Tricks On "The Hook"

When the hook of Love falls into our throat, God draws us gradually so those bad attributes will leave us little by little.

How can God’s love let you go? We should be thankful that God does not let us go. When a child is small it knows nothing but milk and its mother. Yet, God does not leave the child there, but leads it on to eat bread and to play, and in this manner draws it on to the stage of reason. So too in this world—which is in its infancy compared with that other world—God does not leave you here, but brings you on so you can realize that this is infancy and nothing at all.
I am amazed at the people who must be dragged to Paradise in chains and fetters.
“Take them and fetter them,
then roast them in Paradise,
then roast them in Union,
then roast them in Beauty,
then roast them in Perfection.”
Fishermen do not drag out a fish all at once. Once the hook has entered the fish’s throat they reel it in a little so it will lose strength. Then they let it out, and draw it in again, until it weakens.
When the hook of Love falls into our throat, God draws us gradually so those bad attributes will leave us little by little.
Fihi Ma Fihi - Discourse 26