Within You is the Power | Page 6

character.
He becomes mellowed through experience, strong, stable, a helpful influence to all who
meet him.
When things go smoothly and life is a merry round, no philosophy or religion seems
necessary, and "as for an inward power, what of it, we can do very well without it." So
say the thoughtless and inexperienced, but there come times in every life, when, not only
is a philosophy, and that a very sound one, necessary, but also a power, of which the
finite self knows nothing, is needed in order to raise the soul out of the dust and ashes of
its despair. It is one thing to try and meet trouble and adversity in the right spirit and quite
another thing to have the power to do so. One who thinks that he has no power within
him but that all the power is in circumstances, can never rise victorious over his troubles
and become a conqueror over life's difficulties; but one who realizes that he possesses a
wonderful power that can raise him up, no matter how crushed he may be, can never be a
failure in life. No matter what may happen to him he will play the man and act a noble
part. He will rise from the ruins of his life and build it anew in greater beauty and
splendour.

At this stage it is necessary to point out that there is a difference between "big fate" and
the circumstances of life. "Big fate" as it sometimes is called antedates this present life
and its cause does not come within the scope of this little book. [3] Sufficient if we say
here that, through the ages, we reap as we sow, therefore our future depends upon how
we meet life and its difficulties now. Big fate, then, cannot be successfully fought, simply
because it is the working of Omnipotent Law, but our life generally and its circumstances
depend upon how we meet "big fate," and how we recover from it. No matter how
seemingly unkind "fate" may be, it is possible for us to make our life a beautiful thing.
Inspired and energized by the Power within, we can rise from the ashes of our dead hopes
to build anew our life in greater beauty and more in harmony with the Divine Ideal.
[3] In addition to the "fate" or "future" which every thought and action builds, there is,
behind all evolution, a gigantic plan. This wonderful plan that embraces all, from the
stupendous conception of a limitless universe down to the smallest electron, is being
worked out through the ages with absolute precision. Nothing can prevent this plan from
being brought into manifestation. It gathers up our past and weaves it into our present life,
just in the same way that it is busily gathering up our present life and weaving it into
future fate. It works it all into the big plan, somehow, and with infinite skill. The plan is
bound to be followed (this, too, is fate) but HOW we follow it, either with willingness
and happiness, or opposition or woe, rests with us (this is free will).
Those who have studied the Occult sciences may say "what about planetary influences?"
They will point out that, according to the ancient science of astrology, a man's life is
determined by the "star" under which he is born. This is true, if he gives in to the
influences around his path. At different times in his life man meets with influences that
are sometimes "favourable" and at other times, adverse. These influences are, however,
only influences after all, and one who will stand firm during periods of adversity and
refuse to give in, relying upon the great Power within to carry him through, will find that
he can weather all storms of life and come out of his trials greatly strengthened. He
cannot prevent these influences from coming around his path of life, but he can rise
superior to them. He will meet with failures and set-backs but he will make of these,
stepping-stones to success. He will experience griefs and bereavements, but out of these
he will build a finer character and rise to higher things. One, however, who gives in to
these things, refusing to rise again and reconstruct his life, condemns himself to further
suffering, thus making utter shipwreck of his life.
Let the despairing take heart again. Believe in the Power within you and you will rise to
heights before undreamed of. With this Power to help you, you can accomplish the
apparently impossible.
APPENDIX TO
CHAPTER III.
Our life here is not governed by a capricious Being who blows first hot and then cold or
who favours one person and tortures another. The Supreme Being works through laws
that are absolutely