The city of Sofia was desolate, dead, destroyed, burned down. Life withdrew from it. There were no people in it. It was wintertime. The sky was hanging over it dark and heavy, and no light could penetrate through it. One could see no solution coming from anywhere. In those days when the people were coming to see the Master for consolation, they could grasp the meaning of his words more readily and understood that they needed to endure to the end.

The Master told them:

"He who suffers and endures to the end is a hero. He who suffers is hero. He will become a man. Nothing will become of him who does not suffer.

"Be thankful to God when a trial comes. All tribulations are a blessing for man. After each trial, he achieves something good.

"In order to polish a stone, one needs to chip and grind it. The same is true for a human being. In order that one may awaken, polishing - suffering - is necessary.

"It is difficult for man to come to awareness. He has to be boxed into a corner in order for him to awaken. Every time the consciousness falls asleep, suffering comes to awaken it. After that comes rejuvenation, upliftment. Suffering will uplift you. Be joyous that you suffer so that you may bear fruit.

"God will transform man's tribulations into precious stones which will crown his head like a wreath. In the future, people's suffering will adorn their heads.

"When Nature puts someone in constraints, She has in mind his good and aims to awaken the hidden forces within him. All suffering, constraints and trials in a man's life aim to awaken the higher consciousness within him. When Nature imposes sorrow, we feel wrongly towards it. When a mother puts the child in the tub to bathe him, he cries and thinks that this is bad for him. The child does not understand that his mother means to do well for him.

"An army general was tried, convicted, stripped of all his rights and jailed. He was only freed after ten years. He then said, 'I now understand life. It has become clear to me that my position as a general and all other things are nonsense.' A man whose skull has been broken several times grows wiser.

"When one suffers, his way of thinking gradually becomes straight. When the thinking is straight, the consciousness awakens. Through suffering, comes a new consciousness in man. This is the meaning of suffering.

"The offerings which the living Nature gives to man are the meaningful tribulations. Within them are hidden the experiences which enable man to develop. The fruit of these tribulations are the impulses which help him to grow.

"To every man are given as many trials as are necessary for the development of his soul. These trials are not arbitrary. When I speak about them, I am referring to the mindful suffering. Man has come to his present development thanks to his hardships and trials. These are what prepare man for the Coming of Love."