Spiritual thoughts for the week: 

August 28

Happiness cannot be sought directly; it is a by-product of love and service. Service is a law of our being. With love in your heart, there is always some service to other people. A life of power and joy and satisfaction is built on love and service... Little acts of love and encouragement, of service and help, erase the rough places of life and help to make the path smoother. If we do these thigs, we cannot help having our share of happiness.

24 Hours a Day

August 31

Try not to give in to criticism, blame, scorn, or judgment of others when you are trying to help them. Effectiveness in helping others depends on controlling yourself. You may be swept away by a temporary natural urge to criticize or blame, unless you keep a tight rein on your emotions. You should have a firm foundation of spiritual living which makes you truly humble, if you are going to really help other people. Go easy on them and be hard on yourself. That is the way you can be used most to uplift a despairing spirit. And seek no personal recognition for what you are used by God to accomplish.

24 Hours a Day

August 31 Dwelling On Shinar (The plain)

The plain means any kind of negative thinking in contradistinction to the hill or mountain, which stands for prayer or spiritual insight. The Bible says that they dwelt on that plain (or in that state of mind). It is not an occasional negative thought that does the harm, it is the thought or the false belief that is dwelt upon that causes your trouble.

Habitual wrong thinking, false beliefs, long entertained, build up a conviction both conscious and subconscious that we have to rely upon ourselves. Of course, nothing could be more discouraging than such an idea and in its turn it produces more fear.

Around the Year with Emmet Fox  (Excerpt)

September 2  AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION

A great many people wait to make their contact with God until a serious difficulty is upon them and then they hasten to find a spiritual solution. Of course, it is better to seek God under such circumstances than never to find Him at all. But why wait for trouble? Many a difficulty could be prevented or lightened if we were to make our contact with God now.  

Around the Year with Emmet Fox (Excerpt)