DAILY TRIALS

Even though we may try to plan all things and arrange everything with extreme care, we will still have a lot of opportunities to exercise the virtue of patience. We can’t eliminate the unexpected or the unavoidable. In most cases our best weapon is our intelligent patience with both ourselves as with others. We will always have daily trials that at times will even cause bodily pains. At other times it may be a simple annoyance, disappointment, or cause anxiety. We would like to be free of these trials, but that is impossible. Patience and understanding are the keys to dealing with such circumstances, the key to peace and happiness is to know that our reactions should never be surprised, resentful, or saddened when things don’t go our way. We should try to gain more control of the situations and learning to deal with the trials will teach us the most valuable lessons in this life!

Our lives will have trials every day. We are always being tested. If we live well, our acts will merit a rewarding life. But the fact is that we will face the possibilities of success or failure. In either case, the outcome of these trials is determined by our own free choice! I was told a few days ago that our sub-conscience mind will save what we write and put our writings into action quicker than if we were to simply imagine or say them aloud. This may be the case but, I feel our words that we speak to each other have much more power to change our lives. I have felt more intense pains from slaps to the face from words spoken to me than I have ever felt from a hand. We need to be careful of what we say to each other in heated moments of boiled over situations. There are no accidents. There is the law of cause and effect in every situation. Our thoughts create our words and our words create the reactions and therefore the results.

Charity

Language is a funny thing. We can have a room filled with five people and the same word may have a different meaning to each of us! When you hear the word charity, what is it that you think of? Did you think of an organization, the fireman standing on the road with a boot, or did you think of your daily life? Charity is helping each other in our lives selflessly, it means in some form we will sacrifice because we love unconditionally. A person of charity is patient in many circumstances which would arouse others to be angry or disgusted. We need to refuse to become impatient with others, even when they have wronged us! Revenge and anger are not signs of strength but, are signs of insecurity and weakness. Kindness brings confidence and encouragement to those who are afraid. Others will never hesitate to ask for help because they will know that a person who is kind will not willingly refuse. Someone who is charitable never envies those who have more earthly goods, more success, or even more talents. He is more content with the love that he possesses. A charitable person will always be considerate and fair in every aspect of his or her life, because he or she is not over-eager for personal gain or appearing to be better than anyone else. One whose heart is filled with charity refuses to judge others rashly. Instead, prefers to believe in the good of others, even when wronged. I have learned this valuable lesson in the past few days, as I was name called by a loved one who judged me without asking about the particular circumstances. The virtue of charity makes us so honest that we can admit the truth, even when it points out our limitations and defects. It is a challenge in our daily lives to try to live with unconditional love but when we are wronged the offense is painful, but not as bad as the harm done to ones self. I have learned that when we are wronged by others it is only temporary but, when we are bitter and hold grudges we are only causing ourselves to be in that very same prison that the one who wronged us is in. Letting go of any bitter thoughts of revenge, settling the score, or anger will free ourselves from that dirty prison cell that is offered by the confused person who wronged us and in turn will help us to feel much better. Charity makes us humble enough to face all facts, even disagreeable ones.