inner life of spirit

We must as frequently as possible remind ourselves
that our real life is not that external, material life, which
takes place here upon earth, in our sight, but the inner
life of our spirit, for which the visible life is only a
scaffolding necessary for the rearing of the building
of our spiritual growth. This scaffolding has in itself
but a temporary purpose, after the fulfilment of which
it is not good for anything and even becomes an
obstacle.
Seeing before himself the immense, towering, and firmly
clasped timbers, while the building barely rises above the
foundation, a man is inclined to make the mistake of
ascribing a greater significance to the scaffolding than to
the building which is going up and for the sake of which
this temporary scaffolding has been put up.
We must remind ourselves and one another that the
only meaning and significance of the scaffolding is the
possibility of rearing the building itself.

Tolstoy