Monday, October 29, 2007

Learning to run

So, I've often wondered why sometimes we can be seemingly doing all we know to be right, but then still struggle with overcoming those little things. Like I know that I need to have patience, even if it's 3 AM with a screaming infant, and I know I need to write in my journal and study the scriptures daily and I usually want to do these things. But even despite the best efforts at times I feel like Nephi and cry out, "Awake my soul! No longer droop in sin." How do we overcome the little and big temptations alike. I think the story of Joseph, and learning to run, can help me and others out. Joseph was sold by his brothers, and then sold into Egypt as a slave to Potiphar. Genesis 39 verse 2 says "And the Lord was with Joseph..." answering all wonders of how much anger he held towards his brothers or what plots of revenge he was scheming up while in that pit or on the slave train! Not only was the Lord with him, but "his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand" (v.3). Joseph then came to be "overseer over" Potiphar's keep. Then, duhn-duhn-duhhhn, enters the villainess. Potiphar's wife noticed that Joseph was "goodly person" and "well-favoured" [which the OT student manual says means "good looking"] and "cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, lie with me" (v. 6-7). "But he refused" continues the record, and stated "There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God (v. 9)." She didn't give up, she persisted, as Satan always does, and "spake to Joseph day by day" (v. 10). Then Joseph being the diligent and dedicated servant that he was came into the house, but found himself alone. "And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: And he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out" (v. 12). He ran! He got out of there. He did not lull around, or wait to see what might happen. He RAN! Doctrine and Covenants section 10 verse 5 states "Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work." Prayer is so important in conquering Satan, and we know that Joseph was praying, because "the Lord was with him." Yes! we need to pray. We need to pray always. BUT, we also need to run. Run at the sight, or thought, of temptation. If we cannot learn to run then we'll never get past our temptations.

4 comments:

Vicky said...

Very insightful. I look forward to checking out this blog frequently! I can always use a daily dose.

7Carters!E,H,V,B,R,C,E said...

Thanks Vicky! And congrats on being the first to comment on this blog! Woohoo! Oh, and I've thought of something to adjust this post so I'm gonna add a little intro to it.

lori said...

great thoughts, Eric!
This will be a great blog!!

Festes said...

I would have laid with her.What's one more SIN added to the many i have already commited...Sexual SIN is so GOOD...