18 Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
In Omar Khayyam's famous words the moving finger is being used as a symbol for fate and time teaching us that those indelible moments have gone forever and can never return. Those incidents that left us with a deep impression are over, recorded in our memory, and unchangeable.
Yesterday's, last month's, last year's bitterness settles into its place in our memory banks serving a constructive purpose, that of ensuring that we learn our lessons from our past experiences, then to bury them deeply where they should be causing us no harm; by not preventing us from moving on with our life present in the eternal now.
In your anger do not sin : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,~Ephesians 4:26
Paul of Tarsus entreats us to avoid anger episodes with our neighbours, and reject any thought of carrying our anger into the following day.
We are invited to rejoice and be glad in our trials for troubles are valuable to our character development and spiritual growth. Romans 5:3-5a reads “We also exult [rejoice] in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint.”
Here Paul tells us in plain words to get over our easy rush to anger, to exercise patience, and restraint when facing difficulties that tempt us to over react, possibly leading to self inflicted suffering.
Our Father wants us to live a happy, and contented life free of worries the result of not letting our anger take charge of our responses to life's challenging moments.
“The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it.”
~ Omar Khayyám
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