THIEVES AND THOUGHTS

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1687, 17 November 1925, Page 2

THIEVES AND THOUGHTS

There are other thieves than those that steal our property. And there are not only things to steal, but a man can be a robber of the happiness, contentment, satisfaction, and the like. Very often an unwelcome thought will steal the pleasure out of all oiir other undertakings. It is like the cuckoo bird out of the nest.

Very few of us are able to restrain or abolish these unpleasant thoughts. Most of us are of Oscar Wilde’s opinion that the easiest way to deal with temptation is to yield to it. The ability to get rid of disturbing thoughts is one that is rarely attained, but it is very necessary to our happiness. Most of us would be happy most of the time if it w r ere not for disturbing desires. It is a good plan to know' how' to deal with these unruly members, and if we may find any desired thing impossible to obtain we should put the longing for it manfully away; then the rest of our thoughts would flow' along peacefully. The art of controlling ourselves and governing what things w r e think about is not only a matter of religion and necessary if we are to resist sin; it is a matter of personal comfort, and until w r e have mastered it we cannot be sure of contentment.