Changing From Selfishness To Bestowal Is A Process

The transformation from personal selfishness (seeking to benefit ourselves) to mutual bestowal (seeking to benefit others) is a process; just like getting pregnant, going into labour and giving birth is a process; and just like growing up from childhood to adulthood is a process.

With respect to the quality of bestowal, some people may be expecting instant gratification, instant answers, instant results, an immediate fix, all the answers at once, but we know that life doesn't work that way. Here's an explanation:

1. Overwhelming:
• Too much, too soon, can be too much.
• If a person is given too much new information, they may become overwhelmed, which isn't a good thing. A gradual process gives people time to adjust to new information, new situations and new states.
2. Learning:
• Learning is always a process that takes time. We need time to learn, and it takes time to go from simple material to more detailed, complicated material.
3. Growing:
• Growing is always a process that takes time. Just as it takes time to grow from childhood to adulthood, we need time to grow from selfishness to bestowal.
4. Love:
• Love is very gentle and tender and this is reflected in the gradual processes of growth and development.
5. The Bible:
• The Bible was revealed over thousands of years - The Torah was given to Moses, The Psalms to King David etc. The book we know today wasn't written in one sitting, it was thousands of years in the making, including the time it took to be translated into Greek, English and other languages.
6. The Quran:
• The Quran was revealed to Muhammad over 23 years starting in 609 CE (age 40) until his death in 632 CE (age 62 or 63). It took another 20 years after his death before it was committed to written form. [1] Then there's the time it took to be translated into other languages.

Be patient. Take this time to learn, to grow and to adjust. There's more coming, just don't expect it all at once. A little bit at a time will help us adjust to the new information that we're given.

Expect a gradual process of revelation consistent with the gradual revelation of The Bible, the gradual revelation of The Quran, the gradual process of learning and the gradual process of growing.

In everything we do, we should seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.
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References:

1. Quran. www.en.wikipedia.org. Retrieved Dec 15, 2014.

Copyright © 2014, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.