to "Love the Words I Love"
This is a very personal scripture journal.
The purpose of my writing it is to share with the family that I love these words that I have come to cherish.
I have a life- a busy life! And I have attained this amazing gift of "The Wandering Mind." Maybe you've heard of it. I open a book and suddenly my mind has wandered to mundane silly matters, like how much more laundry I have to do, or the lawn that I should be mowing, maybe the craft I wish I could begin- or finish. The worries and concerns of my everyday life just wont let my brain focus on what I am reading.
I haven't found a cure for the brain problem- but I have found a way to make these words mean something significant to me. It took time, it took patience. There was some motivation involved as well.
I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, but I haven't always felt that I BELONG. There was a time when I really questioned my belief system. That was one of the most difficult times for me but I can honestly tell you that I am grateful for that time in my life. I call it "the trial".
Its one of those things that everyone has but nobody wants!
So today's scripture journal entry: TRIALS
I, for one, do NOT love the trials of life. But I can appreciate what can be gained from those trials. Mormon Doctrine states that "we have been placed on this earth in a mortal body for the express purpose of undergoing trails, including hardship, suffering and temptation. This is particularly true of the saints."
I remember the first time that I read these words, and I was curious as to WHY such trials would be true of the saints. The obvious reason is that we know WHY we are here! We KNOW what we must accomplish! We have made promises to a Father who loves us, and we have no doubt that he will fulfill his end of those promises-so we must work to fulfill ours.
And then finally there is this beautiful scripture. D&C 136:31
"My people must be tried in all things, that they may be prepared to receive the glory that I have for them...."
That sheds a whole new light on my trials- I am being prepared to receive the glory that my Savior has prepared for me!
I THINK I LOVE IT!
I love this idea and I'm so glad you are sharing your ideas! :) I have a few thoughts that come to mind that I will share! :) Trials-They do make us who we are and mold us into who we need to become! But we couldn't make it through those trials without the atonement! I have been reading a book called the Continuous Atonement! AMAZING book! I have been on a quest for over a year now to truly understand the Atonement! It's hard to fully comprehend but what I have come to know about it is truly amazing and I am SOOO thankful to have it for when we have trials! There is a lot I could share from this book but I will just tell you one cool thought... He says "Little children don't learn to walk in a day. Between the time a child is carried in a parent's arms and the great day when he is running on his own, there is a lot of hand holding, baby stepping,and falling. For a child learning to walk, falling down may not be desirable, but the lessons learned from it are. God new we had progresses as far as we were able without an earthly experience. He could no longer carry us by keeping us in His presence." "He new the tumbles that awaited us. He knew the ups and downs ahead. That's why He planned from the very start to send our older brother to hold our hands, lift us up, and guide us across the room back to his outstretched arms. We left those arms crawling. We can return to them running!" I really liked how he explained that! We have to face many trails and learn from them and not do them again to progress in this life! I highly recommend this book! It's by Brad Wilcox!
ReplyDeleteJust when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more. He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your ever lasting benefit."
ReplyDelete— Richard G. Scott
This is a quote that was recently given to me, with the trial that we are going through right now, it was so comforting to me. The sentence that stood out to me most was "they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more.
I took comfort in that part of the quote. Trials are where we become strong and become the person that our Heavenly Father intended us to be. When going through the last few trials that I personally have gone through I have tried to go through them with an eternal aspect. Not sure if I have past but I am continuing to strive for that.
Trials? I think I have had my fair share (and not so fair share) of trials in my life. We all have. I think that the most important thing in life is not how we get through them but how we PUSH through them, and how we GROW from them. Life is hard. Sometimes... especially when it doesn't seem fair I try to think of the lesson that I am to learn or what could come of it. I love what Pauline said, "they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more".
ReplyDeleteLove you! Thanks for sharing!
In the April 1997 General Conference, during the time he was undergoing chemotherapy, Elder Neal A. Maxwell said,
ReplyDelete"Mortal experience points evermore to the Atonement of Jesus Christ as the central act of all human history. The more I learn and experience, the more unselfish, stunning, and encompassing His Atonement becomes! When we take Jesus' yoke upon us, this admits us eventually to what Paul called the 'fellowship of [Christ's] sufferings' (Philip. 3:10). Whether illness or aloneness, injustice or rejection, our comparatively small-scale sufferings, if we are meek, will sink into the very marrow of the soul. We then better appreciate not only Jesus' sufferings for us, but also His matchless character, moving us to greater adoration and emulation."
That, I think, is how we are prepared to receive His glory.