Finding
Continuous Peace
by: Seqkat ©
2002
Finding continuous peace, really
leads one to continuous joy as well. Before looking at finding
that continous peace, take this simple self-test to check how peaceful
you are in your day to day life. Answer the questions truthfully
to yourself to gain a true assessment.
*Do you find
yourself getting angry at other drivers, each or most of the time you
drive?
*Do you find
yourself commenting to yourself or to others about others whose
ways
you do not like?
*Do you engage in
white lies so as not to hurt another's feelings?
*Do you ever
consider doing something that goes against the grain of society but it
is true and dear to your heart, and then decide against doing it, so
as to avoid
disputes and conflicts from others, who may disagree?
*Do you offer
your opinion of something, whether or not you were asked for it?
*Do you offer
criticism to someone who shares with you a new idea or adventure
in
which they are about to embark?
*If you failed a
test, did you try to hide it from your parents, when you were a
child?
*If you failed
that same test today, would you still try to hide it from your
parents?
How did you answer most of these
questions - with a yes or no? If you answered most of them with
a yes, you are lacking peace - it very well maybe justifiable reasons,
so let's look at them in more detail. But before we do, let's
look an important key to peace.
The most important key to peace
is TRUTH. 
How? How does truth lead to peace? Well, it knocks
out all the untrue reasons to be lacking peace.
Let's look over the self-test again, one by one.
We began with this question:
*Do you find
yourself getting angry at other drivers, each or most of the time you
drive?
If you answered yes to this
question - test why you did. Test it with truth - don't lie to
yourself - remember truth is what leads to peace, if you lie to
yourself here and now, you will NOT gain peace.
Do you get angry at other drivers
because they are idiots and do not know how to drive, or because they
are not driving exactly like you are?
Truthfully, not every driver or
the vast majority are idiots. You may regard them as so, because
they are not driving exactly like you are. Agitation here, shows
you are casting judgment on the other drivers. They are
not meeting your expectations, and this so angers you. So, in
actuality here - YOU, not the other drivers are robbing yourself of
peace. Who said the other drivers had to meet YOUR expectations
- only YOU did. I know I'm being painfully blunt here - but this
is the truth, and once you embrace this, then you can free yourself
from robbing yourself of your own peace.
I'm sorry if I angered you.
I truly am. Many times we avoid the truth, because it is
unpleasant; for example when we are guilty of something. But it can clear our
conscience and set us free of that guilt, when we embrace it. If
you ever felt that relief, then you know the power of truth, and how
it can lead you to peace.
The next question leads to the
same thing:
*Do you find
yourself commenting to yourself or to others about others whose
ways
you do not like?
If you answered yes to this, this
is the same thing as the driving question. You are doing the
same thing - judging others. Stop it - you're actually
frustrating yourself. Judgment allows us to think more highly
of ourselves, by thinking to ourself, "I'm glad I'm not like that
person, because I'm much better." This is arrogant pride - and arrogant pride
is a lie - the very opposite of truth - and then it's no wonder we
lack peace.
Let's look at the next two
questions.
*Do you engage in
white lies so as not to hurt another's feelings?
*Do you ever
consider doing something that goes against the grain of society but it
is true and dear to your heart, and then decide against doing it, so
as to avoid
disputes and conflicts from others, who may disagree?
If you answered yes, to one of
these two, you probably answered yes to both of these.
Here we see the power of fear.
You allow fear to not permit you to tell the truth in the first
question, as you fear hurting another. Do you often say
yes, when you really want to say no? This is not the truth, you
just put more on your plate, that was already too full to handle.
This leads in the very opposite direction of peace - this leads to
frustration. This fear is powerful - this is the very fear that
leads many of our precious children to drugs and other bad decisions -
they fear telling their peers no.
As you can see, this is an
important area, in which we need to embrace truth and express truth to
stay in peace.
The same thing is true for the
second question here too. You allow the fear to control you, to
NOT follow your heart, because you fear the judgment of others.
This often happens, because
sadly, you've been a victim to prior judgment. Now, you know
the truth about judgment, it's a bad choice the judge makes for
himself, and actually hurts himself more than it does you.
That's the truth - this truth can help you then to not place so much
value in other people's thoughts and opinions of you, and instead
value more what's near and dear to your heart, and your faith.
Sometimes, we have to march to a different drum, and this doesn't make
you wrong - it makes you different.
As long as your
actions are of good intent, not setting out to harm others.
Harming others, is giving up the right to be free of harm yourself.
Because the law of the universe is you reap what you sow.
Let's look at the next three
questions:
*Do you offer
your opinion of something, whether or not you were asked for it?
*Do you offer
criticism to someone who shares with you a new idea or adventure
in
which they are about to embark?
If you answered yes to these -
these go back to judgment. Next time try listening to someone,
and keep quiet - don't share your opinions. Many times, people
just need to hear their thoughts bounced off of a listener back to
themselves. Key word here is their thoughts -
NOT yours.
I can speak boldly here, as I was
one who spat out MY opinions so fast - that I missed out on what the
other was saying all together. I was so self-absorbed - I was no
good in helping others. My faith is in God, and it is my belief
He showed me this error - and I didn't like what I saw at all - and it
took a good two years of lessons on love - true love - which is selfless
not self-absorbed to correct this behavior.
When someone shares a new idea -
this could be near and dear to their heart - give them support NOT
criticism - unless it is something that endangers them. I've
been on the receiving end of this one, and can boldly state, you rob
another of their peace, by NOT supporting them until they learn not to
place so much value on your opinions and thoughts.
I profoundly believe in you reap
what you sow. If you plant watermelons, you'll grow
watermelons. If you rob another of their peace, your spirit just
cannot maintain peace. There is a profound truth to goodness and
selfishness - selfishness will eventually lead you to a restless
spirit - usually one filled with guilt. And we all know, that's
NOT peace.
Okay, the last two questions:
*If you failed a
test, did you try to hide it from your parents, when you were a
child?
*If you failed
that same test today, would you still try to hide it from your
parents?
If you answered yes to these,
these show the spirit of fear again - fear of failure. If you
answered, yes, you would still try hide it from your parents today,
check to make sure, you can handle failure personally yourself.
This very well, could have come from too much stress from either your
teachers or parents about failing.
There is no need to fear failure.
Failure is an excellent teacher, and can be our greatest tool to
achievement. It still irritates me today, how so much emphasis
is placed on failure to students by either parents or teachers.
This hides the truth of failure being a good teacher, and compels the
student to run from it, thus leading and causing more failure.
If you battle with this - face
that fear head on with the truth - it's a good teacher, NOT a
judgment. And be sure as a parent to pass this truthful message
to your kids, so they can learn more freely with less pressure.
Basically there are two ways to
be out of peace, by judging or abusing others of their peace, or by
being a victim of others judgment or abuse. You can defeat
either or both of these with the simple key - TRUTH. If you are
being abused, you must face this truth - this is not right, what the
abuser is doing to me. Do not believe their lies, that they are
right and you are wrong, and get away from the abuser, by telling them
to stop. If they persist with the abuse then remove yourself
from them. If they are dangerous definitely physically remove
yourself from them.
Truth may appear to be a tough
mountain to climb, and yes, at times there is pain involved, but once
you reach the top of that mountain, there you will find Continuous
Peace.
Peace to you all, my
love to you and God bless!
