Divine Trials: A Path to Spiritual Renewal
In every person's life, there come moments when pain and suffering take on a special meaning—they become not merely punishment, but a powerful tool for inner renewal. According to one perspective, the trials that God sends us serve with honor as a means of purifying the soul, liberating it from the shadows of past mistakes and negative attachments. This process can be compared to a spiritual “detoxification,” during which destructive forces, like the ghosts of old delusions, give way to genuine spiritual purity.
The meaning of these sufferings lies not in punitive retribution but in the deliberate cleansing and healing of the inner world. Every moment of pain helps a person recognize their mistakes, bid farewell to the accumulated demons of past lives, and focus on sincere repentance. This interpretation of suffering emphasizes the importance of self-knowledge and the pursuit of spiritual growth.
Ultimately, every trial becomes a step toward returning to the original purity of the soul, attaining true Divine love and inner harmony. May every moment of experienced pain become fuel for your spiritual rebirth, awakening in you the strength to transform and move forward.
How can one interpret the notion that the sufferings bestowed by God serve to cleanse the soul of the accumulated demons of past lives?
The idea that the sufferings given by God are designed to purify the soul from the echoes of past delusions and attachments (which can be understood as “demons of past lives”) can be interpreted as follows. According to this view, God’s allowance of suffering is not arbitrary punishment but carries a deliberate cleansing and healing effect. Through suffering, God directs a person toward recognition and repentance for previous mistakes, providing an opportunity to destroy spiritual evil and cleanse the soul of the toxins of former temptations. This process involves the expulsion of destructive forces, symbolically represented as demons, from the soul, thereby making way for renewal and spiritual rebirth.
For instance, one source describes in detail how God, by depriving a person of something harmful, permits the devil to inflict sorrows and sufferings upon us—precisely so that, through these afflictions, the soul is cleansed of the poison of prior lusts and develops a repulsion toward temptations that rob the mind of Divine love (source: link ). Here, the sufferings are perceived not as punitive retribution, but as a healing remedy capable of curing spiritual ailments and restoring the individual’s original purity.
In another account, it is stated that the afterlife of people is a process of purification, and that the subsequent punishment by hellfire after resurrection is intended not as retribution, but primarily as a means of cleansing and healing the soul (source: link ). Thus, through suffering, a person not only undergoes a trial but also gains the opportunity to rid themselves of accumulated spiritual deficiencies—interpreted as the elimination of the “demons” of past lives.
This perspective underscores the idea that the trials and sufferings sent by God function as spiritual medicine, promoting personal growth and a return to one’s true spiritual essence, free from accumulated negative influences. This teaching emphasizes the importance of self-knowledge, repentance, and the pursuit of inner purity, with every moment of pain becoming a step toward the transformation of the person.
Supporting citation(s):
"Without Divine allowance, even demons cannot serve the devil in anything. For God knows how, with a compassionate love and benevolent design, to permit the devil, through His servants, to administer various punishments for what we have sinned. Being good, God, wishing to completely uproot from us the seed of evil—i.e. lustful desire that deprives the mind of Divine love—permits the devil to bring upon us sorrows and sufferings, so that through these afflictions, the soul may be cleansed of the poison of previous lusts..." (source: link )
"The afterlife of people is purification. With the resurrection, the cleansing, renewal, and restoration of the body come to an end. Yet, the cleansing of the soul continues. Concerning sinners, merciful God, following the resurrection, will administer healing measures by subjecting them to the punishment of hellfire. However, these torments are intended not as punitive retribution but as a cleansing remedy." (source: link )