“To live continually in thoughts of ill will, cynicism, suspicion, and envy, is to be confined in a self-made prison hole. But to think well of all, to be cheerful with all, to patiently learn to find the good in all – such unselfish thoughts are the very portals of heaven; and to dwell day by day in thoughts of peace toward every creature will bring abounding peace to their possessor.”
James Allen, As a Man Thinketh
Beyond the Quote (190/365)
The people who put you through hell aren’t strong—they’re weak. And this isn’t an attack on their character, per se. They may be weak through no fault of their own—they might be a product of their environment. After all, if you grow up in hell how does one not carry feelings of hell with them? It is no easy feat to make your way from hell to heaven—but, that’s the point. It’s hard. It requires deliberate daily effort. It requires strength. People who are in heaven and treat others in “heavenly ways”—they are the ones who are strong.
Getting to hell and staying in hell is easy. Just look at this list of “sins” that lead you there: vanity (an excessive love of self), greed (desire to possess more than one has need or use for), lust (excessive sexual desire), envy/ jealousy (resentment of others for their possessions), laziness (idleness or wastefulness of time or other allotted resources), wrath (feelings of hatred, revenge, or denial), and gluttony (overindulgence in food, drink or intoxicants, or misplaced desire of food as a pleasure for its sensuality)—they’re calling us every day!
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All of the above are either instinctually a part of our natural desires or are being thrown at us every minute so that we might cave and give into temptation. It doesn’t take strength to get to or stay in hell, it’s the easiest thing in the world. It’s heaven that’s hard.
Now, look at the list of behaviors that you have to embody to find a more “heavenly” state: temperance (moderation or voluntary self-restraint), charity (caring for our neighbor as we would ourself), diligence (carefulness and persistent effort or work), patience (ability to endure difficult circumstances in the face of delay), kindness (behavior marked by ethical characteristics, a pleasant disposition, and concern or consideration for others), and humility (ability to behave and act without the ego). These are the behaviors that require willpower, hard work, and selflessness. Things that are contrary to our natural born tendencies, are not easily acquired, and are difficult to build and maintain.
Only people who are in hell themselves know how to put other people through hell. A person in heaven (or a more heavenly state) wouldn’t act in a hellish way. It doesn’t make sense. And this is an important distinction to make because some people in life appear to be really, really strong—but, treat others awfully. That is not strength. Other people appear to be weak—but, treat others in amazing ways. That is not weak. It’s time we expand our definition of what it means to be “strong” and what it means to be “weak.”
Real strength comes from within. It grows every time you overcome a hellish experience or temptation. And the more you overcome, the stronger you become. Think about the strongest people you know in your life. Are they strong in your eyes because they lived the easiest lives? I think not. The strongest people I know in my life are the ones who have overcome the most. They are the fighters who battle temptation, desire, and excess on a daily basis and give kindness, warmth, and love instead. They choose to step away from hell and towards heaven even when—especially when—it’s the hardest step to take. That is how real strength is built. Learn to see it, embody it, and praise it when you come across someone with it. It’s how we might bring a little more “heaven” to earth as we know it.
Read Next: 10 Empowering James Allen Quotes from As A Man Thinketh
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