I want to share about my New Year’s resolution in 2012. I already experienced great problems in life even if I am still in my 20s. I realize how early God let me experience all of these things.
I asked myself, “What is God’s reason that He let me feel these pain in life?” I thought I was into bad karma, knowing that I also have mistakes I’ve done in my life. However I think this can be way too much already. Base on my age, I should not be experiencing these complications.
I was able to write my New Year’s resolution for 2012 last December of 2011. However I guess none of them is quite possible. I did revise what I have written then. Until I’ve think up one New Year’s resolution that was to improve myself. But, How? I was thinking this is still not achievable.
After days of realization, I came across the greatest thing for me to change myself into a better person; a person who is stuffed with great things in life. And this is to have spiritual discipline in life. I do think that will be the beginning for me to change myself into better. Having Spiritual disciplines in life, I know I got to deal with problems and somehow eliminate all of the pain I felt inside.
I’m a person who always pray during the night; thanking God, asking forgiveness and asking blessings for my family and also to every one of the people I’ve met.
However, I think praying alone isn’t enough for me to improve my spiritual discipline in life. For my New Year resolution, I’ve got to go to church regularly, to attend prayer groups, to become a good person in serving God and the fellowmen. I’m sure these things will become possible. It just came into my thoughts that I cannot do these things with the temptations in all places.
I’ve read an article about a man named Douglas Todd. He regularly attends retreats. He likes to be with silent groups to develop hi own character in life. In his post, he was telling something about an author named Merton. Douglas Todd emphasized the book authored by Merton, that was the New Seeds Of Contemplation.
Merton stated, “If you have to live in a city and work among machines and ride in the subways and eat in a place where the radio makes you deaf with spurious news and where the food destroys your life and the sentiments of those around you poison your heart with boredom, do not be impatient, but accept it as the love of God and a seed of solitude planted in your soul.”
“Meanwhile,” he wrote, “keep your sense of compassion for the men and women who have forgotten the very concept of solitude. You, at least, know that it exists, and that it is the source of peace and joy. You can still hope for such joy. They do not even hope for it anymore.”
Reflect on what Merton have said. I’m sure his advice works. By doing those ideas in life, I know it will get us closer into spiritual disciplines in life.