It takes self-reflection and prayer

[Mark Dohle]

It takes self-reflection and prayer​

It is easy for me to spout off pious sayings, or quotes from the bible without taking in what it is really implying. For instance the ‘Golden Rule”. Sounds nice, and may even come across as something easy to do, once one’s mind is made up. So do I “love my neighbor as myself”? I can honestly say I do not know, but I strive for that reality. Yet, if I do not know actually how I want to be treated, or do not ponder it, how can I really treat others as myself? It takes self-reflection, and prayer to go deeper into what the Golden Rule is asking of me. I would say, I often fail in this regard, since it is very easy to simply react, which comes from a place of my desire to manipulate others so that I can be happy and at peace. Of course, the old saying is true, ‘cats and people can’t be herded’. So it can become a vicious cycle with no end.

Prayer for patience​

Lord,
help me not to lose patience with myself,
for I am slow in learning to love,
for fear and anxiety still have a hold on me,
not to mention anger, and yes even rage,
for my inner life is often irrational,
like the raging storm on the sea,
so again help me to get out of the boat,
to walk on the waters into your loving embrace,
never taking my eyes off of you.-Br.MD​

 

[metis]

By chance, did you ever read Thomas Kemphis "Imitation of Christ", which to me is a classic? I mention this because this is the ideal many strive for but is unreachable. However, the point is that this is that what we hopefully strive for while realizing that we can only go part way, nevertheless it's what we still should be working on.

Thus, we "should not make the perfect the enemy of the good", imo.

Have a most Blessed weekend, my friend.

 

[Mark Dohle]

By chance, did you ever read Thomas Kemphis "Imitation of Christ", which to me is a classic? I mention this because this is the ideal many strive for but is unreachable. However, the point is that this is that what we hopefully strive for while realizing that we can only go part way, nevertheless it's what we still should be working on.

Thus, we "should not make the perfect the enemy of the good", imo.

Have a most Blessed weekend, my friend.

Yes, I have a copy, and agree, a classic. II have one from when I was in the Navy. It is 54 years old and still in good shape.

We never reach the bottom of our journey, it continues for eternity. Hee in this world, we grow in a special way because of the challenges, hard lessons, situations that we go through.

Peace
Mark

 

[metis]

Yes, I have a copy, and agree, a classic. II have one from when I was in the Navy. It is 54 years old and still in good shape.

We never reach the bottom of our journey, it continues for eternity. Hee in this world, we grow in a special way because of the challenges, hard lessons, situations that we go through.

Peace
Mark

Agreed, and have a most Blessed Lord's Day, my friend.

 

[Mark Dohle]

Agreed, and have a most Blessed Lord's Day, my friend.

You as well