Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2012 5:29 am +0000 Posts: 4679
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Great reply gizmo!!! Balance and harmony describe unity of Being and is the key to Becoming. Wisdom and enlightenment are its rewards.
Here's 40+ quotes on leisure in the Papers:
https://www.urantia.org/urantia-book/se ... &op=Search
Leisure can be squandered for sure. Not all choices are equally wise or fruitful. But deep relaxation and loss of all tension and anxiety is a good thing, no matter the activity or inactivity I think. Music, art, sport, philosophy, meditation, hobby and craft, invention, critical thinking, puzzles, and problem resolution all can be elements of leisure. Leisure is the mother of culture...or can be and should be.
The UB teaches that Jesus frequently enjoyed times, even seasons, of isolation. It appears nature, books, and the observation of other people were favorite past times. Observation and contemplation while disengaged socially from immediate responsibilty and expectations is invigorating, even exhilarating to me. Such times spent in prayer, thanksgiving, and worship are very effective and profitable.
As a teenager Jesus frequented a certain hilltop with a grand view to pray and contemplate and plan. He went so often that his mother became concerned. But Jesus had lost his father at 14, and was suddenly head of household and faced many challenges in raising his siblings and providing for the entire family and estate, including education and counseling and business management and debts and even a pregnant mother and newborn baby soon to come. Tremendous pressures and obstacles to overcome. The hammer and anvil requires balance and leisure to cope and to navigate the vicissitudes of life.
We are warned about escapisms, duty avoidance, decision procrastination, and self indulgent pleasure seeking as dangerous and wasteful potentials of leisure. Such decadence is quite regressive to persons and cultures. To be lazy and irresponsible and self centered are to demonstrate misused leisure and inappropriate personal priorities.
I agree that a lack of peace of mind is a reliable indicator of misaligned motives and priorities. But this is not a function of leisure or periodic isolation per se.
God's will, according to the Papers, is not a "what"...it is a why and how question. God's will is love, truth, beauty, goodness, kindness, generosity, service, mercy, sharing, and caring. God's will is expressed by our motives, intentions, priorities, and philosophy of living. These are naturally expressed by what we choose. The "what" expresses our growing spiritization and wisdom over time.
We will learn to be better at choosing "what" as we grow. But to align our will with God's will does not require us to be as wise or experienced or perfect as God...but only to make decisions with faith and a pure heart of good motive and intention. God will always reward good intentions but outcomes are not ours to manage really. Or so I understand the teachings.
Welcome lolobaba!
Bradly. 
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