Rise Above

When looking at a block of crude stone, do not dwell on its possible weight. Remember the perfect statue that will emerge from it.

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When contemplating the difficulties of sowing, do not let the fears of torrential storm or blight detain you. Think of the grain that will overflow in the granary.

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When facing a storm, do not lose yourself in lamentations. Meditate upon the benefits that its passage will bring.

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When faced with hard work, do not be afraid of the copious sweat it will produce. Centralise your expectations on the good that will results from it.

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Do not be preoccupied with the heat of the forge. Look towards the useful articles with which it will furnish your life.

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Do not only picture only the dangers of illness. Reflect upon the joy and possibility of being able to cure.

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If you are governed effectively by the higher ideal, forget the friend who deserted, the wife who fled, the ungrateful companion or the difficult relative. All of them are learning and passing by, just as you are...What matters is the intensification of light, the progress of truth, and the victory of goodness.

XAVIER, Francisco Cândido. Christian Agenda. By the Spirit André Luiz. Great Britain: Allan Kardec Publishing Ltd, 1998. Chapter 44.