Do you ever feel let down, and without any particular reason? Of course there is a reason: something that has happened, or something that somebody has said, or perhaps just the reacting from over-excitement. But isn't a pleasant state to be in. And there are things that can be done about it.
Since irritation, anger, hate and resentments have such a powerful effect in producing ill health, what is the cure? Obviously to fill the mind with goodwill, forgiveness, faith, and love. How is this accomplished? By following some practical suggestions:
1. Remember that anger is an emotion and an emotion is always warm, even hot. Therefore, cool it. How? Notice that when you are angry you clench your fists, your voice rises, and your muscles become tense. Really you are poised to fight: this is a cave-man hangover in the nervous system. So deliberately, unclench your hands, speak in a lower tone of voice-even reduce it to a whisper if necessary. It is difficult to quarrel in a whisper.
2. Say aloud to yourself, "This won't get me anywhere: skip it." It maybe had at the moment pray but try it, this effort will puncture your mood.
3. Grace Oursler suggests the first ten words of the Lord's prayer, Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name." She says it works better than counting ten.
4. Anger is often an accumulation of a multitude of a multitude of minor irritations. Therefore try to check them; see how silly each of them is. Make a list of them. By drying up these rivulets you will keep them feeding a river of anger.
5. Make each separate irritation a special object of prayer. Get victory over each, one at a time. Snip a way by prayer the little annoyances. In this way you will weaken your anger to the point where you will gain control over it.
6. Train yourself, when you feel yourself getting angry, to say, "Is it worth it? I'll only make a fool of myself. I will lose friends. Why spend a mass of emotion on a paltry irritation?"
7. When a hurt-feeling situation arises, get it straightened out as quickly as possible. Don't brood over it for a minute longer than you can help. Do something about it. Don't allow yourself to sulk or indulge in self-pity. Do as you would do to a hurt finger - immediately apply a cure. Unless you do, the situation can become distorted out of all proportion. Put some spiritual iodine on the hurt; and say a prayer of loving forgiveness.
8. Open your mind and let grievances flow out: that is, go to someone you trust and pour it all out. Don't let a vestige of it remain. Then forget it.
9. Start praying for the person who has hurt your feelings. Continue this until you feel all the malice fading away. Sometimes you may have to pray quite a while before getting this result. But it will work.
10. Say this prayer: "May the love of God for (insert the name) flood my soul." Pray this and mean it; you will get relief.
11. Actually take the advice of Jesus to forgive seventy times seven. That means literally four hundred and ninety times. Before you have forgiven a person that many times you will be free of resentment.
12. Finally, your emotions can be tamed only by allowing God to take control. So complete this lesson by saying this prayer: "Even as you can convert a person's morals, so now I ask You to convert my nerves. Bring my temper under Your control. Give me Thy healing peace in my nervous system as well as in my soul."
To your success,
Robert Malugu
1. I love comments on this blog: They are as important as anything I write myself. They add to the knowledge and community that we have here. If you want to comment then you are more than welcome; whether you feel you are a beginner or an expert, feel free to have you say.
2. Relevant links in comments are actively encouraged: If you are leaving a comment on my blog and want to point to a link on your own or someone else’s site that is relevant to the topic then please feel free to do so. This adds to the conversation and improves the blog.
“Action is the foundational key to all success.” – Pablo Picasso
No comments:
Post a Comment