For spiritual growth, postpone what is bad and do what is good
Many times, it so happens that we plan something for a certain date but due to some unforeseen circumstances and factors, we are unable to implement it, as a result of which we have to postpone our programme to some other date. This kind of postponement is quite natural for most of us and it is not due to lethargy, lack of zeal or lack of care on our part. No! It is the sea change in the situation that makes a forceful demand on us to alter and postpone our charted activity so much so that we are unable to withstand its forceful thrust and push it aside so as to make headway.
There may, however, be other kinds of cases of postponement that clearly reflect our wavering mind, our shaky stand, our weak commitment, the frailty of our conviction or the failure of our courage. This would be considered a flaw in our nature, waxing and waning of our will, lack of the strength of our spirit to put a plan into action under trying circumstances, difficult situations and tricky and hard conditions when we are besieged by surmountable troubles and tribulations. If we can overcome the hardships imposed by these circumstances, it would be fit and wise to maintain a high level of courage and to try our very best to take our plans to their culmination into high success.
Many people form a habit of not applying their minds seriously to problems and programmes. Such people easily get confused and they are perplexed even when there is a slight change in the situation or there is a very small difficulty. They always depend on or wait for others, or, if they take decisions, they do not stick to them. They make slow or slovenly efforts and are so lax that they cannot maintain a consistent level of enthusiasm and efficiency in their life. They sleep over matters when actually they should be alert and active. Their conscience does not pull them up if they are neglectful and slack. Some even think that God, Nature or good luck would do it for them. They become so thick-skinned that they do not even mind if others point out this bad and harmful habit of theirs nor do they feel any twitches of their conscience.
It is in fact a sin against one's own self and against others as this prevents a person from attaining any high goal in life and deprives him of many achievements. It is not a small error or personality trait but it is something which may cause many problems. However, in contrast to this, there is also a good form of postponing. If one has a habit of postponing, one should better transform it into this kind. Then postponing becomes of many advantages as one can use this to put off certain bad indulgences or activities. In this way, he should go on postponing for his own good. It has been observed by psychologists that if a person postpones his anger even for an hour, the tempo of his anger comes down very fast. Similarly, by postponing, again and again, the act of drinking alcohol, one develops the power of self-control and is, finally, able to give up that bad habit forever. This kind of postponement, therefore, becomes salubrious. So, if we want our moral growth or spiritual development, we should adopt the formulae of postponing what is bad and doing, without delay, that which is good, for, if we postpone what is good then it is likely that our mind may change or our enthusiasm may become less. We will thus be deprived of the fortune of doing good acts if we postpone them. It would, therefore, be fit and proper to put our good thoughts into action at the earliest. So, the slogan for the good should be ‘Now'and the slogan for the bad should be 'Later' or 'Never'.
(Writer is a spiritual educator & popular columnist for publications across India, Nepal & UK)
