We “must travel in the way of God”; day by day, we “must endeavor to become better”

Therefore I say that man must travel in the way of God. Day by day he must endeavor to become better, his belief must increase and become firmer, his good qualities and his turning to God must be greater, the fire of his love must flame more brightly; then day by day he will make progress, for to stop advancing is the means of going back. The bird when he flies soars ever higher and higher, for as soon as he stops flying he will come down. Every day, in the morning when arising you should compare today with yesterday and see in what condition you are. If you see your belief is stronger and your heart more occupied with God and your love increased and your freedom from the world greater then thank God and ask for the increase of these qualities. You must begin to pray and repent for all that you have done which is wrong and you must implore and ask for help and assistance that you may become better than yesterday so that you may continue to make progress. (From the utterances of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, quoted in "Star of the West", vol. 8, no. 6 (24 June 1917), p. 68; compilation Excellence in All Things, pp. 10-11; The Compilation of Compilations vol. I, p. 376)