By Geraldo Goulart

No, we are not here to talk about the goods that you received in the special moments of your material life; let’s not to talk about dolls, cars, jewelry, perfume, electronics or clothing. Let’s talk about current life situation where, occasionally, there are so many “why’s?”.

It is not difficult to find people who go through times of daily pain; not just caused from diseases. Others would like to understand the real motivation of their problems of respiratory deficiencies, digestive, motor functions, constant headaches or other debilitating conditions.

There are also those who, although not currently identifiable ailments, questions the “why” of physical disorders and or physiological brought from cradle.

Sometimes the problem presents itself in unhealthy personality, nervous, impatient, violent people who do not admit, do not allow any contradictions. How to justify or explain such diversity? Some religions advocate the argument that God was testing such creatures, but would that be possible? According to Christianity, the answer is “NO”. Paul, the apostle of the Gentiles, assured that “For there is no respect of persons with God” (Rom. 2:11), then it is inconceivable to believe that so many disturbances are trial or punishment from God randomly imposed on His children.

Any student of the Doctrine, making a careful reading of chapter V, “BLESSED ARE THE AFFLICTED” in THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO SPIRITISM, will conclude, after a brief analysis of the text in question, that congenital illnesses come from previous lives. Effectively knowing about the justice of effect of previous and current actions which are the root causes of the sufferings, the reader will better understand the mechanisms of Divine Justice. Therefore, it will open also the field of reflections that will carry out more knowledge about other references found in the Gospel, for example, the “eye for eye, tooth for tooth.” (Exodus 21:24)

Not only are diseases of any order brought from the cradle, which stir up the curiosity of some, but also aspects of wealth and poverty. Hence, this is the reality of successive lives … reincarnation; where we pay for past wrongs and gain new experiences.

It is a mistake from who that say if they knew about their past lives everything would be easier. It would not be. Rather it would be more difficult because it would entail painful knowledge of faults committed in previous lives. We would be greatly ashamed by our failures, especially moral lapses.

In some sufferings, the current cause can be stated that they derive from vanity, pride, greed, envy, abandonment of the struggle in the field of family life. From there comes dissatisfaction, addictions, rebellion and intolerance of children and spouses and even relatives. According to Chapter V of The Gospel According to Spiritism, we learn that:

“On going back to the origins of earthly misfortunes it must be recognized that many are natural consequences of character and the behavior of those who suffer them. How many fail through their own fault? How many are the victims of their own thoughtlessness, pride or ambition?

How many destroy themselves through lack of discipline, misconduct or from not knowing how to limit their desires!

How many disastrous marriages are due to the fact that they were built on calculated interest or vanity, in which the heart took no part!

How many disagreements and fatal disputes could have been avoided with the aid of a little moderation and less susceptibility!

How many illnesses and diseases stem from intemperance and excesses of all kinds?

How many parents are unhappy with their children because they did not combat their bad instincts from an early age! Either from weakness or indifference, they allowed the germ of pride, selfishness and stupid vanity to grow in them, so causing their hearts to dry and shrivel. Later on, when reaping what they have sown, they are surprised and afflicted by the lack of gratitude and the indifference with which they are treated.

We ask each one whose heart has been hurt by vicissitudes or deceptions, to study their own conscience closely; to go back, step by step, to the origins of each misfortune which is torturing them. Like as not they will be able to say: if I had done, or not done, such and such a thing, I would not be where I am now.

Who then is responsible for Man’s afflictions if not Man himself? So then in a great number of cases he is the cause of his own misfortunes. But instead of recognizing this fact he finds it easier and less humiliating to his vanity to accuse his bad luck, providence or even his unlucky star, when in actual fact his unlucky star is his own carelessness. (…)” – item 4.

And yet in the same chapter, we read that:

“Sufferings due to causes prior to the present existence, as well as those which originate from present causes, are frequently the consequences of errors which have been committed. That is to say through the action of a rigorously distributive justice, we come to suffer what we have made others suffer. If we have been hard and inhumane we may be treated with harshness and inhumanity; if we were too full of pride we may be born in humble circumstances; if we have been miserly, selfish or made bad use of our riches we may find ourselves deprived of the necessary means of survival; if we have been a bad son or daughter we may suffer from the behavior of our children.

It is only through the plurality of existences and the destiny of the planet as a world of

atonement, which it now is, that we can explain the abnormalities in the distribution of happiness or unhappiness amongst good and bad alike. Nevertheless, these abnormalities exist only in appearance, due to the fact that they are considered solely from the point of view of the present. If we elevate ourselves, by means of thought, in such a way as to see a succession of existences, we will perceive that to each one is given what is deserved, after taking into consideration that which was gained in the spiritual world. Only then does it become apparent that God’s justice is uninterrupted.” – Item 7

That said, it is understood that the answers on the problems of their current life, people must search

them through retrospective and introspective analysis of their current existence. Following this route, be sure you will be able by an inspiration and deductions to reach what should be your current response and attitude toward your current situation.

Look at your present and then you will sense your past!

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What Geraldo wrote about above explains many of the trials and sufferings we must live through. I write about the types of trials we are given and how to determine the best way to surmount any obstacle in a manner to learn from the experience and to emerge victorious from the trials assigned to us.

Read my book, The Problem is the Solution – 7 Life Complications Sent to Test and Teach You, so you too can look at your present and see the past and the glorious future awaiting you.