To Endure The Burning

"What is to give light must endure burning." – Viktor Frankl

I don't think there is a person alive who would honestly enjoy the sensation of being 'burned up' in the service of a higher purpose. There might be people who are 'willing' to endure the burning, but few, if any, would enjoy the process.

I admire this quote by Viktor Frankl, who was a World War II, Nazi concentration camp survivor.

It is a literal and symbolic truth. A candle or a fire give the gift of light, but something, the fuel source, is consumed and 'used up' in the process. It is an inevitable and necessary process that must occur to create the light itself.

Spiritual light is no different. Light is created from a burning or conversion process. There is no other way to produce light. Something is used up and consumed in the process of generating light. Often the spiritual teachers and the people who shine the brightest among us, have endured great darkness, and have found a way to turn the bitter and difficult experiences of life into an inspiration and example for the rest of us. They are light bearers and way showers.

It is not for the faint of heart. To shine a great light, you must endure darkness and difficulty. It can be consuming. It can be painful. Those who are willing to go through these processes, bless us all with the transformation that they are willing to undergo. This process creates illumination... which provides benefits to everyone.

Great light and spiritual development does not come without a process of burning... of transformation. Be willing to go through the process and you will experience greater light. Be willing to go through the burning, and you will contribute to increased light for the entire world.