One often hears things like:
“Give time time.”
“You didn’t get sick in a day. You won’t get well in a day.”
“I wish you a long, slow recovery.”
“In God’s time.”
“God is slow, but He’s never late.”
“God’s mills grind slowly but exceedingly well.”
“A step a year.”
“Take it easy.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
“Stop shoulding on yourself.”
“Don’t rush things.”
“Beware of spiritual bypass.”
Certainly, there are some things that a little bit more time than others.
But do as many things really have to take as long as they appear to?
Apart from the fact that, if the preparation is sound and the way is clear, one can make many amends in one day, for instance, and there are other examples of taking a lot of action and getting good results very quickly, there is the work on one’s own consciousness.
For instance, with fear, two situations arose today, in which I was tempted to be afraid. It took me a moment just now to remember what they were. That rather proves the point I am about to make. Why? Why am I not spending hours on the phone now, explaining my negative feelings? Because they’ve gone. Because I spoke to a couple of people and restored perspective and then let go. But before that, did I quake? No: I immediately gave the two questions to God. One question needed no further examination, and the other needed a sense check but no more. The real reason I was not plagued by the fear was that I really did give the questions to God. I was tempted to say complicated prayers, but decided instead to affirm that God would see me through the two situations. Immediately, I say immediately, on starting to affirm that out loud, I started to feel better. And then I promptly turned my attention to my work. Whenever the situations knocked back on the door, I said, “God is looking after me. Everything is fine. There is nothing to worry about.” And all through the rest of the day, sane thoughts have been occurring to me about these two questions. Take the right action, and perspective restores itself.
Today is the day that change has to take place, not tomorrow.