5 Cause-and-effect Analysisparagraph Ffd2

McNulty 1 Kristin McNulty Professor Strawn English Writing 102 10 October 2009 Cause-and-Effect Analysis Paragraph FFD “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” Living a life that is based on spiritual/saintly principles will bring peace to a soul. Inner peace cannot be bought or stolen. It can be earned. Regardless of religious beliefs, from childhood on, lessons are learned about behaviors; whether good or bad, the action justifies the reward. Talking back to adults earns time standing in the corner. Gorging on fatty foods, sweets, and high calorie deserts, along with limited exercise, earns added pounds and poor health. Dishonesty and lies to friends, earns a lack of trust. Alternatively, if the talk is good, the food healthy, and the words are true, the consequences are also good. The outstanding consequences for spiritual living are earned in much the same manner. For example, true acceptance of others and situations that are beyond one’s control is a spiritual principle that when practiced and mastered, will bring harmony. This harmony is a pleasing effect that will touch every aspect of life. The tricky part is learning that acceptance does not have to mean approval. It means to realize the truth yet tolerate it without protest, complaint or objection. On the contrary, lack of acceptance brings frustration, disappointment, dissatisfaction and annoyance, and harmony cannot live there. Another spiritual principle that will encourage serenity is that of forgiveness.

McNulty 2 Forgiveness gives birth to healing and love. A willingness to forgive, and to be forgiven, builds a pathway free from wounds, a pathway without hate and discontentment. An inability to forgive is like a dirty, open wound which has become infected, suppurating, and painful. Where there is hate there cannot be love. Where there is hate there is sorrow, but where there is love there is joy. Last, but certainly not least, is humility. It is the absence of ego and false pride. To be humble is to be meek and modest, lacking arrogance and feelings of superiority. Humility is a knowledge and belief that all things living, large or small are equally important and have a place in this world. The act of being humble is not conceited or proud; it is not stuck up or snobby. It is not better than thou. Jesus once said, “. . . And the second [commandment] is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. . .” With humility in the heart it is easier to practice spiritual principles in most every situation throughout the day. It generates genuine happiness for the accomplishments of others, and an ability to still love an enemy. Humility makes it easier to accept the losses, hardships, or tribulations in life. Recognizing faults and character defects, not as obstacles, but seeing them for what they are meant to be (an opportunity to alter those behaviors for the better) will become a way of life. In other words, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction and taking care to sow spiritual principles, for spiritual reasons, will reap spiritual rewards for the achiever.

Source(s) of information: The Blue Letter Bible, King James Version, http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm? b=Gal&c=6

McNulty 3 Serenity: A Companion for Twelve Step Recovery, by Robert Hemfelt and Richard Fowler, Published by Thomas Nelson Publishers (1990) Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Article published as Humility, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humility AC Associated Content, http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/234041/six_steps_to_help_you_forgive_those .html?cat=41