Personal Change- The Secret To A Stress Free Life

When we changed a stressful situation- our work, our spouse, or anything else that give us stress, did that make us happy? No, it only made us happy at first but later on, the same symptoms reappear and we are back to square one where we wallow once again in stress and unhappiness.

Why? Because changing the situation is never the solution. Remember, we can never change another person. That person will change because he likes to change and not because we caused him to change. Have we not noticed that life is never constant. It is always a case of ebb and flow, high and low, happiness and sorrow. One day you are up there in the clouds in happiness and the following day you are down there in the dumps. Why? Because life is like that. The only person who is truly happy and joyful in life irregardless of his external situations is the person who has learned to make a personal change within and accepts whatever fate hands down to him. He can live in extreme equanimity through the good days as well as through the bad days. He does not attempt to change people, he adjusts to them. He does not attempt to change situations, he rides them through. He is like the bamboo tree that bends down when a fierce storm is present. Then he regains his full stature as soon as the storm is gone. The sturdiest trees are those that survived the strongest and fiercest storms in life.

Let us take counsel from the words of the Book of Psalms in Psalm 1: 1-3 "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."

You want to be truly happy in life? Then learn to trust God with all your heart and accept everything that He gives you whether good or bad. In the end, when we have passed His tests, we will surely attain true happiness and joy in life.



Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational

Light of The World, Salt of The Earth

God admonished us to become the light of the world and the salt of the earth. Why? Because there's so much darkness in this world that people are groping for the true light that will illuminate their perilous paths through life. Man's life has been so drab and tasteless that God needs people to become the salt of the earth to give flavor to an otherwise tasteless existence of mankind. Man has lost his true perspective in life. Man has associated himself with worldly pursuits in life where everybody else wants to get ahead and to be on top at the expense of others. It does not matter whether he steps on the lives of so many people just so he can reach the summit of success, fame and fortune. But once he reaches the top, man realizes that it is so lonely up there, bereft of the true happiness and contentment in life.

Yes, God needs more people to become a light of the world and a salt of the earth. Would you rather be included in the Guinness Book of World Records or in God's Book of Life? Think about it, my friend.


Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational

Be Like Christ

If you are a Christian, then why are you not following Jesus Christ? Christians mean followers of Jesus Christ. If so, are we not supposed to be like Christ so that people will see our good works (our sweet fruits) and glorify our Father in heaven? We can not be Christians and still immersed ourselves in the licentiousness and rapacity of the world. "What has God have in fellowship with Belial." We can live in this world but not of this world. We can not use other people as standards of spirituality. If we have to compare ourselves, we have to compare ourselves with Christ. In any situation that we may face, especially if we are in doubt, let us ask ourselves this question: "If Christ were here, what would He have done in this situation?" Then we can be assured that our decision will be right and in accordance with His will. How can we do this? The answer lies in Romans 12:2 which says, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is- His good, pleasing and perfect will."

The will of God is for us to be holy like Him and to dissociate ourselves from the sinfulness and carnality of the world. We can not have our cake and eat it too. The verse above said that we are transformed by the renewing of our minds. That means, our minds must think only godly and sublime thoughts, thoughts that edify, thoughts of loving unconditionally, thoughts of selflessness, thoughts of hope and joy, and thoughts of peace.

Let us not run our races to win worldly prizes, they are like steel weights that chain our souls. Instead, let us run our races to win the heavenly prize- to be with the Lord forevermore.

You want to be a good Christian? Be like Christ and follow Him.

Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational