As humans, we often feel entitled to do things in our own way. We think we know. We think we've got this whole "life thing" figured out. We merit our earthly experiences as a guarantee in making exceptional life decisions. Sometimes the results of these decisions work in our favor, and a lot of times they simply don't. I am constantly reminded, that I don't really "know" myself as well as I think I do. In addition, I sure don't know what I'm doing most of the time. I think it would do me well sometimes to simply take things out of my own hands. I am guilty of the "know-it-all" attitude. At times I think I'm even too proud to look up. C.S. Lewis put it beautifully-- "As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on thing and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down you cannot see something that is above you.”
- I'm surprised at how I react to things
- I'm surprised that I sometimes seem to make the same mistakes over and over again
- I'm surprised I'm as strong as I am
- I'm surprised at how weak I am
- I'm surprised at how hard it is not to care
- I'm surprised at my desire to let go
- I'm surprised how difficult it can be to let go
- I'm surprised at how sometimes I don't know what to say
- I'm surprised at things that sometimes hurt me
- I'm surprised that I feel justified to treat people a certain way
- I'm surprised that I want someone to just tell me how it's done
- I'm surprised at how much I know, and yet how little I actually understand
What I'm getting at here, is that the world, and our very circumstances, constantly change. It all changes, and what we're left with, are decisions. I KNOW that those decisions are easier to make, when we look to the very One who created us. I think it's very safe to imply that He knows us a little better than we know ourselves. I heard something at church today, and it really resonated with me.
"Rather than solve the problem Himself, the Lord wants us to develop the faith that will help us rely on Him in solving our problems and trust Him. Then we can feel His love more constantly, more powerfully, more clearly, and more personally. We become united with Him, and we can become like Him. For us to be like Him is His goal. in fact, it is His glory as well as His work."
Wow. So basically we need to get over our pride, and trust more in Heavenly Father. After all, the more we learn to rely on Him in making decisions, and helping us endure our struggles, the more united we become with him. Isn't that the whole purpose of the Atonement? To become At-One with God? {At-One-Ment}.
Part of this mortal experience, is to increase in faith. The more we increase in faith, the more we are able to TRUST him. We think we know ourselves well enough to make it through this life on our own. But the fact is, we are nothing without Him, and everything with Him. God never changes. He is the part of our lives, that is constant. He is stable, steadfast, and firm in his love for us. One of my favorite scriptures of alllllll time, Romans chapter eight, verses 35-39 states: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? For thy sake we are killed all the daylong; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more thanconquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, norangels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present , nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
One thing that I do know, is that I need to trust more in God, and that he can make more of me than I can of myself. I think what triggered this post, was me feeling the need to be reminded of that. I know that I for one, can't agree enough with Ammon (see below) when he talks of the immense love that he has for God, and his long-suffering.
"Therefore, let us glory yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel." (Book of Mormon, Alma chapter 26 verse 13)
I too, am so undeserving of the grace and mercy I receive from God. I will, however, 'glory in the Lord' all day long. I am grateful to know of a God who never changes, and that he has provided a way for us to make our weaknesses become strengths--IF we choose to accept His love and mercy.
