HOW TO OVERCOME TEMPTATIONS - 7

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HOW TO OVERCOME TEMPTATIONS - 7

Practical Suggestion number one:

What is it? Temptations are of various types.

There is the temptation to gratify the senses;

there is the temptation to steal what belongs to another;

there is the temptation to drink, to smoke, to take drugs;

there is the temptation to overcome or eat forbidden food or violence;

there is the temptation to send out thoughts of ill will to others;

there is the temptation to speak harsh words or to indulge in lie;

there is the temptation to gossip, to spread scandals against others;

there is the temptation to waste time in playing cards or other frivolities;

there is the temptation to accept bribes, to indulge in unlawful profiteering,

to make money by means fair or foul,

there is the temptation to evade payment of taxes.

There are a hundred and one other temptations. To be able to overcome any type

of temptation, you must be ready and willing to turn a new leaf. You must

decide once and for all that you will never, never fall into sin again.

Of St. Augustine, it is said that when awakening came to him, he prayed to God

to be led into a new life, to be kept away from a life of sinfulness. And then

he added; "O God, but not yet!" That is, he wanted to indulge in sin just one

more time, before turning a new leaf. It is said that most people who flee from

temptation usually leave a forwarding address.

If I wish to overcome temptation, I must be ready and willing to wash my hands

off it right now and here, and I must be willing to make any sacrifice for it.

No price is too heavy to receive entry into the new life.

I read of a wealthy man, the master of a big estate in England, who was on his

deathbed. His thoughts turned to God. He had a servant, named Jim, who was a

devotee of the Lord. To Jim the Master said: "Jim I am dying. I do not know

what will happen to me after death. What can I do to earn Heaven?"

The wise old servant knew the pride of his master and he said: "Sir, if you want

to earn heaven, you must humble yourself. You should be ready to go to the

pigsty, get on your knees in the mud and say, God, be merciful to me, a

sinner!"

The master said: "I could not possibly do that. What would the neighbours and servants think?"

A week passed by, and again he spoke to the servant: "Jim, what did you say to do to earn heaven?"

The old servant replied: "Sir, you should be ready to go to the pigsty."

The master said: I have been thinking it over, Jim, and I am ready to go."

The servant then said: "Master, you do not really have to go to the pigsty. You

just have to be willing."

This willingness to become new, to renounce the old life of sinfulness and

pride, is very important. We must humble ourselves, we must make a clear

confession of everything before God or a God-man. When our heart becomes

contrite and lowly, the way for us is opened to the Kingdom of Heaven. The

prayer of the Sikh Guru is so moving:

"Infinite are my sins, O Lord, as are the drops of water in an ocean. Have mercy

on me and take this sinking stone to the other shore."

(To be continued; Author: Sri. J.P. Vaswani)

Tamaso Ma Jyotirgamaya.....

In prayer, we talk to God so much that we fail to hear His voice. Learn to be

still and you will hear. Until you have heard Him, you have not attained real

communion with Him.

If in the midst of fear and frustration, worry and anxiety, trial and

tribulations, depression and disappointment, one cling to the Lotus Feet of the

Lord, one shall be in perfect peace.

Don’t be scared of anything. Trust in the Lord and face the battle of life.

There is no power on earth that can lay you low.

It was a man of God who said: "He that is within, is greater than he that is without.

Trust in Him. Turn to Him for everything you need.

Make Him your Senior Partner, and success will follow into your life, as rivers flow into the seas!

 

 

 

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