Life Supreme — Page 38
LIFE SUPREME 41 5. SELF CONTROL 'He is most powerful who has power over himself. '-(Seneca). Reaching for the moon with outstretched arms will never bring that luminous satellite within man's grasp. Great laws of nature have to be understood and mastered before a spacecraft can be built, launched and ejected into the depths of outer space on its speedy and silent journey to the moon bearing with it its load of scientific instruments and crew of astronauts for bringing that orb within the dominion of man. . God is not prepared to fulfill the desires and dreams of man by miraculously transporting him in the twinkling of an eye from the fertile landscape of the earth to the barren surface of the moon. He has, however, gifted man with intelligence and enabled him through diligent study, observation and experiment to discover and comprehend certain scientific laws, enabling him, thereby, to achieve his goal-the conquest of the moon. . There are also spiritual laws which if recognised and observed can transport man from this mundane world to the blissful realm of heaven; but man must take the initiative if he wishes to succeed in this spiritual conquest, bearing in mind that God helps those who help themselves. Just as the successful flight of the spacecraft is dependent upon the control centre which directs its multifarious operations, so does the spiritual flight of man depend upon that inner quality self-control. . Self-control is the underlying factor which marks the character of man's conduct. It is the directing influence in character building and should, therefore, receive intent cultivation and maintenance. The power lies within man to elevate his character to almost limitless heights. He possesses the master-key but his progress or retrogression depends largely upon himself. True, all power rests with God but He helps those who help themselves: 'But I will write of him who fights. And vanquishes his sins,. Who struggles on through weary years. Against himself and WINS. ' (Caroline Le Row)