Why are we here?
We are here in this world to acquire God’s virtues and Divine attributes, that we will need in our next life (such as Love, compassion, Patience, Faith, Trust, Honesty, Humility, etc)…. just as a fetus develops in the mothers womb (Arms, Legs, Eyes, Ears, brain, etc) before it is born into the material world. Not developing these physical and spiritual qualities, causes us suffering in the word we are being born in to next.
To develop those attributes, sometimes we get what we might consider the most unlikely helpers. For example that relative or coworker that always gets on our nerves, and pushes our buttons, is really there to teach us patience and love. When we are faced with uncertainty in our lives, we are taught to let go, trust in the Divine process, and have faith that everything will turn out to our best interest at the end.
So when a lot of us were told as children, if we are not good, we will go to Hell, what they were really trying to say is that if we do not develop certain qualities and skills here in this world, lack of those skills will cause us suffering in the next life… like a pre-mature infant who suffers acclimation to the material world.
Firoozeh Bowden