Within You is the Power

The true object of life is that man may attain wisdom through
experience. This cannot be accomplished by giving in to the
difficulties of life, but only by overcoming them. The promises of
God are not made to those who fail in life's battle, but to those
who overcome. Neither are there any promises that man shall have
an easy time and be happy ever afterwards. Yet, it is after this that
the majority of people are for ever seeking--an easy life, a good
time, freedom from suffering and care. But, in spite of all their
seeking, they can never find that which they desire. There is always
a fly in the ointment of their pleasure, something that robs them
of true happiness; or, possibly, combinations of circumstances
conspire to upset all their plans.

Life is a paradox; the true object of life is not the attainment
of happiness, yet if we attain the true object of life we find
happiness. Those who are ignorant of life's true purpose and who
seek happiness high and low, year after year, fail to find it. Like
a will-o'-the-wisp, it for ever eludes them. On the other hand, those
who recognize the true object of life, and follow it, attain happiness
without seeking for it.

In times past, people have made God a convenience. They have thought
they could drift through life, learning none of its discipline and
then, when in trouble, or things were not to their liking, they could
pray to God and have the unpleasant circumstances taken away. The
same idea is prevalent to-day. People have left the old orthodoxy
and look to various "cults" and "isms" to get them out of their
difficulties. They do not believe now that they can curry special
favour with God by prayer, but they firmly believe that they can get
what they want from the Invisible by demanding it. They think that
by this means they can have their own way after all. By this they
mean having a good time, with no unpleasant experiences, trials,
difficulties, adversities. They are, however, merely chasing rainbows.
The easy life they seek constantly eludes them, simply because there
is no such thing. The only life that is easy is the life of the strong
soul who has overcome. His life is not easy in reality, but appears
relatively so because of his strength.

It is impossible to have an easy life, and, if it were possible, then
life would be not worth living, for the sole object of life is the
building of character and the attainment of wisdom through experience.
Life to all of us must always be full of difficulty, and it is to
help those, who, hitherto, have found life rather too much for them
that this book is being written. What the majority are seeking for
is an easy life (which they will never find, but precisely the
reverse) and for them I have no message. But to those wise and
awakened souls who are seeking for Truth, no matter from whence it
may come, and who desire to overcome life and its difficulties,
instead of weakly giving in to them, this book, it is hoped, will
bring a message.

At this stage we cannot go into the subject of why we should meet
with disasters and adversity in this life, nor why some people should
have, apparently, a smoother life than others. [2] We must therefore
be satisfied to know that we have to meet trouble and overcome
difficulty, and that it is only by so doing that we can attain wisdom
and build up character. The question, then, is not whether we shall
meet the trouble and adversity or not, but rather, how we shall
meet them. Shall we be victorious or shall we be submerged? Shall
we overcome life's difficulties or shall we give in to them?

[2] This subject is dealt with in "The Path of Victory" by the
same author, and published by The Science of Thought Press.

The majority of people are drifters on the sea of life. They are
wafted here and blown there: they are also carried hither and thither
by every current. It is only the few who realize that they have the
Power of the Infinite within them by which they can rise superior
to all their difficulties, overcome their own weaknesses, and, through
victorious experience, attain wisdom.

At this point some practical reader may say that attaining wisdom
is all very well, but what he wants is practical help. He is perhaps
out of work, has sickness in his house and is in debt. Or, he may
be well-to-do, and yet in the deepest distress and misery. To all
such I would say that they possess the Power by which they can
overcome all their difficulties, and, through overcoming, attain
wisdom. A man's success depends, more than anything, upon his
faith--his faith in the good purpose of life: his faith in the Power
of the Infinite within him and his ability to overcome every obstacle
in his path.

The extent of the Power that man can bring into his life is the
measure of his faith in that Power. If his faith in It is small, then
his life will be feeble and lacking in achievement. If his faith in
the Power within him is large, then great will be the power
manifesting in his life. The Power of the Infinite is illimitable
and inexhaustible: all that is required is an unquenchable belief
and trust in it. The weakest and most timid can make use of this
Power. There is the same Power in the timid and weak as in the brave
and strong. The weakness of the former is due to a lack of faith and
belief in the Infinite Power within them.

Difficulties and troubles there will be in every life, and sometimes
disaster and heartbreak, when the very earth slides from under the
feet, yet, by calling upon the Power within, it is possible to rise
from the ruins of cherished hopes stronger and "greater" through
experience. Happiness and true success depend upon how the troubles
and difficulties of life are met. Adversity comes to all, but if it
is met in the right manner even failure can be made the stepping-stone
to success. Trouble comes to all, but, while it makes some people
stronger and better in every way, it submerges others so that they
never rise again. The trouble is the same, it is how it is met that
makes the difference. Those who meet difficulty and adversity in
the feeble strength of their finite minds and false personality are
speedily overwhelmed and broken by the storms of life. But those who
rely upon, and have faith in the Power within them, can never be
overwhelmed, neither can they ever be defeated. The Power, being
infinite, is always sufficient, no matter how great the need may be.
One who realizes his own real spiritual identity, knows that he can
never die, that he can never be defeated, that he can never really
fail. He may lose his body through the change that is called death;
but he, the true man, can never die. Neither can he fail, though he
be defeated a thousand times--he must rise again.

Only have faith in the Spiritual Power within you and you can know
all the joys of overcoming and achievement. All things will become
yours. Seek first the Kingdom within you (your spiritual union with
the Infinite, and harmony with the Divine Will and Purpose) and all
these things shall be added unto you. You will have no need to fear
the morrow, for you will know that all provision has already been
made. There will be no need to hoard up wealth, for there will be
the necessary daily supplies always available. There will be no need
to live near a doctor, for God, the Infinite Life, shall be your
health. There will be no need for regret or lamentation, for you shall
know that all is well. There will be no fear of future happenings,
for you shall realize that the Infinite One makes no mistakes.

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THE OVERCOMING OF LIFE'S DIFFICULTIES.