, http://www.biblegateway.com/
> 96 Psalms 147:3, http://www.biblegateway.com/
> 97 Matthew 11: 28, http://biblehub.com
> 98 Confucius, http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/
> 99 Arabian proverb, http://www.selfhelpdaily.com/
> quotes
> 100 Joshua 1:9, http://www,biblegateway.com/
> 101 Psalms 23: 4, http://www.biblegateway.com/
> 102 Anonymous, http://www.selfhelpdaily.com/
> 103 Chinese proverb, http://quotationsbook.com/
> quotes/
> 
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> 104 Albert Einstein, http://www.goodreads.com/
> quotes/
> 105 Lucius    Annaeus    Seneca,           http://www/
> brainyquote.com/quotes/
> 106 Elbert Hubbard, http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/
> 107 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, compiled by the Research Department
> of the Universal House of Justice (Haifa,Israel:
> Bahá’í World Centre, 1978), 236, p. 317
> 108 Henry James, http://quotationsbook.com
> 109 Sree Chakravarti, http://www.suffering.net/
> helpoth.htm
> 110 George Sheehan, http://www.quotationspage.com
> 111 Hebrews 13:5c, http://dailystudybible.com/
> Morning_March_25.htm
> 112 Robert Benson, http://friendsofsilence.net/
> newsletter/june-2011
> 113 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-
> Bahá, 22, p. 51
> 114 Hafiz, http://www.elsajoy.com/hafiz.html
> 115 Mary Anne Radmacher, http://www.goodreads.com/
> quotes/
> 116 Ruth E. Renkel, http://quotationsbook.com/quotes/
> 117 Rabindranath Tagore, http://www.goodreads.com/
> quotes/
> 118 Unknown,      http://www.great-inspirational-
> quotes.com/adversity-quotes.html
> 
> References
> 
> 119 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks, The Pitiful Causes of War,
> and the Duty of Everyone to Strive for Peace, [10],
> p. 29
> 120 Ibid., Spiritual Aspiration in the West, [7], p. 72
> 121 J.J.Goldwag, http://quotes-motivational.com/
> Motivation/Healing -Quotes-2.html
> 122 Maya Angelou, http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/
> 123 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace,
> 5 August 1912, [6-9], p. 246-247
> 124 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Star of the West Vol. 8, no. 4, p. 41-44
> 125 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Divine Art of Living (Wilmette, IL:
> Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1974), p. 26
> 126 Bahá’u’lláh, The Hidden Words, Arabic no. 18, p. 8
> 127 Serenity Prayer, untitled prayer written down by
> the American theologian, Reinhold Niebuhr in
> 1943, adopted by Alcoholics Anonymous and other
> twelve-step programs
> 128 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Dr. J.E. Esslemont, Bahá’u’lláh and
> the New Era, p. 99
> 129 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í Prayers, p. 132-133
> 130 Bahá’u’lláh, Ibid., p. 223-224
> 131 Ibid., p. 224-225
> 132 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 133-134
> 133 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Divine Art of Living (Wilmette, IL:
> Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1944), p. 106
> 134 Bahá’u’lláh, Bahá’í Prayers, p. 164-165
> 
> Little Book of Comfort
> 
> 135 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í Prayers, p. 174-175
> 136 Bahá’u’lláh, Ibid., p. 95-96
> 137 Ibid., p. 97-99
> 138 Bahá’u’lláh, Prayers and Meditations of Bahá’u’lláh
> (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1987), CXLIII,
> p. 231-232
> 139 Bahá’u’lláh, Bahá’í Prayers, p. 99-100
> 140 Ibid., p. 96
> 141 Ibid., p. 96-97
> 142 Ibid, p. 100-102
> 143 Bahiyyih Khanum, The Greatest Holy Leaf: A
> Compilation from Bahá’í sacred texts and writings
> of the Guardian of the Faith and Bahiyyih Khanum’s
> own letters (Haifa, Israel: Bahá’í World Centre,
> 1982), p. 150
>
> — *Little Book of Comfort / Librito Reconfortante (Used by permission of the curator)*