Triumphing over Our Weaknesses
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GLORY be unto Thee, O Lord, Thou Who hast brought into being all
created things, through the power of Thy behest.
    O Lord! Assist those who have renounced all else but Thee,
and grant them a mighty victory. Send down upon them, O Lord, the
concourse of the angels in heaven and earth and all that is
between, to aid Thy servants, to succour and strengthen them, to
enable them to achieve success, to sustain them, to invest them
with glory, to confer upon them honour and exaltation, to enrich
them and to make them triumphant with a wondrous triumph.
     Thou art their Lord, the Lord of the heavens and the earth,
the Lord of all the worlds. Strengthen this Faith, O Lord,
through the power of these servants and cause them to prevail
over all the peoples of the world; for they, of a truth, are Thy
servants who have detached themselves from aught else but Thee,
and Thou verily art the protector of true believers.
     Grant Thou, O Lord, that their hearts may, through
allegiance to this, Thine inviolable Faith, grow stronger than
anything else in the heavens and on earth and in whatsoever is
between them; and strengthen, O Lord, their hands with the tokens
of Thy wondrous power that they may manifest Thy power before the
gaze of all mankind.
     - Selections from the Writings of the Bab, pp. 192-193

     It is my hope that you may consider this matter, that you
may search out your own imperfections and not think of the
imperfections of anybody else. Strive with all your power to be
free from imperfections. Heedless souls are always seeking faults
in others. What can the hypocrite know of others' faults when he
is blind to his own? This is the meaning of the words in the
Seven Valleys. It is a guide for human conduct. As long as a man
does not find his own faults, he can never become perfect.
Nothing is more fruitful for man than the knowledge of his own
shortcomings. The Blessed Perfection says, "I wonder at the man
who does not find his own imperfections."
     - `Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace p. 244.

     O ye beloved of Bahá'! Do not look at your weakness, nay,
rely upon the confirmation of the Holy Spirit. Verily, It maketh
the weak strong, the lowly mighty, the child grown, the infant
mature and the small great.
     I beg of God that He may make you diffusers of His
fragrances, servants of His Cause, gazers unto His Face, speakers
in His praise, and that He may protect you against tests and
trials, so that ye may become shining lights, beaming stars,
gleaming lamps and lofty trees. Verily, this is not difficult
with God!
     - `Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of `Abdu'l-Bahá, Volume II, p. 274

Heed not your weaknesses and frailty; fix your gaze upon the
invincible power of the Lord, your God, the Almighty.  Has He
not, in past days caused Abraham, in spite of His seeming
helplessness, to triumph over the forces of Nimrod?  Has He not
enabled Moses, whose staff was His only companion, to vanquish
Pharaoh and his hosts?  Has He not established the ascendancy of
Jesus, poor and lowly as He was in the eyes of men, over the
combined forces of the Jewish people?  Has He not subjected the
barbarous and militant tribes of Arabia to the holy and
transforming discipline of Muammad, His Prophet?  Arise in His
name, put your trust wholly in Him, and be assured of ultimate
victory.
    - The Bab, Farewell Address to the Letters of the Living, The
     Dawn-Breakers, p. 94.

". . . Bahá'u'lláh also recognizes that human beings are
fallible. He knows that, in our weakness, we shall repeatedly
stumble when we try to walk in the path He has pointed out to us.
If all human beings became perfect the moment they accepted the
call of Bahá'u'lláh this world would be another world. It is in
light of our frailty that `Abdu'l-Bahá appealed to the friends
everywhere to love each other and stressed the emphatic teaching
of Bahá'u'lláh that each of us should concentrate upon improving
his or her own life and ignore the faults of others. How many
times the Master stressed the need for unity, for without it His
Father's Cause could not go forward."
    - Written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice,
     letter dated July 24, 1973 to an individual believer;
     "Developing Distinctive Bahá'í Communities," p. 15.25

Of course many wayward thoughts come involuntarily to the mind
and these are merely a result of weakness and are not blameworthy
unless they become fixed or even worse, are expressed in improper
acts.
     (From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to an
     individual believer, Lights of Guidance, 1988 edition, p.
     364, Section 1220)

"He feels that you should do your utmost to call the attention of
the friends to these large things and real triumphs, and away
from their personal differences and petty pre-occupations.  Now
is certainly not the time for any man to think of himself, or
busy himself with the weaknesses of his brother;  but, rather
each and every Bahá'í must concentrate on the tasks ahead and be
reborn in the service of Bahá'u'lláh."
     From a letter on behalf of the Guardian; Lights of Guidance,
     1988 edition, Section 317.

"As you point out, it is particularly difficult to follow the
Laws of Bahá'u'lláh in present-day society whose accepted
practice is so at variance with the standards of the Faith.
However, there are certain laws that are so fundamental to the
healthy functioning of human society that they must be upheld
whatever the circumstances. Realizing the degree of human
frailty, Bahá'u'lláh has provided that other laws are to be
applied only gradually, but these too, once they are applied,
must be followed, or else society will not be reformed but will
sink into an ever worsening condition. It is the challenging task
of the Bahá'ís to obey the law of God in their own lives, and
gradually to win the rest of mankind to its acceptance."
     From a letter on behalf of the Guardian; Lights of Guidance,
     1988 edition, Section 1147.

"Stop to be conscious of your frailties, therefore; have a
perfect reliance upon God; let your heart burn with the desire to
serve His Mission and proclaim His call; and you will observe how
eloquence and the power to change human hearts will come as a
matter of course."
     Written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, in The Individual and
     Teaching: Raising the Divine Call, p. 21

"The Master assured us that when we forget ourselves, and strive
with all our powers to serve and teach the Faith, we receive
divine assistance. It is not we who do the work, but we are the
instruments used at that time for the purpose of teaching His
Cause."
     Written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, in The Individual and
     Teaching: Raising the Divine Call, p. 38

     "While the friends are generally conscious of the vital
importance of teaching, yet, because of their frailties, many for
the most part lack confidence, and feel they do not know what
course of action to follow, or how to bring their efforts to a
conclusion.  Since guidance on such fundamental issues comes from
the writings of the Faith, we asked the Research Department to
prepare a compilation of texts on the subject . . . . A study of
the compilation will provide the friends with stimulating
information on general guidelines to be followed by them when
engaged in the teaching work. While many will be inspired, after
reading the compilation, to cast aside their fears and misgivings
and their sense of inadequacy, and will arise to speak forth
announcing the glad-tidings of the Kingdom to their fellow-men,
many more will still be in need of loving education and more
detailed guidance on the part of the institutions of the Faith,
and patient and wise prodding before they are aroused to action.
     The Universal House of Justice, Introduction to Compilation,
     "Teaching:  Raising the Divine Call"

"In order to achieve this cordial unity one of the first
essentials insisted on by Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu'l-Bahá is that we
resist the natural tendency to let our attention dwell on the
faults and failings of others rather than on our own.  Each of us
is responsible for one life only, and this is our own.  Each of
us is immeasurable far from being 'perfect as our heavenly Father
is perfect' and the task of perfecting our own life and character
is one that requires all our attention, our will-power and
energy.  If we allow our attention and energy to be taken up in
efforts to keep others right and remedy their faults, we are
wasting precious time.  we are like ploughmen each of whom has
his team to manage and his plough to direct, and in order to keep
his furrow straight he must keep his eye on his goal and
concentrate on his own task.  If he looks to this side and that
to see how Tom and Harry are getting on and to criticise their
ploughing, then his own furrow will assuredly become crooked.
     "On no subject are the Bahá'í teachings more emphatic than
on the necessity to abstain from fault-finding and backbiting
while being ever eager to discover and root out our own faults
and overcome our own failings. "
     From a letter dated May 12, 1925 written on behalf of Shoghi
     Effendi to an individual believer, Compilation "On the
     Bahá'í Life" printed by the National Spiritual Assembly of
     the Bahá'ís of Canada, p. 3.

"Such hindrances (i.e. illness and outer difficulties), no matter
how severe and insuperable they may at first seem, can and should
be effectively overcome through the combined and sustained power
of prayer and of determined and continued effort.  For have not
Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu'l-Bahá both repeatedly assured us that the
Divine and unseen hosts of victory will ever reinforce and
strengthen those who valiantly and confidently labour in their
name?  This assurance should indeed enable you to overcome any
feeling of unworthiness, of incapacity to serve, and any inner or
outer limitation which threatens to handicap your labours for the
Cause.  You should therefore arise, and with a heart filled with
joy and confidence endeavour to contribute any share that is in
your power toward the wider diffusion and greater consolidation
of our beloved Faith.
     "Whatever the particular field of service you may choose,
whether teaching or administrative, the essential is for you to
persevere, and not to allow any consciousness of your limitations
to dampen your zeal, much less to deter you from serving joyously
and actively."
     From a letter dated Feb. 6, 1939 written on behalf of Shoghi
     Effendi "On the Bahá'í Life"  p. 6.

We must always look ahead and seek to accomplish in the future
what we may have failed to do in the past.  Failures, tests, and
trials, if we use them correctly, can become the means of
purifying our spirits, strengthening our characters, and enable
us to rise to greater heights of service."
     From a letter dated December 14, 1941 written on behalf of
     Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, Compilation "On
     the Bahá'í Life" printed by the National Spiritual Assembly
     of the Bahá'ís of Canada, p. 8.

"We must realize our imperfection and not permit ourselves to get
too upset over the unfortunate things which occur, sometimes in
Conventions, sometimes in Assemblies or on Committees, etc.  Such
things are essentially superficial and in time will be outgrown."
     From a letter dated March 17, 1943 written on behalf of
     Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, Compilation "On
     the Bahá'í Life" printed by the National Spiritual Assembly
     of the Bahá'ís of Canada, p. 9.

Ultimately all the battle of life is within the individual.  No
amount of organization can solve the inner problems or produce or
prevent, as the case may be, victory or failure at a crucial
moment.  In such times as these particularly, individuals are
torn by great forces at large in the world, and we see some weak
ones suddenly become miraculously strong, and strong ones fail '
we can only try, through loving advice, as your Committee has
done, to bring about the act one the part of the believer which
will be fore the highest good of the Cause.  Because obviously
something bad for the Cause cannot be the highest good of the
individual Bahá'í."
     From a letter dated December 17, 1943 written on behalf of
     Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, Compilation "On
     the Bahá'í Life" printed by the National Spiritual Assembly
     of the Bahá'ís of Canada, p. 10.

"He is very happy to see that you have put into practice one of
the most encouraging precepts of `Abdu'l-Bahá in which He said
that we should try and make every stumbling-block a stepping-
stone to progress.  In the course of your past life you have all
stumbled very gravely; but, far from being embittered or defeated
by this experience, you are determined to make it a means of
purifying your natures, improving your characters, and enabling
you to become better citizens in the future.  This is truly
pleasing in the eyes of God."
     From a letter dated March 25, 1957 written on behalf of
     Shoghi Effendi to the Bahá'ís in H.M. prison, Kitalya,
     Uganda, "Compilation on the Bahá'í Life" printed by the
     National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada, p. 21.

How great, therefore, how staggering the responsibility that must
weigh upon the present generation of the American believers, at
this early stage in their spiritual and administrative evolution,
to weed out, by every means in their power, those faults, habits,
and tendencies which they have inherited from their own nation,
and to cultivate, patiently and prayerfully, those distinctive
qualities and characteristics that are so indispensable to their
effective participation in the great redemptive work of their
Faith. Incapable as yet, in view of the restricted size of their
community and the limited influence it now wields, of producing
any marked effect on the great mass of their countrymen, let them
focus their attention, for the present, on their own selves,
their own individual needs, their own personal deficiencies and
weaknesses, ever mindful that every intensification of effort on
their part will better equip them for the time when they will be
called upon to eradicate in their turn such evil tendencies from
the lives and the hearts of the entire body of their fellow-
citizens.
     Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice, pp. 20-21

Yet another Hand of the Cause was the revered Mulla `Ali-Akbar,
upon him be the glory of God, the All-Glorious. Early in life,
this illustrious man attended institutions of higher learning and
labored diligently, by day and night, until he became thoroughly
conversant with the learning of the day, with secular studies,
philosophy, and religious jurisprudence.  He frequented the
gatherings of philosophers, mystics, and Shaykhis, thoughtfully
traversing those areas of knowledge, intuitive wisdom, and
illumination; but he thirsted after the wellspring of truth, and
hungered for the bread that comes down from Heaven.  No matter
how he strove to perfect himself in those regions of the mind, he
was never satisfied; he never reached the goal of his desires;
his lips stayed parched; he was confused, perplexed, and felt
that he had wandered from his path.  The reason was that in all
those circles he had found no passion; no joy, no ecstasy; no
faintest scent of love. And as he went deeper into the core of
those manifold beliefs, he discovered that from the day of the
Prophet Muammad's advent until our own times, innumerable sects
have arisen:  creeds differing among themselves; disparate
opinions, divergent goals, uncounted roads and ways.  And he
found each one, under some plea or other, claiming to reveal
spiritual truth; each one believing that it alone followed the
true path '  this although the Muammedic sea could rise in one
great tide, and carry all those sects away to the ocean floor.
"No cry shalt thou hear from them, nor a whisper even."
     Whoso ponders the lessons of history will learn that this
sea has lifted up innumerable waves, yet in the end each has
dissolved and vanished, like a shadow drifting by. The waves have
perished, but the sea lives on.  This is why `Ali Qabl-i-Akbar
could never quench his thirst, till the day when he stood on the
shore of Truth and cried:
     "Here is a sea with treasure to the brim; Its waves toss
     pearls under the great wind's thong. Throw off your robe and
     plunge, nor try to swim, Pride not yourself on swimming -
     dive headlong."
Like a fountain, his heart welled and jetted forth; meaning and
truth, like soft-flowing crystal waters, began to stream from his
lips.  At first, with humility, with spiritual poverty, he
garnered the new light, and only then he proceeded to shed it
abroad.  For how well has it been said,
     "Shall he the gift of life to others bear Who of life's gift
     has never had a share?"
A teacher must proceed in this way:  he must first teach himself,
and then others.  If he himself still walks the path of carnal
appetites and lusts, how can he guide another to the "evident
signs" of God?
     This honored man was successful in converting a multitude.
          `Abdu'l-Bahá, Memorials of the Faithful, pp. 9-10

     The rewards of this life are the virtues and perfections
which adorn the reality of man.  For example, he was dark and
becomes luminous; he was ignorant and becomes wise; he was
neglectful and becomes vigilant; he was asleep and becomes
awakened; he was dead and becomes living; he was blind and
becomes a seer; he was deaf and becomes a hearer; he was earthly
and becomes heavenly; he was material and becomes spiritual.
Through these rewards he gains spiritual birth and becomes a new
creature. He becomes the manifestation of the verse in the Gospel
where it is said of the disciples that they "were born, not of
blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but
of God"--that is to say, they were delivered from the animal
characteristics and qualities which are the characteristics of
human nature, and they became qualified with the divine
characteristics, which are the bounty of God.  This is the
meaning of the second birth.  For such people there is no greater
torture than being veiled from God, and no more severe punishment
than sensual vices, dark qualities, lowness of nature,
engrossment in carnal desires.  When they are delivered through
the light of faith from the darkness of these vices, and become
illuminated with the radiance of the sun of reality, and ennobled
with all the virtues, they esteem this the greatest reward, and
they know it to be the true paradise.  In the same way they
consider that the spiritual punishment--that is to say, the
torture and punishment of existence--is to be subjected to the
world of nature; to be veiled from God; to be brutal and
ignorant; to fall into carnal lusts; to be absorbed in animal
frailties; to be characterized with dark qualities, such as
falsehood, tyranny, cruelty, attachment to the affairs of the
world, and being immersed in satanic ideas. For them, these are
the greatest punishments and tortures.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions p. 223-224

     O Thou divine Providence, pitiful are we, grant us Thy
succour; homeless wanderers, give us Thy shelter; scattered, do
Thou unite us; astray, gather us to Thy fold; bereft, do Thou
bestow upon us a share and portion; athirst, lead us to the well-
spring of Life; frail, strengthen us that we may arise to help
Thy Cause and offer ourselves as a living sacrifice in the
pathway of guidance.
     Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá p. 315

     All religions teach that we should love one another; that we
should seek out our own shortcomings before we presume to condemn
the faults of others, that we must not consider ourselves
superior to our neighbours! We must be careful not to exalt
ourselves lest we be humiliated.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks p. 147

     We see that God is kind to all. Just as He loves us, He
loves all others; just as He provides for us, He provides for the
rest. He nurtures and trains all with equal solicitude.God is
great! God is kind! He does not behold human shortcomings; He
does not regard human weaknesses. Man is a creature of His mercy,
and to His mercy He summons all. Why then should we despise or
detest His creatures because this one is a Jew, another a
Buddhist or Zoroastrian and so on? This is ignorance, for the
oneness of humanity as servants of God is an assured and certain
fact.Bahá'u'lláh has proclaimed the promise of the oneness of
humanity. Therefore, we must exercise the utmost love toward each
other. We must be loving to all the people of the world. We must
not consider any people the people of Satan, but know and
recognize all as the servants of the one God. At most it is this:
Some do not know; they must be guided and trained. They must be
taught to love their fellow creatures and be encouraged in the
acquisition of virtues. Some are ignorant; they must be informed.
Some are as children, undeveloped; they must be helped to reach
maturity. Some are ailing, their moral condition is unhealthy;
they must be treated until their morals are purified. But the
sick man is not to be hated because he is sick, the child must
not be shunned because he is a child, the ignorant one is not to
be despised because he lacks knowledge. They must all be treated,
educated, trained and assisted in love. Everything must be done
in order that humanity may live under the shadow of God in the
utmost security, enjoying happiness in its highest degree.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace p. 270.

     All mankind are the servants of the glorious God, our
Creator. He has created all. Assuredly He must have loved them
equally; otherwise, He would not have created them. He protects
all. Assuredly He loves His creatures; otherwise, He would not
protect them. He provides for all, proving His love for all
without distinction or preference. He manifests His perfect
goodness and loving-kindness toward all. He does not punish us
for our sins and shortcomings, and we are all immersed in the
ocean of His infinite mercy. Inasmuch as God is clement and
loving to His children, lenient and merciful toward our
shortcomings, why should we be unkind and unforgiving toward each
other? As He loves humanity without distinction or preference,
why should we not love all? Can we conceive of a plan and policy
superior to the divine purpose? Manifestly, we cannot. Therefore,
we must strive to do the will of the glorious Lord and emulate
His policy of loving all mankind. The wisdom and policy of God
are reality and truth, whereas human policy is accidental and
limited to our finite understanding. The policy of God is
infinite. We must emulate His example. If a soul be ailing and
infirm, we must produce remedies; if ignorant, we must provide
education; if defective, we must train and perfect that which is
lacking; if immature and undeveloped, we must supply the means of
attainment to maturity. No soul should be hated, none neglected;
nay, rather, their very imperfections should demand greater
kindness and tender compassion. Therefore, if we follow the
example of the Lord of divinity, we will love all mankind from
our hearts, and the means of the unity of the world of humanity
will become as evident and manifest to us as the light of the
sun.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace p. 315

     Therefore, O ye friends of God, ye must in perfect purity
attain spiritual unity and agreement to a degree that ye may
express one spirit and one life.
     In this condition physical bodies play no part; the command
and authority are in the hand of the spirit. When the spirit
becometh all inclusive, the spiritual union shall be attained.
Night and day endeavor to attain perfect harmony; be thoughtful
concerning your own spiritual developments and close your eyes to
the shortcomings of one another.
     By good deeds, pure lives, humility and meekness be a lesson
for others.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá wisheth no one's heart to feel hurt, nor will
he be a source of grief to any one; for there is no greater
satisfaction than being a source of joy to the hearts.
     I ask God that ye may become like angels of heaven, sources
of happiness to souls.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of `Abdu'l-Bahá, Volume I, p. 23.

     O pure God, O loving God! We are wandering around Thy abode
and longing for the gift of Thy meeting, and are loving Thy
characteristics. We are helpless, humble, lowly, and weak; confer
Thy mercy upon us, favor us with Thy gifts, overlook our
shortcomings, and conceal our endless faults. We are Thine,
whatever we might be (good or bad), and whatever we may say or
hear is but Thy commendation. We seek but Thy face, and we search
but Thy path. Thou art the loving God, while we are but sinners
and love Thee passionately. O Thou Cloud of Mercy (shower upon
us) a few drops! O Flower-garden of Favor (send to us) some
fragrances! O Sea of Gifts (flow over us) Thy waves! O Sun of
Grace (pour on us) some radiances! Have pity on us, and show us
favor. We swear by Thy Beauty that we are full of errors, and we
have no deeds, but hopes. Except Thy concealing veil should cover
us, and Thy preservation and protection should favor us, these
weak souls have not enough power to employ themselves in Thy
service, and these indigent ones have not enough wealth to show a
rich appearance. Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty!  I beg of
Thee to assist them! Do refresh these faded souls with the drops
of the cloud of Thy gifts, and do illumine these lowly beings
through the effulgences of the sun of Thy Singleness! I pray Thee
to cast these thirsty fishes into the sea of Thy mercy; guide
their lost caravan unto the asylum of Thy unity; direct these
bewildered souls unto the fountain of Thy guidance, and cause
these wanderers to abide in the shelter of Thy might. Suffer the
thirst ones to drink from the Salsabil of Thy gifts, and quicken
the dead by eternal life. Endow the blind with light, the deaf
with hearing, the dumb with speech, the lukewarm with energy, the
heedless with mindfulness, the sleepers with wakefulness, and the
proud with humility. Verily, Thou art the Powerful, Thou art the
Forgiver! Thou art the Loving! Verily, Thou art the Generous, the
Most High!
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of `Abdu'l-Bahá, Volume II, pp. 368-
     374

     Glory be unto Thee, O my God!
     Thou seest me rolling my face in the dust of humility and
contrition, supplicating toward the Kingdom of Thy Might,
yearning for the contemplation of Thy Greatness, entreating Thy
Grandeur, invoking at the Threshold of Thy Mercifulness,
beseeching the realm of Thy Singleness, acknowledging my
shortcomings, longing for Thy bounty, desiring Thy concealing
veil and expecting the outpouring of the rain of Thy favor upon
all the meadows and mountains!
     O my Lord! Verily, Thy power hath enveloped all things, Thy
dominion, Thy glory and Thy sovereignty have become manifest as
the manifestation of the sun in mid-day; Thy Word hath penetrated
the reality of the contingent beings; Thy voice hath been raised
on the apex of the world; Thy beaming lights have radiated from
the dawning-places of all the horizons and Thy wonderful
refulgent signs have become known in all directions; consequently
the sights and insights have become dazzled by beholding these
manifestations of truth! There is no land in which the fame of
Thy Merciful Cause hath not been spread, and there is no region
in which Thy manifest ensign hath not been hoisted! Verily, Thy
voice hath reached the ears of all inhabitants of the globe, and
the attracted ones have become exhilarated by its holy and divine
fragrances!
     Praise be to Thee, O my God! for the bestowal of this most
great bounty upon Thy chosen ones; and thanks be to Thee, O my
Lord! for this most eminent favor upon Thy righteous servants in
suffering them to become the signs of Thy Oneness in this
glorious age and the standards of Thy sanctity in this new cycle!

     O my Lord! O my Lord! Assist the weak ones with the Supreme
Energy; shelter the indigent ones near the asylum of Thy Greatest
Majesty; strengthen the loins of those souls whose faces radiate
with Thy lights and whose tongues become eloquent in the
glorification and commemoration of Thy Name; make them the plants
of Thy luminous orchard, the blossoms of Thy blessed tree, the
leaves of Thy Sadrat-el-Montaha and the flowers of Thy exalted
rose-garden! Verily, Thou art the Clement, the Lofty, the
Magnificent, the Omnipresent and the Omniscient and Thou art the
Protector, the Guardian, the Helper, the Powerful, the Merciful
and the Generous!
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of `Abdu'l-Bahá, Volume III, pp. 570-
     571

     Abdul Bahá arose and with hands extended, palms upward, he
uttered the following:  SUPPLICATION  O GOD, O GOD, I GLORIFY
THEE, O MY LORD, MY HOPE, MY BELOVED AND THE OBJECT OF MY LIFE.
VERILY THOU KNOWEST MY HUMILITY, MY EVANESCENCE, MY POVERTY, MY
AGITATION AND MY SHORTCOMINGS. I CALL ON THEE WITH A HEART
OVERFLOWING WITH THY LOVE, A SPIRIT REJOICED BY THE OUTPOURINGS
OF THY ONENESS, AND A SOUL RESTING IN THY COMMEMORATION AND
PRAISE.   O LORD, O LORD, VERILY THESE ARE SOULS WHO ARE
ATTRACTED TO THE KINGDOM OF THY HOLINESS, HEARTS ENKINDLED WITH
THE FIRE OF THY LOVE AND SPIRITS SOARING TOWARD THE ATMOSPHERE OF
THY GRACE.   O LORD, O LORD, ILLUMINE OUR EYES WITH THE RAYS OF
THE SUN OF THY REALITY, SUFFER OUR EARS TO HEAR, UNDER ALL
CIRCUMSTANCES, THE CALL OF THY KINGDOM, THE EL-ABHA.   O LORD, O
LORD, MAKE US FIRM IN THY CAUSE, HUMBLE BEFORE THY MAJESTY,
ACKNOWLEDGING THY DOMINION, ARISING IN THY SERVICE AND BEING
ENGAGED IN THY ADORATION.   VERILY THOU ART THE CLEMENT;  VERILY
THOU ART THE OMNIPOTENT;  VERILY THOU ART THE MERCIFUL OF THE
MOST MERCIFUL.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, Divine Philosophy, pp. 46-47

     O my God!  O my God!  Thou seest me in my lowliness and
weakness, occupied with the greatest undertaking, determined to
raise Thy word among the masses and to spread Thy teachings among
Thy peoples.  How can I succeed unless Thou assist me with the
breath of the Holy Spirit, help me to triumph by the hosts of Thy
glorious kingdom, and shower upon me Thy confirmations, which
alone can change a gnat into an eagle, a drop of water into
rivers and seas, and an atom into lights and suns?  O my Lord!
Assist me with Thy triumphant and effective might, so that my
tongue may utter Thy praises and attributes among all people and
my soul overflow with the wine of Thy love and knowledge.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of the Divine Plan, p. 68

     Lord!  My cup of woe runneth over, and from all sides blows
are fiercely raging upon me.  The darts of affliction have
compassed me round and the arrows of distress have rained upon
me.  Thus tribulation overwhelmed me and my strength, because of
the onslaught of the foemen, became weakness within me, while I
stood alone and forsaken in the midst of my woes. Lord!  Have
mercy upon me, lift me up unto Thyself and make me to drink from
the Chalice of Martyrdom, for the wide world with all its
vastness can no longer contain me.  Thou art, verily, the
Merciful, the Compassionate, the Gracious, the All-Bountiful!
     The Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 23

     O thou who art imploring God!
     I was indeed acquainted with the great misfortunes and
afflictions which have befallen thee, but I hope that through the
bounty of thy Lord, He may ordain unto thee heavenly fragrance
and spirituality, attractive and internal perceptions and
incorporeal susceptibilities; that He may grant thee strength
after weakness, give thee rest after trouble, bring thee nigh to
Him, and make thee a sign of His love among all His maid-
servants, and forgive thy father, mother, brother and grandfather
their sins.    Verily, He is the Pardoner, the Forgiver.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of `Abdu'l-Bahá, Volume I, pp. 114

     As to thee:  Do not look at thy weakness and impotence; nay,
look at the power of thy Lord, which hath surrounded all regions.
The sea of forgiveness hath moved and the waves of pardon and
beneficence have submerged the people of sin. Be isolated from
the grades of self and desire, so that thou mayest succeed in
that which behooveth the service of the Kingdom of God, and that
thou mayest be healed from every disease and sickness.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of `Abdu'l-Bahá, Volume I, p. 190

This is the most great, the most joyful tidings imparted by the
Pen of this Wronged One to mankind.  Wherefore fear ye, O My
well-beloved ones?  Who is it that can dismay you?  A touch of
moisture sufficeth to dissolve the hardened clay out of which
this perverse generation is moulded.  The mere act of your
gathering together is enough to scatter the forces of these vain
and worthless people.
     Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh pp. 84-85

Perhaps the reason why you have not accomplished so much in the
field of teaching is the extent you looked upon your own
weaknesses and inabilities to spread the message.  Bahá'u'lláh
and the Master have both urged us repeatedly to disregard our own
handicaps and lay our whole reliance upon God.  He will come to
our help if we only arise and become an active channel for God's
grace.  Do you think it is the teachers who make converts and
change human hearts?  No, surely not. ... Stop being conscious of
your frailties, therefore; have a perfect reliance upon God; let
your heart burn with the desire to serve His mission and proclaim
His call; and you will observe how eloquence and the power to
change human hearts will come as a matter course.  Shoghi Effendi
will surely pray for your success if you should arise and start
to teach.  In fact the mere act of arising will win for you God's
help and blessings.
     From a letter on behalf of Shoghi Effendi dated 31 March
     1932 to an individual believer, quoted in the Compilation
     "The Power of Divine Assistance", and The Compilation of
     Compilations, Volume II, pp. 219-220.

You should never look at your own limitations, much less allow
them to deter you from promoting the Message.  For the believers,
whether capable or not, whether poor or rich, and whether
influential or obscure, are after all but mere channels through
which God carries His message to mankind.  They are instruments
whereby He communicates His will to His people   The friends,
therefore, must cease looking at their own deficiencies in a way
that would kill in them the spirit of initiative and of service.
They should have confidence in the divine assistance promised to
them by Bahá'u'lláh, and strengthened and revived by such an
assurance they should continue to toil till the very end of their
life.
     From a letter on behalf of Shoghi Effendi dated 18 March
     1934 to an individual believer, quoted in the Compilation
     "The Power of Divine Assistance", and The Compilation of
     Compilations, Volume II, pp. 220.

Smallness of numbers, lack of skilled teachers, and modesty of
means should not discourage or deter them.  They must remember
the glorious history of the Cause, which, both East and West, was
established by dedicated souls who, for the most part, were
neither rich, famous, nor well educated, but whose devotion, zeal
and self-sacrifice overcame every obstacle and won miraculous
victories for the Faith of God.... Let them dedicate themselves '
young and old, men and women alike ' and go forth and settle in
new districts, travel, and teach in spite of lack of experience,
and be assured that Bahá'u'lláh has promised to aid all those who
arise in His Name.  His strength will sustain them; their own
weakness is unimportant.
     From a letter on behalf of Shoghi Effendi dated 29 June 1941
     to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of India,
     published in Dawn of A New Day p. 89, and The Compilation of
     Compilations, Volume II, p. 221.

If the friends always waited until they were fully qualified to
do any particular task, the work of the Cause would be almost at
a standstill!  But the very act of striving to serve, however
unworthy one may feel, attracts the blessings of God and enables
one to become more fitted for the task.
     From a letter on behalf of Shoghi Effendi dated 4 May 1942
     to an individual believer, quoted in the Compilation "The
     Power of Divine Assistance", and The Compilation of
     Compilations, Volume II, p. 222.

When once a few bold, self-sacrificing individuals have arisen to
serve, their example will no doubt encourage other timid, would-
be pioneers to follow in their footsteps.  The history of our
Faith is full of records of the remarkable things achieved by
really very simple, insignificant individuals, who became
veritable beacons and towers of strength through having placed
their trust in God, having arisen to proclaim His Message....
     From a letter on behalf of Shoghi Effendi dated 27 March
     1945 to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of
     The British Isles, published in the Compilation "The Power
     of Divine Assistance", and The Compilation of Compilations,
     Volume II, p. 222.

Each one of us, if we look into our failures, is sure to feel
unworthy and despondent, and this feeling only frustrates our
constructive efforts and wastes time.  The thing for us to focus
on is the glory of the Cause and the Power of Bahá'u'lláh which
can make of a mere drop a surging sea!
     From a letter on behalf of Shoghi Effendi dated 13 October
     1947 to an individual believer, quoted in the Compilation
     "The Power of Divine Assistance", and The Compilation of
     Compilations, Volume II, p. 222.

At all times we must look at the greatness of the Cause, and
remember that Bahá'u'lláh will assist all who arise in His
service.  When we look at ourselves, we are sure to feel
discouraged by our shortcomings and insignificance!
     From a letter on behalf of Shoghi Effendi dated 12 December
     1950 to an individual believer, quoted in the Compilation
     "The Power of Divine Assistance", and The Compilation of
     Compilations, Volume II, p. 223.

Know thou, verily, it is becoming to a weak one to supplicate to
the Strong One, and it behooveth a seeker of bounty to beseech
the Glorious Bountiful One.  When one supplicates to his Lord,
turns to Him and seeks bounty from His Ocean, this supplication
brings light to his heart, illumination to his sight, life to his
soul, and exaltation to his being.
     During thy supplications to God and thy reciting, "Thy Name
is my healing,' consider how thine heart is cheered, thy soul
delighted by the spirit 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 enlarged the
water increases, 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.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, quoted in Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era, p. 93,
     and the Compilation, "The Power of Divine Assistance," and
     The Compilation of Compilations, Volume II, p. 235.

The believers, as we all know, should endeavour to set such an
example in their personal lives and conduct that others will feel
impelled to embrace a Faith which reforms human character.
However, unfortunately, not everyone achieves easily and rapidly
the victory over self.  What every believer, new or old, should
realize is that the Cause has the spiritual power to re-create us
if we make the effort to let that power influence us, and the
greatest help in this respect is prayer.  We must supplicate
Bahá'u'lláh to assist us to overcome the failings in our own
characters, and also exert our own will-power in mastering
ourselves.
     From a letter on behalf of Shoghi Effendi dated 27 January
     1945 to an individual believer, quoted in the Compilation
     "The Power of Divine Assistance", and The Compilation of
     Compilations, Volume II, p. 241.

Remember not your own limitations; the help of God will come to
you.  Forget yourself.  God's help will surely come!
     When you call on the Mercy of God waiting to reinforce you,
your strength will be tenfold.
     Look at me:  I am so feeble, yet I have had the strength
given me to come amongst you:  a poor servant of God, who has
been enabled to give you this message!  I shall not be with you
long!  One must never consider one's own feebleness, it is the
strength of the Holy Spirit of Love, which gives the power to
teach.  The thought of our own weakness could only bring despair.
We must look higher than all earthly thoughts;  detach ourselves
from every material idea, crave for the things of the spirit; fix
our eyes on the everlasting bountiful Mercy of the Almighty, who
will fill our souls with the gladness of joyful service to His
command 'Love One Another'.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks pp. 38-39

"...mental illness is not spiritual, although its effects may
indeed hinder and be a burden in one's striving toward spiritual
progress.   In a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to a
believer there is this further passage:
     "Such hindrances (i.e. illness and outer difficulties), no
     matter how severe and insuperable they may at first seem,
     can and should be effectively overcome through the combined
     and sustained power of prayer and of determined and
     continued effort."
"That effort can include the counsel of wise and experienced
physicians, including psychiatrists.  Working for the Faith,
serving others who may need you, and giving of yourself can aid
you in your struggle to overcome your sufferings.  One helpful
activity is, of course, striving to teach the Cause in spite of
personal feelings of shortcomings, thus allowing the healing
words of the Cause to flood your mind with their grace and
positive power."
     (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of
     Justice to an individual believer, June 15, 1982; Lights of
     Guidance, 1988 edition, Section 955.)

     Life is based on laws:  physical, man-made, and spiritual.
As you have broken the laws of the society in which you live, you
will have to stand up like a man and take your punishment.  The
spirit in which you do this is the most important thing, and
constitutes a great opportunity for you.  He (the Guardian)
advises you to turn your face towards the future, to realise that
when you are set free you have loving and helpful friends to go
to, an upright job awaiting you, and you can also become active
in serving our glorious Faith.  So really everything lies before
you.  But at present, until your sentence is up, you must live
within yourself in a way not to spoil the new future awaiting
you.  You must not become bitter-for after all you are only
reaping what you planted.  Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu'l-Bahá, through
no crime of their own, spent the better part of their lives in
exile and imprisoned, but they never became embittered although
they were the victims of injustice.  You, on the other hand, are
the victim of injustice which you have inflicted on yourself -
therefore you certainly have no right to be bitter towards the
world.
     He urges you to grasp firmly the teachings of our Faith, the
love of your family and many Bahá'í friends, to put the past
behind entirely, realising that it can do you no more harm; on
the contrary, through changing you and making you spiritually
aware, this very past can be a means of enriching your life in
the future! He will certainly ardently pray for your happiness,
your victory over yourself, and that you may become an exemplary
and active Bahá'í.
     Shoghi Effendi's secretary on his behalf, Unfolding Destiny,
     p. 450

     He (the Guardian) encouraged him to face manfully the
future, accept the legitimate sanction of society as punishment
for his admittedly anti-social conduct, and realise that his very
suffering, humiliation and punishment can - if he will let it -
be the means of freeing him from many of his past weaknesses and
mistakes, and making him a worthy member of society.  He should
look to the future, for there is in his power, with Bahá'u'lláh's
help, to shape into a worthy and constructive way of life....
     The English Bahá'ís did gloriously succeed after all!
Hitching one's wagon to a star, however impractical it may seem,
does bring results, for man, with God to help him, does possess
strengths far beyond the mere materialist's ken!
     Shoghi Effendi's secretary on his behalf, Unfolding Destiny,
     p. 451

     We must not only be patient with others, infinitely
patient!, but also with our own poor selves, remembering that
even the Prophets of God sometimes got tired and cried out in
despair!
     Shoghi Effendi's secretary on his behalf, Unfolding Destiny,
     p. 456

     He urges you to persevere and add up your accomplishments,
rather than to dwell on the dark side of things.  Everyone's life
has both a dark and bright side.  The Master said: turn your back
to the darkness and your face to Me.
     Shoghi Effendi's secretary on his behalf, Unfolding Destiny,
     p. 457

     You have voiced the same suffering, the sign of the same
mystery, as has been voiced by almost all those who have been
called upon to serve God.  Even the Prophets of God, we know,
suffered agony when the Spirit of God descended on Them and
commanded Them to arise and preach.  Look at Moses saying,  "I am
a stutterer!". Look at Muhammad rolled in His rug in agony!  The
Guardian himself suffered terribly when he learned he was the one
who had been made the Guardian.
     So you see your sense of inadequacy, your realisation of
your own unworthiness is not unique at all.  Many, from the
Highest to the humblest have had it.  Now the wisdom of it is
this:  it is such seemingly weak instruments that demonstrate
that God is the Power achieving the victories and not men.  If
you were a wealthy, prominent, strong individual who knew all
about Africa and looked upon going out there as fun, any service
you render, and victories you have, would be laid to your
personality, not to the Cause of God!  But because the reverse is
true, your services will be a witness to the Power of Bahá'u'lláh
and Truth of His Faith.
   Rest assured, dear sister, you will ever-increasingly be
sustained, and you will find joy and strength given to you, and
God will reward you.  You will pass through these dark hours
triumphant.  The first Bahá'í going on such an historic mission
could not but suffer - but the compensation will be great....
     Shoghi Effendi's secretary on his behalf, Unfolding Destiny,
     p. 459

"Peter," `Abdu'l-Bahá has testified, "according to the history of
the Church, was also incapable of keeping count of the days of
the week. Whenever he decided to go fishing, he would tie up his
weekly food into seven parcels, and every day he would eat one of
them, and when he had reached the seventh, he would know that the
Sabbath had arrived, and thereupon would observe it."  If the Son
of Man was capable of infusing into apparently so crude and
helpless an instrument such potency as to cause, in the words of
Bahá'u'lláh, "the mysteries of wisdom and of utterance to flow
out of his mouth," and to exalt him above the rest of His
disciples, and render him fit to become His successor and the
founder of His Church, how much more can the Father, Who is
Bahá'u'lláh, empower the most puny and insignificant among His
followers to achieve, for the execution of His purpose, such
wonders as would dwarf the mightiest achievements of even the
first apostle of Jesus Christ!
     Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice, p. 46

Say: Beware, O people of Bahá, lest the strong ones of the earth
rob you of your strength, or they who rule the world fill you
with fear. Put your trust in God, and commit your affairs to His
keeping.  He, verily, will, through the power of truth, render
you victorious, and He, verily, is powerful to do what He
willeth, and in His grasp are the reins of omnipotent might."
     Bahá'u'lláh, quoted in The Advent of Divine Justice, p. 82

Life in this world is a succession of tests and achievements, of
falling short and of making new spiritual advances.  Sometimes
the course may seem very hard, but one can witness, again and
again, that the soul who steadfastly obeys the law of
Bahá'u'lláh, however hard it may seem, grows spiritually ...
     From a letter dated 6 February 1973 written by the Universal
     House of Justice to all National Spiritual Assemblies,
     published in Messages from the Universal House of Justice
     1968-1973, p. 106; compilation on "A Chaste and Holy Life";
     The Compilation of Compilations, Vol. I, pp. 63-64.

O kind Father. Confer Thy blessings. Consider not our
shortcomings. Shelter us under Thy protection. Remember not our
sins. Heal us with Thy mercy. We are weak; Thou art mighty. We
are poor; Thou art rich. We are sick; Thou art the Physician. We
are needy; Thou art most generous.  O God! Endow us with Thy
providence. Thou art the Powerful. Thou art the Giver. Thou art
the Beneficent.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í Prayers pp. 110-111

      O Thou Lord of the Kingdom! Though our bodies be gathered
here together, yet our spellbound hearts are carried away by Thy
love, and yet are we transported by the rays of Thy resplendent
face. Weak though we be, we await the revelations of Thy might
and power. Poor though we be, with neither good nor means, still
take we riches from the treasures of Thy Kingdom. Drops though we
be, still do we draw from out Thy ocean deeps. Motes though we
be, still do we gleam in the glory of Thy splendid Sun.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í Prayers pp. 138-139

       O our Lord! We are weak, and Thou art the Mighty, the
Powerful. We are lifeless, and Thou art the great life-giving
Spirit. We are needy, and Thou art the Sustainer, the Powerful. O
our Lord! Turn our faces unto Thy merciful countenance, feed us
from Thy heavenly table with Thine abundant grace, assist us with
the hosts of Thy supreme angels and confirm us through the holy
ones of the Kingdom of Abha.  Verily, Thou art the Generous, the
Merciful. Thou art the Possessor of great bounty, and, verily,
Thou art the Clement and the Gracious.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í Prayers p. 140.

     O Lord! I am weak, strengthen me with Thy power and potency.
My tongue falters, suffer me to utter Thy commemoration and
praise.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í Prayers pp. 187

     Confirm me in Thy service, assist me with the cohorts of Thy
angels, make me victorious in the promotion of Thy Word and
suffer me to speak out Thy wisdom amongst Thy creatures. Verily,
Thou art the helper of the weak and the defender of the little
ones, and verily Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty and the
Unconstrained.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í Prayers pp. 188-189

     God, my God! Thou beholdest this weak one begging for
celestial strength, this poor one craving Thy heavenly treasures,
this thirsty one longing for the fountain of eternal life, this
afflicted one yearning for Thy promised healing through Thy
boundless mercy which Thou hast destined for Thy chosen servants
in Thy kingdom on high.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í Prayers pp. 190

     Thou beholdest, O Lord, the ignorant seeking the ocean of
Thy knowledge, the sore athirst the living waters of Thine
utterance, the abased the tabernacle of Thy glory, the poor the
treasury of Thy riches, the suppliant the dawning-place of Thy
wisdom, the weak the source of Thy strength, the wretched the
heaven of Thy bounty, the dumb the kingdom of Thy mention.
     Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 3.

     Praise be to Thee, O Concealer of the sins of the weak and
helpless!  Magnified be Thy name, O Thou that forgivest the
heedless ones that trespass against Thee!
     Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 204

     I beseech Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord of all names and the
Creator of the heavens, to aid them to act equitably in Thy
Cause, that haply they may discover the sweet smell of the robe
of Thy mercy, and set their faces towards the horizon that
shineth with the brightness of the light of Thy face. Weak are
they, O my Lord, and Thou art the Lord of strength and power.
They are but paupers, and Thou art the All-Possessing, the Most
Generous.
     Prayers and Meditations by Bahá'u'lláh, p. 181

     Vouchsafe Thy strength, O Almighty One, unto Thy weak
creatures, and quicken them who are as dead, that haply they may
find Thee, and may be led unto the ocean of Thy guidance, and may
remain steadfast in Thy Cause.
     Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations by Bahá'u'lláh, p. 252

     We are all sinners, and Thou art the forgiver of sins, the
Merciful, the Compassionate. O Lord! Look not at our shortcomings
are many, but the ocean of Thy forgiveness is boundless. Our
weakness is grievous, but the evidences of Thine aid and
assistance are clear.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í Prayers p. 82

     ... purge me with the waters of Thy bounty from every
affliction and disorder, and from all weakness and feebleness.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í Prayers p. 86

     Thou art He Who changeth through His bidding abasement into
glory, and weakness into strength, and powerlessness into might,
and fear into calm, and doubt into certainty. No God is there but
Thee, the Mighty, the Beneficent.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í Prayers p. 119

     O God! O God! Thou seest my weakness, lowliness and humility
before Thy creatures; nevertheless, I have trusted in Thee and
have arisen in the promotion of Thy teachings among Thy strong
servants, relying on Thy power and might.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í Prayers pp. 179

     O Lord! Have pity on my weakness, and strengthen me with Thy
power. O Lord! Have pity on my impotence, and assist me with Thy
might and majesty.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í Prayers pp. 180

     O my God! O my God! Thou seest me in my lowliness and
weakness, occupied with the greatest undertaking, determined to
raise Thy word among the masses and to spread Thy teachings among
Thy peoples. How can I succeed unless Thou assist me with the
breath of the Holy Spirit, help me to triumph by the hosts of Thy
glorious kingdom, and shower upon me Thy confirmations, which
alone can change a gnat into an eagle, a drop of water into
rivers and seas, and an atom into lights and suns?
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í Prayers.

     I beseech Thee, by Thy name through which Thou turnest
restlessness into tranquillity, fear into confidence, weakness
into strength, and abasement into glory, that Thou of Thy grace
wilt aid me and Thy servants to exalt Thy name, to deliver Thy
Message, and to proclaim Thy Cause, in such wise that we may
remain unmoved by either the assaults of the transgressors or the
wrath of the infidels, O Thou Who art my Well-Beloved!
     Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations by Bahá'u'lláh, p. 213

     With the fruits of the Tree of Thine Eternity nourish me,
for uttermost weakness hath overtaken me.
     Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations by Bahá'u'lláh, p. 234

     We entreat Thee, O Thou Who art the Cloud of Bounty and the
Succorer of the distressed, that Thou wilt aid us to remember
Thee, and to make known Thy Cause, and to arise to help Thee.
Though all weakness, we yet have clung to Thy Name, the Most
Powerful, the Almighty.
     Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations by Bahá'u'lláh, p. 239

     Thou art He Who changeth through His bidding abasement into
glory, and weakness into strength, and powerlessness into might,
and fear into calm, and doubt into certainty. No God is there but
Thee, the Mighty, the Beneficent.
     Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations by Bahá'u'lláh, p. 249

     I am but a wretched creature, O my Lord, and Thou art the
All-Possessing, the Most High; and I am all weakness, and Thou
art the Almighty, and the Supreme Ordainer in both the beginning
and the end.
     Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations by Bahá'u'lláh, pp.
     256-257

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.
     Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations by Bahá'u'lláh, p. 265

     May each one become a radiant candle. May each one become a
brilliant star. May each one become beautiful in color and
redolent of fragrance in the Kingdom of God.O kind Father! Confer
Thy blessings. Consider not our shortcomings. Shelter us under
Thy protection. Remember not our sins . Heal us with Thy mercy.
We are weak; Thou art mighty. We are poor; Thou art rich. We are
sick; Thou art the Physician. We are needy; Thou art most
generous.O God! Endow us with Thy providence. Thou art the
Powerful. Thou art the Giver. Thou art the Beneficent.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace p. 56

     Brighten our eyes through the Light of Thy Guidance. Delight
our ears with the melody of Thy Word, and shelter us all in the
Stronghold of Thy Providence.Thou art the Mighty and Powerful,
Thou art the Forgiving and Thou art the One Who overlooketh the
shortcomings of all mankind.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace p. 100.

     O Thou forgiving Lord ! Thou art the shelter of all these
Thy servants. Thou knowest the secrets and art aware of all
things. We are all helpless, and Thou art the Mighty, the
Omnipotent. We are all sinners, and Thou art the Forgiver of
sins, the Merciful, the Compassionate. O Lord! Look not at our
shortcomings. Deal with us according to Thy grace and bounty. Our
shortcomings are many, but the ocean of Thy forgiveness is
boundless. Our weakness is grievous, but the evidences of Thine
aid and assistance are clear. Therefore, confirm and strengthen
us. Enable us to do that which is worthy of Thy holy Threshold.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace p. 176.

     O Lord, Thou possessor of infinite mercy ! O Lord of
forgiveness and pardon ! Forgive our sins, pardon our
shortcomings, and cause us to turn to the kingdom of Thy
clemency, invoking the kingdom of might and power, humble at Thy
shrine and submissive before the glory of Thine evidences.
     `Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace p. 276.
-- Triumphing over Our Weaknesses (Used by permission of the curator)