Encouragement

One thousand miles from home, I open the same prayer book.

Some nights it was only obligation; tonight, it is comfort.

It’s best to be patient and persevering. Devotion may sometimes seem to be pure  drudgery. Away from home, it’s possible to gain a new outlook. Taken from its  usual context, our commitment can stand out all the more brilliantly.

Something  that may have become like a bit and bridle may now be warm and comforting. That  is why one should master one’s emotions, and use discipline to even out the ups  and downs of impulse.

When traveling, we are away from our usual surroundings, including those elements that suppress and restrict us. Nearly all of us have fears, frustrations, and  inhibitions that we have acquired in the past; time and distance help us to assess  them more clearly.

To overcome them takes courage and initiative. How can we do  it if our very problem is fear and timidity? That is when we need a friend to help and  encourage us.

They can give us the guidance and support to face our fears. Although they can neither live our lives nor solve our problems outright, they can  provide an invaluable presence just when we most need it.

Within ourselves, our daily devotions are the way to encourage ourselves to  persevere.

With others, encouragement is the way to be compassionate.