Humility first, intellect later

When I'm upset, it's a good policy to simply accept the situation as I see it, and say, 'It's outrageous, but there we have it. I accept it as it is,' and ask God for the wherewithal to show up for duty and to be charitable in my view of others, cheerful in my outlook, and useful in my conduct. 'For everything that has been, thank you; for everything that shall be, yes.'

Now, my perception of the situation is invariably wildly distorted. Demonic forces always appear to be massing at my gates. But it is only once humility has been restored that my sanity of perception is restored.

Attempting to restore my perception to sanity when I'm still spiritually in the wilderness of my own Duchy of Me will always fail. Even if I intellectually 'see' the point others make about its irrationality, nothing will shift.

Once, like a dislocated limb, I am reduced back into my socket (reduced in the medical sense and in the spiritual sense of deflation), normal operation resumes automatically, and, within minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, or decades, I see the folly of my previous perception automatically.

That's why this is a spiritual programme. Spiritual solution first.