(1)From Nelson Mandela’s Top 9 Fundamentals for Changing Your World:

Quotations from Nelson Mandela in this article:

“There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.”

“It always seems impossible until its done.”

“There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

“After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.”

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

“If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.”

“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”

“We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right.”

“When the water starts boiling it is foolish to turn off the heat.”

“That was one of the things that worried me – to be raised to the position of a semi-god – because then you are no longer a human being. I wanted to be known as Mandela, a man with weaknesses, some of which are fundamental, and a man who is committed.”

(2) From Surrender to Pain:

All challenges are there to teach us a lesson. But we are conditioned to treat challenge as a bad thing. Challenge is our friend, embrace it!

We experience what we put out. When we experience and express a feeling towards someone, we ultimately are the receiver of that feeling. When we express anger towards someone else, we feel the pain. When we hold a grudge against someone, our own inner space suffers. Next time you express an emotion, take notice in how it makes you feel on the inside.

Every day, there are miracles happening all around us, yet, in a state of deep unawareness, we fail to see them. Even the happiest of events, can be diluted when we’re consumed with problems.

Our minds are naturally and automatically attracted to problems. Even when everything else is going well, our mind looks for conflicts, issues, differences and problems. We can’t handle how happy we actually are, and how there’s really nothing to be worried about. Without problems, our ego has nothing to cling to.

All problems are rooted in our interpretation of an external circumstance. Thus, all problems are really created in our heads. They don’t actually exist, except in our own projection of a tale we have convinced ourselves of and believe to be true.

We suffer, unnecessarily, in advance of an anticipated outcome or event. Nothing has happened yet, but because we have imagined the worst case scenario in our mind, we become afraid of what might happen. As a result, we suffer in advance of a possible scenario that may or may not take place in the future.

There is nothing we can’t handle, even death. It doesn’t matter how much suffering we endure ahead of time, when the anticipated event happens, it happens, and we move on. The actual event is rarely as bad as we had anticipated. We are stronger than we think.

(3) From Finding Hope:

“Do you need His hand to steady you today? Do you need to beat on His chest and release your anxiety to Him? He can take the anger, the fear, the hopelessness and give you instead a peace that is beyond understanding… a peace that steadies you in spite of turbulent surroundings. Invite Him….”

“Father God in Heaven,
I am tired and spent from the cares of my life and the circumstances that are overwhelming me. Forgive me for going my own way and not acknowledging You in my life. Today I want to change that. Today I want to invite You to lead me and guide me. My own resources are simply not enough. I need Your strength and Your wisdom to help me know the next step. I want to trust in You. Increase my faith and help me walk daily with You. Comfort me, reassure me of Your love and take my life into Your hands. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.”

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