The Only Thing That Matters
By Emmet Fox
The most important of all things to possess is Peace of Mind. There is absolutely nothing else in the world which is equal in value to that. Nothing else that life can offer is so important, and yet it seems to be about the last thing that many people work for. They strive both spiritually and materially for everything else under the sun, whereas, if they had everything else, and still lacked Peace of Mind, they would be miserable. If anyone should come to you with a billion dollars in one hand and Peace of Mind in the other, if you took the billion dollars, you would be the most foolish person on earth.
Peace of Mind includes all other good things. If you have this, it does not matter where you are or what surrounding conditions may be-all will be well. Even if the outer picture were an unpleasant one in itself, it would cause you no grief if you had Peace of Mind, and very soon that picture would inevitably change into something better.
Peace of Mind is positively the greatest of all God's gifts. Pray for this and the rest will take care of itself. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you," said Jesus, implying that this was the highest good he had to give us. And truly, peace of mind is the one thing
that matters.
This writing can be found in Emmet Fox's book "Find and Use Your Inner Power".
When looking to use a writing to improve my life, I pick the writing apart and study it. Every time I read it, something different will stick out. It may be only one word, but this word will give me a new way to explore the idea. Here is an example of what stuck out to me when making this post.
When I read it, the line about the choice between peace of mind or a billion dollars caught me.
Like you, I had to find the things that gave me peace and do them. That is where it starts. Getting peace from things outside myself is an important tool to use. Without it, we would not survive and grow spiritually. How others see this writing and use it to find Peace of Mind is an important tool for me to gain insight into myself. So I would appreciate your insights.
Replies
I starting taking a 95 hour course and than test for the license in September! I am grateful for the opportunity to take the class. I got so involved with reading the assigned reading booo I forgot the time! It felt like the day escaped me. I am happy I had that time. I am grateful for anytime to write and read. As I read todays responses from others I noticed I was not being grateful for that time. Rather I was upset I did not do anything but the class work yesterday. I am glad I had that time and rather dread on what I did not do , have peace of mind was started my class !!! I am grateful today for being able to continue my goals and work towards peace of mind!
Alchemy of “The Last Thing That People Work For”
I was listening to someone talk about how they were a failure because they could only find Peace of Mind for a 20-minute stretch. They said they were a failure because they could not hold onto Peace of Mind forever.
The Alchemists see the 20-minute stretch as a success. They take notes of their starting points, which were brief moments of serenity. Purifying their thoughts from brief moments to a 20-minute segment of Peace of Mind is a huge achievement.
The alchemist would be grateful for their progress and use it to motivate themselves to improve the purification process of alchemy to 21 minutes.
The alchemist knows that changing one thing to another is a purification process.
Thus, to change anxiety and fear to Peace of Mind, you must not introduce negative thoughts into the purification process. How could you transform your negative mindset to a positive mindset by saying the serenity you have is a failure?
But this is what most people choose to tell themselves.
I am choosing gratitude for whatever Peace of Mind I gain and gather today.
I am grateful that I got up a ½ hour earlier this morning.
And truly, peace of mind is the one thing
that matters.
Today when my body woke up, my thought was Peace of Mind, I am reading my morning routine and it talked about getting centered in God- I can solve nothing when agitated, I should not get tipped over by emotional upsets, I pray that I may not argue or contend.
These things are right In line to what we read here of Peace of Mind. It is all channeling and coming back to Peace of Mind and staying Grounded in God. Four months ago - I was not able to see that one page of Emmet Fox would be a cornerstone in my life and how it can save me a lot of grief- When I live in Peace of Mind. What am I choosing, Peace of Mind or am I running my own show.
I’ve been getting busy lately which is a byproduct of doing the extra and accepting Gods mission for me week by week. There are many scenarios to get upset over small stuff in the day and sometimes I take the bait or I see it and stay focused on God. All in All I am on the path and I am grateful for this opportunity to grow my peace of Mind.
I am grateful for the rain so it can help water the plants that lets me eat sweet corn and other season vegetables.
I am grateful I have rain gear when I’m out working that it keeps me warm and dry.
Today I am grateful for choosing God and Peace of Mind.
The Alchemy Of Transforming The Outer Picture
What is Alchemy?
al·che·my ˈal-kə-mē plural alchemies. : the medieval chemical science and speculative philosophy whose aims were the transmutation of the base metals into gold, the discovery of a universal cure for diseases, and the discovery of a means of indefinitely prolonging life.
What does alchemy mean spiritually?
While physical alchemy deals with altering and transforming the properties of the physical world, spiritual alchemy is connected with freeing one's spiritual self from fears, limiting belief systems, and lack of self-acceptance. Alchemy is the art of transformation, inner liberation, and change.
I see Emmet Fox’s writings connecting physical and spiritual alchemy.
In “The One Thing That Matters,” he writes, “Even if the outer picture were an unpleasant one in itself, it would cause you no grief if you had Peace of Mind, and very soon, that picture would inevitably change into something better.”
He tells me my Peace of Mind can be transmuted into the physical world. My picture, which is my physical world, will change by applying my spiritual world to any problem/picture I have.
This is what I believe happened Friday with my empty gas tank. With the gas, I need to consciously apply my Peace of Mind to transmute the air into gas. If I had applied doubt to the gas, I would have received air and ran out of gas. An example of this transmutation in the Bible is when Christ feeds Five Thousand with Five loaves of bread and two fishes.
I laugh at myself because my fear only allowed me to ask for enough gas to go three miles. Fear kept me from staying the course and traveling six miles to the next gas station. I limit the transmuting of my picture into something better. The Bible backs this theory up. Christ said, “You have not because you ask not.”
I give to others to store up spiritual currency to use for the alchemy process. I have no idea how often the alchemy process goes on in my life that I do not recognize.
I am grateful for Alchemy.
I fell asleep last night listening to Emmet Fox. I awoke at some point just as the Wonder Child was starting. It spoke in the beginning about us not recognizing the person we were just a short time ago and then of Peace of Soul towards the end.
What in life could go wrong after obtaining Peace of Soul it asks. We're gaining Peace of Soul through this exercise.
God woke me up just to hear the Wonder Child last night.
When we put all things in God's hands, we see God's hands in all things.
All Will Be Well
Gratitude is “All Is Well.” Kevin tells us how all is well in his day by highlighting at least one thing that is well in his life. He exercises his gratitude muscle.
When things are repeated, my mind thinks about them more. If I am searching for Peace of Mind, I must choose my inner circle with purpose.
The past week I have been reading “The One Thing That Matters” and looking for how Emmet Fox brings gratitude into the conversation. He presents the case of looking for the benefits of Peace of Mind without finding Peace of Mind first.
The material benefits are a byproduct of searching for and finding Peace of Mind. Not experiencing the good things in life and expecting to find Peace of Mind.
For the first several weeks of our study of “The One Thing That Matters,” Kevin did not include his “what I am grateful for” in his posts. When thinking about this, I saw that it was the way Emmet Fox explained it.
“If you find Peace of Mind, all will be well, and very soon, that picture will inevitably change into something better.
I am grateful for God’s subtle way of keeping me out of trouble. Yesterday, I was 30 miles till I was empty. I received a phone call from a guy who was in trouble, and we talked for a while. I was not watching the gas gauge at all. When the call was over I still did not address the gas issue. I looked down, and it said 0 miles till empty. I have no idea how long it said 0 miles. I turned around and headed back to the closest gas station about 3 miles away. I knew that getting excited about this would only ensure that I would run out. I knew Peace of Mind was the only chance I had of driving 3 miles on fumes. I am grateful for the Peace of Mind that changed the empty gas tank into enough gas to make it to the gas station without walking.
I am in my hotel room and I leave on the office and they are showing the finale. A character is talking about how he is always looking in the past to think those were the better days and he says, " I wish someone would let you know when you are in the good ole days"
You guys help me have peace of mind to know that I am living in the good ole days.
I was driving home yesterday. I use this time to think about ideas and aspirations that come to me. I start to think about problem that might come tomorrow. I said to my self . The only thing that matters is right now. I brought my thinking back to the present moment to make the most out of what is happening right now. Tomorrow is not gaurenteed for me. Growth is now. This demonstration yesterday allowed me to be present when I got home. I took Micky out with his new bycicle and learned how to ride his bike. I was present in the moment and God gave me a beautiful gift. His huge smile while he was riding his bycicle.
The living dead. When they stop breathing, it is just a formality, for they have died long ago.
I want to follow my heart's desires. This requires me to choose the people I associate with carefully.
Most people have chosen to stop living their true heart's desire based on what society tells them. They have let society tell them what their heart's desire is instead of following their own heart's desire, which God has imprinted on their DNA.
Looking back on the Good Ole Days, let us blame the world for our emptiness.
I am not a victim. I will go out and create my Good Ole Day today. I wonder what it will look like tonight.
I am headed to work on my real estate holdings, garden, bees, and mind. It will not be dull.
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