“Controversy and contention are weakening habits. If Satan can succeed in creating in us the pastime of arguing, quarreling, and contention, it is easier for him to bind us with heavier sins which can destroy our eternal lives. Anger is a poor substitute for self-mastery and compassionate service.”
In this quote, Marvin J. Ashton cautions against the detrimental effects of controversy, contention, and anger on one's spiritual well-being. He suggests that engaging in arguments and quarrels can lead to bigger sins, ultimately jeopardizing one's eternal life. By emphasizing the importance of self-mastery and compassionate service over anger, Ashton highlights the significance of maintaining inner peace and acting with love and understanding towards others. This quote serves as a reminder to prioritize virtues such as patience and empathy in order to live a fulfilling and spiritually rich life.
In today's fast-paced and interconnected world, the words of Marvin J. Ashton on avoiding controversy and contention hold more relevance than ever. With the rise of social media and online debates, it is easy to get caught up in arguments and quarrels that only serve to divide us further. This quote reminds us of the importance of maintaining peace, self-mastery, and compassionate service in order to build stronger, more harmonious communities and ultimately secure our eternal well-being.
Marvin J. Ashton's quote emphasizes the negative impact of controversy and contention on our habits and actions. He warns against falling into a cycle of arguing, quarreling, and contention that can lead to more destructive behaviors. Instead, he advocates for self-mastery and compassionate service as healthier alternatives.
As we consider Marvin J. Ashton's words on the negative effects of controversy and anger in our lives, it is important to reflect on how these negative emotions can impact our relationships and spiritual well-being. Here are some questions to ponder:
How often do I find myself engaging in arguments and quarrels with others? What triggers my anger and contention?
In what ways does anger and contention hinder my ability to develop self-mastery and show compassion towards others?
What steps can I take to cultivate habits of peace, understanding, and kindness in my interactions with others?
How can I navigate disagreements and differing opinions in a constructive and respectful manner, without resorting to anger or contention?
In what ways can I work towards developing a mindset of forgiveness and reconciliation, rather than holding onto grudges and fostering negativity in my heart?
By reflecting on these questions, we can better understand the negative impacts of controversy and anger in our lives and strive towards cultivating a more positive and fulfilling way of relating to others.
“Your habits play a massive role in your sinful nature. Our habits are shaped by either a self-disciplined will, or a powerful felt need—and the latter can often pull us into habitual sin. If you really think about it, most sin is derived from a habit that has been formed over an extensive period of time, and then exposes itself when that habit yearns to be activated. On the other hand, forming habits of prayer and worship can also create virtuous habits that can counteract the destructive pull toward sin.”
“Anger can be managed to becomeemotional content that raises power.”
“God freely created us so that we might know, love, and serve him in this life and be happy with him forever. God's purpose in creating us is to draw forth from us a response of love and service here on earth, so that we may attain our goal of everlasting happiness with him in heaven. All the things in this world are gifts of God, created for us, to be the means by which we can come to know him better, love him more surely, and serve him more faithfully. As a result, we ought to appreciate and use these gifts of God insofar as they help us toward our goal of loving service and union with God. But insofar as any created things hinder our progress toward our goal, we ought to let them go.”
“I wonder if anyone can ever succeed in making their children content.”
“Within what is allotted to us, we can have spiritual contentment.”