I was reading the nahjul-balagha A book written by Imam Ali (a.s) and I read the following sermon by him and I was feeling so small in front of Allah. I would like to share this Sermon with all the gupshuppers
O people! Fear Allah and do everything in anticipation of Death, and try to attain everlasting blessings in place of transitory and perishable wealth, power and pleasures of this world.
Be prepared for a fast passage because you are destined to stay for a short time. Always be ready for death because you are living under its shadow. Be wise like the people who have heard the message of Allah and taken warning from it.
Beware that this Earth is not your Eternal abode; you will have to leave it for the hereafter. Allah, glory be to him, has not created you without a purpose and has not left you without duties, obligations and responsibilities.
There is no barrier between you and Paradise or the hell but that of death, which everyone will have to cross. Life, which is being shortened by every tick of a second, likes a building, which is being undermined, and may fall down at any moment.
Human being, whom each turn of a night and day is driving towards his end, is destined to reach there soon. Death, which approaches everybody with a certain and steady pace and which may either bring successes or failure on the hereafter deserves to warmly welcomed. You must gather from this life such harvest as will be of use and help to you in the hereafter.
Every human being should fear the Almighty Allah; should train his mind for virtuous and honorable Ideas and sincere and just deeds; should repent his sins and vices; and should keep his desires, impulses and longings under control, because approach of Death is so incomprehensible, so mysterious, so insidious and so unobserved that it is never realized of felt because of inordinate ambitions and desires that make one to go astray and because satan is always watching for opportunity to enslave you, is trying to depicit sins and vices with beauty and charm to entrap you with them, and is constantly endavouring to make you give up the desire of sober thinking and repetence with bright hopes till death comes upon you suddanly at a time when you were expecting it the least.
I piety neglectment and unmindful people, because on the day of Judgement their deeds will act as proof against their ill intentions and evil deeds, and lead them to hell.
I pray to Allah to make me amongst those persons, whom his bounties have not made proud and arrogant, whose deeds ans accomplishments have not kept them away from obedience to him, and whom death will not bring sorrows and shame, repentance and regret.
I hope this sermon might enlighten you all like it did to me!
Keep smiling