Thoughts for the week:

July 6  Self-Analysis

We always demonstrate our consciousness. We always demonstrate what we habitually have in our mind. What sort of mind have you? Do not let anyone else tell you, because they do not know. People who like you will think your mentality is better than it is; those who do not like you will think it is worse. Just examine your conditions and see what you are demonstrating. This method is scientific and infallible.

Around the Year with Emmet Fox . HarperOne. Kindle Edition. (Excerpt)

July 7

Painful as the present time may be, you will one day see the reason for it. You will see that it was not only testing, but also preparation for the life-work that you are to do. Have faith that your prayers and aspirations will someday be answered. Answered in a way that perhaps seems painful to you but is the only right way. Selfishness and pride often make  us want things that are not good for us. They need to be burned out of our natures, We must be rid of the blocks that are holding us back, before we can expect our prayers to be answered. 

24 Hours a Day

 July 8

There is a force for good in the world and when you are cooperating with that force for good, good things happen to you. You have free-will, the choice to be on the side of right or on the side of wrong. This force for good we call God's will. God has a purpose for your life. He wants you to bring all your desires into oneness with His desires. He can only work through people. If you try to make God's will your will, you will be guided by Him. You will be a stream of goodness, carried along by everything that is right. You will be on God's side.

24 Hours a Day

July 9  Self-Condemnation Keeps Us Back

People who are honestly trying to follow the spiritual life often make the mistake of being too hard on themselves. Because they do not seem to be progressing as fast as they would naturally like, or because they find themselves repeating some old fault they thought they had completely overcome, they feel discouraged, and condemn themselves mercilessly.

Don't be impatient with yourself - but this does not mean that you are to be lazy or complacent. Handle yourself as a wise parent handles an obstreperous child - kindly, patiently, but with gentle firmness, not expecting too much too quickly, but foreseeing inevitable growth and improvement.

Around the Year with Emmet Fox . HarperOne. Kindle Edition. (Excerpt)