Rudolf Steiner says, in the chapter entitled “Facing Karma”, from Anthroposophy in Everyday Life (p.54):
We suffer because with every inner and outer suffering we eliminate one of our faults
and become transformed into something better.
Lately I have been thinking a lot about suffering. I have been thinking a lot about my own challenges in life. I get very frustrated with my situation sometimes, with the choices I make, how things work out. I am very frustrated with my career right now, or lack thereof. I had several recent disappointments in the employment sphere (I have now been passed over TWICE for a job at the Waldorf school), and now I am not sure what I am supposed to do. What once seemed clear-cut, now doesn’t make sense. Things seem to have gotten immensely difficult – and yet – things have never been easier. My current job leaves me with perhaps too much time on my hands, and nothing with which to fill it. But, I was not any happier when I was over-worked and stressed out because I had too much to do, and not enough time! Steiner would most likely say that the wiser being in me led me to this situation, but I can’t for the life of me figure out how I will be transformed. I suppose if I knew that, I wouldn’t need the wiser being! Just some thoughts on karma . . .