• Editor’s note: “Spiritual leaders answer” is a weekly column inviting Kaua‘i’s religious and spiritual leaders to share their doctrine’s perspective on a suggested subject. Every Friday, a topic is printed, inviting a response. Due to space limitations, submissions are
• Editor’s note: “Spiritual leaders answer” is a weekly column inviting Kaua‘i’s religious and spiritual leaders to share their doctrine’s perspective on a suggested subject. Every Friday, a topic is printed, inviting a response. Due to space limitations, submissions are edited. Thoughts or suggestions for future topics are always welcome. Next week’s subject is on enemies. The topic at the end of the column is for the following week.
Rebecca DeRoos
Science of Mind
Failure is both our challenge and our blessing. It gives us opportunity. As Emmet Fox says, “A problem is not a barrier. It is a challenge.”
Failure is our sign to move in another direction. Even diseases produce unwelcome failures — failure with memory, with strength, with speech, with physical endurance. Emmet Fox in his book, “Make Your Life Worthwhile,” reminds us that “Edison was stone deaf and decided that this would enable him to concentrate better on his inventions. Beethoven did his work in spite of his deafness. And Roosevelt, who was a sickly child, developed his body to become a strong husky open-air man and big game hunter. Whatever you think your disability (failure) is — capitalize it.”
Having the courage to make this change is the first and greatest challenge. As Ernest Holmes says, “Change I must.” There are verses in the Bible that could be used as affirmations to help with this change. For instance: “With God all things are possible.” Matt. 19:26 or “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”
There is another quote that is seen in four different places in the Bible: “The stone which the builders rejected it becomes the head of the corner.” Mark 12:10, Psalms 118:22, Matthew 21:42, and Luke 20:17.
The Baha’is of Kaua‘i
The most intolerable form of failure is the failure to try. By understanding that each unsuccessful attempt is simply the elimination of another possibility, we are able to recognize that each fresh attempt brings us a step closer to success. Thomas Edison said about his work to invent the light bulb, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
It is during the time of hardship and frustration that many humbly turn to their creator to seek His assistance and to determine His divine will.
This belief was elucidated in a letter written by the world governing body of the Baha’i Faith: “Every believer needs to remember that an essential characteristic of this physical world is that we are constantly faced with trials, tribulations, hardships and sufferings and that by overcoming them we achieve our moral and spiritual development…”
Topic for next week:
• Will you speak to us on pets?
• Spiritual leaders are invited to e-mail responses of three to five paragraphs to pwoolway@kauaipubco.com
• Deadline each week is Tuesday, by 5 p.m.