“The measure of the spiritual capacity of the evolving soul is your faith in truth and your love for man, but the measure of your human strength of character is your ability to resist the holding of grudges and your capacity to withstand brooding in the face of deep sorrow.” 156:5.17 (1740.4)
Faith and love are the pillars of spiritual growth—but character is tested in the quiet places where no one is watching. It’s tested when betrayal tempts you to hold grudges. It’s tested when sorrow knocks you down and whispers that it will never leave. The greatest souls are not those who avoid pain, but those who choose not to be defined by it. Choosing truth and love is the spiritual path; refusing bitterness and despair is the human strength that gives faith room to flourish.
This lesson is as true in our workplaces as in our inner lives. Teams fracture when grudges are nurtured. Leaders lose vision when sorrow turns to cynicism. Families drift apart when pain becomes the lens through which everything is seen. But when we resist the urge to brood and instead rise with resilience, we create spaces where trust can be rebuilt, hope can return, and love can grow stronger. That is the union of spiritual capacity and human character—the place where true greatness is born.
