# 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
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>      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.
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>      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
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> 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.
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> ". . . 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
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> 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)
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> "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.
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> "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.
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> "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
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> "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
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>      "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"
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> "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.
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> "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.
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> 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.
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> "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.
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> 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.
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> "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.
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> 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
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> 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
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>      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
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>      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
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>      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
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>      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.
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>      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
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>      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.
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>      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
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>      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)*