Do not be afraid to live the life you were destined for. That is a lot to swallow, but it is grounded in the belief in a loving God who created each one of you with unique gifts and the potential for great personal growth and holiness. The purpose of personal growth is to serve God and others.
Take every opportunity to learn and do not be disheartened by failure. Good things take hard work, so do not be afraid to work hard and persevere. You will often fall short and fail, but keep going because that is how we learn and improve. This goes for both intellectual and technical learning, as well as learning to be a more loving person. You may sometimes not like who you are because of things you have done, or not done. Do not beat yourself up, but repent and be determined to change for the better. Persevere, no matter how many times you fail. God never gives up on you.
Love people, not things – and use things, not people. In short be kind and live by the golden rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Love is more than a fleeting feeling. It is a constant. It is a personal decision you make every day to only want what is best for others. You cannot say you love God, whom you cannot see, if you cannot first love those around you. To me, the fact that I love, is proof of the existence of God.
In order to have the discipline to love well, we need to develop good habits. We develop good habits by consistently making good choices over a period of time. We have a lot of opportunities to practice this, as we are faced with choices each and every day of our lives. Making the loving choice on a regular basis helps us become the person God wants us to be. We develop habits in thought, word and deed. Here is an ancient quote that has helped me learn to appreciate the power of habit.
“Be careful of your thoughts, for your thoughts become your words.
Be careful of your words, for your words become your deeds.
Be careful of your deeds for your deeds become your habits.
Be careful of your habits, for your habits become your character.
Be careful of your character, for your character is your destiny.”
One habit you should develop is the habit of gratitude. Everyday, be thankful for who you are and what you have. Do not compare yourself to others or what they have, to what you have. Instead, give thanks to God for the many blessings He has given you. Being thankful is the only response to a loving God who knows who you are and what you need.
And, above all, love. This is what St. Paul says about love.
“Love is always patient and kind; it is never jealous; love is never boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offense, and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people’s sins but delights in the truth; it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes.”
Jesus loves you, and so do I.
Educhirp 