Gentle Heart
Yesterday was a rough day for me. I let myself get overwhelmed way too easily over things I could not control. Situations I could not control.
To top off my night, I did not click "save" on the blog I had written and wanted to post.
I was irritated, impatient, and unforgiving of myself. All that hard work... All those things I could have done differently. throughout the day.. Oh if I had paid more attention...
I was at the end of my rope. I didn't want to be compassionate, patient or forgiving.
"Sometimes we are unhappy with ourselves because we've made mistakes or fallen into a fault that humiliates us, so we are really annoyed with ourselves. That makes us bad tempered and aggressive with others." - Jacques Philippe
Which brings us me to writing what I was going to share yesterday...
(Resisting Happiness by Matthew Kelly)
Maybe God was trying to tell me something? Listen to what you are writing!
Take your own advice! Be gentle with yourself and then you will be gentle with others.
Lord of my heart, make me gentle. It's easy for me to fixate on myself.
Lord of my heart, make me gentle. Soften my spirit when I am belligerent.
Lord of my heart, make my heart gentle. So I can gently rest in You.
To top off my night, I did not click "save" on the blog I had written and wanted to post.
I was irritated, impatient, and unforgiving of myself. All that hard work... All those things I could have done differently. throughout the day.. Oh if I had paid more attention...
I was at the end of my rope. I didn't want to be compassionate, patient or forgiving.
"Sometimes we are unhappy with ourselves because we've made mistakes or fallen into a fault that humiliates us, so we are really annoyed with ourselves. That makes us bad tempered and aggressive with others." - Jacques Philippe
Which brings us me to writing what I was going to share yesterday...
Be gentle.
"It doesn't mean be soft with yourself, and it doesn't mean be undisciplined. Being gentle with yourself consists of realizing your faults, failings, and weaknesses, and dealing with them appropriately. God doesn't want us to beat ourselves up. He wants us to press on and try again."
"Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about redeeming them- every day begins a new."
-St. Francis de Sales
"One of the most important reasons to be gentle with ourselves is because if we cannot forgive ourselves or others, we will resist even God's forgiveness. When we are gentle with ourselves, when we are patient with ourselves, we develop awareness, and awareness breeds compassion. And every person who ever crosses your path needs a little compassion."
(Resisting Happiness by Matthew Kelly)
Maybe God was trying to tell me something? Listen to what you are writing!
Take your own advice! Be gentle with yourself and then you will be gentle with others.
Lord of my heart, make me gentle. It's easy for me to fixate on myself.
Lord of my heart, make me gentle. Soften my spirit when I am belligerent.
Lord of my heart, make my heart gentle. So I can gently rest in You.
"Let your gentleness be evident to all." Philippians 4:5
Awesome! I can see you have been keeping up on your Catholic reading!
ReplyDeleteFr. Bruce, have your read Resisting Happiness by Matthew Kelly or The Way of Trust and Love by Fr. Jaques Philippe?
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