"In this day the one who is favored in the threshold of grandeur is the one who offers the cup of faithfulness and bestows the pearl of gift to the enemies, even to the fallen oppressor, lends a helping hand, and considers every bitter foe as an affectionate friend."
~‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’à World Faith, p. 215-216
I have seen over the last couple of days how easy it is in a new and budding relationship, and even those that are older, to allow things that magnify our differences and irritate me about a friend become the focus of my attention. I caught it quickly and resolved to strive to overcome it. I had no knowledge of how I would do this but I was determined to try. In one of my new connections, I knew that we were to undertake an activity important to us both and to our community. The wonder of service is that it provides ample time for people to work together, spend time with one another and really get to know one another. We are catapulted outside of our comfort zones to work as one to overcome challenges and perceived obstacles. What I realised was that when I pray for the success of major things I am assisted, I can ask for Divine assistance for the little things. For example, I have begun praying for the participants in my study groups. I often pray for things like my family's wellbeing and health but I never really intentionally prayed for another soul and the smooth running of our relationship. When I started doing this, all those things that I found initially difficult and had flagged as barriers to our collective progress, melted away into the ether. I do not believe that they changed in any way shape or form but these prayers helped me to be faithful to my beliefs that centre around love and kindness. So my approach was different and this had the desired effect of bringing about a greater degree of unity. Not just giving lip service to them as concepts but to adopt them as an expression of every fibre of my being. My thoughts were elevated above small irritations that when magnified would appear bigger and serve only to create division and separation. Consequently, the work we undertook was joyful for us and the participants. It left us with a tremendous sense of energy, purpose and confidence that I was indeed on the right track and it was proceeded with an unexpected sense of effortlessness. Some other hard things surfaced during the last couple of days but with this newfound practice of turning these specific things over to God through prayer I am sitting in contentment knowing that they will resolve themselves with time and attention. I feel myself letting go of the agony I experience when fear wells up in my chest - I am regonising it and feeling it - clogging access to positivity. I attended a delightful workshop on this very issue yesterday and explored how we are inherently noble and how our religious beliefs and accompanying practices help us manifest this nobility. Being faithful to understanding the Baha'i Writings more deeply gives me a greater remit with which to deal with the challenges presented in my relationships and the knowledge that there is always help when I turn toward God. I am learning that action receives its real meaning and value from the good pleasure of God's will.