Can you elaborate on the connection between past actions, present suffering, and the opportunity to meet a saint?

The source material suggests a complex interplay between karma, suffering, and divine grace. Chapter 18 states that when a soul is in great distress, it cries out for God. However, it also makes a crucial point: "until the tide of bad deeds recedes, the name of God does not come to the lips." This implies that a certain degree of purification or readiness is necessary before one can even call out for divine help. It is at this juncture, when the individual is suffering yet becoming spiritually receptive, that the "Lord of the Universe, seeing him with love, arranges a meeting with a saint." This indicates that suffering can burn away negative karma, and meeting a saint is not a random occurrence but a divinely orchestrated event for a soul that has become ready for guidance.