Thank you for posting this text, OP.

Yes, this is right on the mark. There is a DIVINE PLAN and it does involve acute situations which are "painful" and "confusing as described in the OP's quoted piece, accentuated by the fact that we do not have the full picture or insights.

Because we have collectively gone against Divine Law (look up Phoenix Journal 27 for more on that) there will necessarily be conflict and, in the end, complete stagnation. This is a "standstill" in spiritual development - a "standstill" on the mental plane, because MIND is not growing or developping. Because the inside dictates what occurs on the outside, we can expect a physical standstill as a result.