“A man has to learn that he cannot command things, but that he can command himself; that he cannot coerce the wills of others, but that he can mold and master his own will.” ~ James Allen
When we are upset with our world, we almost always immediately look outside of ourselves to see who or what is to blame and then do all that we can to change situations or people. Our human nature rarely lets us look within to where the true source of the problem may, indeed, dwell. Why blame ourselves? Won’t that just mean more work for us? Wouldn’t it be easier to blame someone or something else? That seems to be the initial diagnosis: it must be outside of us.
Many problems — if not most — find their source within. Because we tend to turn our eyes and lose sight of the path that leads to the Kingdom, we get entwined in the problems, struggles, and evils of the world. The world is filled with sin and corruption. That is the very definition of the world: mortal and corruptible. What that means, quite simply, is that everything based in the world will come to an end and will fall apart.
All the glamour of the world will one day tarnish. All the strength of the world will one day unravel and crumble to dust. All that we know, all that we are, is finite and corruptible. Why, then, would we want to base our lives upon that?
God and God alone is the answer to our problems. He is the answer to mortality and corruptibility. He is the one who can assure us of a place in the Kingdom. He is the one that can give us new, heavenly bodies. He is the one that can bring our immortal souls safely home to Himself. The world will not show us the way. Only God can.
That is why we have to look at what is within us. We have to identify the weakness and struggles of our sinful nature. We cannot blame others. We have to look deep within and then do all that we can to rid ourselves of the taint and corruption of sin.
Can we do that alone? Of course not. We can only do that with the strength and grace of God. But if we ask, God will give us the grace to take charge of ourselves and to embrace His will rather than have our wills molded by the world.
FAITH ACTION: Ask God to give you the many graces that you need to take command of yourself so that you may live a virtuous, holy life in His sight.