Strive for God’s will and desire for us.

220. Strive for God, all the religions of God tell us, seek Him always, with all thy being: Baha’i Faith: “Bahá’u’lláh has said that God will assist all those who arise in His service. The more you labour for His Faith, the more He will aid and bless you.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Compilations, The Compilation of Compilations vol II, p. 221)

 BABI RELIGION: “Those who earnestly strive after the One True God, let them then strive to attain this Gate. Verily God is potent over all things…”

        (The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 50)

 JUDAISM: Deuteronomy 4:29 “Thou shalt seek The LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.” 1 Chronicles 17:2 “Do all that is in thine heart; for God,” 1 Chronicles 28:9 “And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for The LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek Him, He will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, He will cast thee off forever.” Psalms 86:12 “I will praise Thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify Thy name for evermore.” 1 Chronicles 22:19 “Now set your heart and your soul to seek The LORD your God;” Sirach 4:28 “Strive for the truth unto death, and The Lord shall fight for thee.” (Deuterocanonical Apocrypha,) 2 Kings 7:3 “Go, do all that is in thine heart; for The LORD.”  Christianity: John 6:27 “Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.” Romans 15:30 “Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God.” Philippians 1:27 “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;”

BAHA’I FAITH: “Day and night you must strive that you may attain to the significances of the heavenly Kingdom, perceive the signs of Divinity, acquire certainty of knowledge and realize that this world has a Creator, a Vivifier, a Provider, an Architect — knowing this through proofs and evidences and not through susceptibilities, nay, rather, through decisive arguments and real vision — that is to say, visualizing it as clearly as the outer eye beholds the sun. In this way may you behold the presence of God and attain to the knowledge of the holy, divine Manifestations.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 227)

 BABI RELIGION: “Strive earnestly for the sake of God and walk in the path of righteousness. Shouldst thou encounter the unbelievers, place thy whole trust in God, thy Lord, saying, Sufficient is God unto me in the kingdoms of both this world and the next.”

(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 160)

 ISLAM: 35. “O ye who believe! do your duty to Allah (God), seek the means of approach unto Him, and strive with might and main in His cause: that ye may prosper.”

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah   5)

Islam: 41. “Go ye forth, (whether equipped) lightly or heavily, and strive and struggle, with your goods and your persons, in the Cause of Allah. That is best for you, if ye (but) knew.”

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah   9)

Islam: 11. “That ye believe in Allah and His Messenger, and that ye strive (your utmost) in the Cause of Allah, with your property and your persons: that will be best for you, if ye but knew!”

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah  61)

  ZOROASTRIANISM: 7. “I strive to recognize by these things Thee, O Mazda (God), Creator of all things through the holy spirit.”

(Zoroaster, The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasna 44)

 Zoroastrianism: 5. “(Zarathushtra): Teachings address I……. Let each of you strive to excel the other in the Right, for it will be a prize for that one.” 2. “Then let them seek the pleasure of Mazda with thoughts, words, and actions, unto Him praise gladly, and seek His worship, making straight the paths for the Religion of the future Deliverer which Ahura ordained.”

(The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasna 53)

 HINDUISM: “By Me the whole vast Universe of things Is spread abroad; by Me, the Unmanifest! In Me are all existences contained; Not I in them! Yet they are not contained, Those visible things! Receive and strive to embrace The mystery majestical! My Being-Creating all, sustaining all- still dwells Outside of all!” “Tread the path celestial, worship Me With hearts unwandering, knowing Me the Source, The Eternal Source, of Life. Unendingly They glorify Me; seek Me; keep their vows Of reverence and love, with changeless faith Adoring Me.”

(Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapter 9)

 Hinduism: “When the righteous strive and struggle, Gods (Brahma, Vishnu, God) assist the true and brave!” “Have Me, then, in thy heart always! and fight! Thou too, when heart and mind are fixed on Me, Shalt surely come to Me!”

(Hindu, Bhagavad Gita (Edwin Arnold tr) chapter 8 and Ramayana)

 BUDDHISM: “Truly, the disciple who is possessed of faith and has penetrated the Teaching of the Master, he is filled with the thought: ‘May rather skin, sinews and bones wither away, may the flesh and blood of my body dry up: I shall not give up my efforts so long as I have not attained whatever is attainable by manly perseverance, energy and endeavor!” “Like a thoroughbred horse touched by the whip, be strenuous and determined.” “In every work, great or small, Let them refer to Me.”

((The Eightfold Path), Buddha and Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 and 3)

 Buddhism: “By any striving, one will radiate its influence to infinite worlds, like a gem reflecting its variegated colors, whereby I and other Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, will be enabled to bring all beings to the same perfection of virtue.” (Buddha Lankavatara Sutra)

 SABEANISM: “I strive with a pious and believing heart for the love of precious Truth. My vigilance and my praise giving Pure Chosen one, well is it for thee, (seeking) soul.” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 70 and 77)