Bringing oneself to account
To bring oneself to account each day/morning (and every moment) before unexpected death brings reckoning[edit]
To bring oneself to account each day before unexpected death causes one to give account[edit]
"O SON OF BEING!
"Bring thyself to account each day ere thou art summoned to a reckoning; for death, unheralded, shall come upon thee and thou shalt be called to give account for thy deeds."
- (Bahá'u'lláh, Hidden Words from the Arabic, no. 31)
Weigh one's actions every day and moment of one's life, bringing oneself to account before accounting[edit]
"Set before thine eyes God's unerring Balance and, as one standing in His Presence, weigh in that Balance thine actions every day, every moment of thy life. Bring thyself to account ere thou art summoned to a reckoning, on the Day when no man shall have strength to stand for fear of God, the Day when the hearts of the heedless ones shall be made to tremble."
- (Bahá'u'lláh, Summons of the Lord of Hosts, Súriy-i-Mulúk, par. 69 (also in Promised Day Is Come, par. 92 re: "Bring thyself to account..."))
Thank God for progress, repent, and ask assistance for future progress (every morning)[edit]
"...Every day, in the morning when arising one should compare today with yesterday and see in what condition you are. If you see your belief is stronger and your heart more occupied with God and your love increased and your freedom from the world greater then thank God and ask for the increase of these qualities. You must begin to pray and repent for all that you have done which is wrong and you must implore and ask for help and assistance that you may become better than yesterday so that you may continue to make progress."
- ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Star of the West, Vol. VIII, No. 6, p. 68; also quoted in Lights of Guidance, p. 457, no. 1485)
Possible outline[edit]
"...Every day, in the morning when arising one should
- compare today with yesterday and see in what condition you are.
- If you see your belief is stronger and your heart more occupied with God and your love increased and your freedom from the world greater then thank God and ask for the increase of these qualities.
- You must begin to pray and repent for all that you have done which is wrong and
- you must implore and ask for help and assistance that you may become better than yesterday so that you may continue to make progress."
Possible further summary[edit]
1) thank God for any past progress, 2) repent of past bad actions, and 3) ask for assistance to improve for the future.
To ask God for forgiveness instead of confession to human beings[edit]
"The ninth Glad-Tidings
"When the sinner findeth himself wholly detached and freed from all save God, he should beg forgiveness and pardon from Him. Confession of sins and transgressions before human beings is not permissible, as it hath never been nor will ever be conducive to divine forgiveness. Moreover such confession before people results in one's humiliation and abasement, and God--exalted be His glory--wisheth not the humiliation of His servants. Verily He is the Compassionate, the Merciful."
- (Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh (Bishárát), p. 24)
Add up accomplishments rather than dwelling on dark side[edit]
"He urges you to persevere and add up your accomplishments, rather than to dwell on the dark side of things. Everyone's life has both a dark and bright side. The Master said: turn your back to the darkness and your face to Me."
