I feel like I am person with lots of good intentions. I always think of cool things to do and often end up not doing them; even times I feel that I'm inspired to do things and still fall short...I know, sad, isn't it? But what can I do to improve, to grow and to overcome being stuck on good intentions. 2 of my favorite scriptures from King Benjamin teach some principles that hit me this weekend, and I then shared them in class today. Both are in Mosiah 4, verse 10 and then verse 30. Let's see what King Benjamin instructs us on this:10 "And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them." Of course believing is not enough, although a crucial and vital first step. We need to apply what we've gained, what we've learned into our lives. Just do those things we feel we ought to do. Take what we learn in classes and in the scriptures and incorporate them into what we do so that it changes us. Viana illustrated this from learning a simple pattern in a children's book. The next book she picked up, she applied that pattern. If only I were more like her. When have you seen a blessing come from application of a lesson learned??
30 "But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not." I know that I need to watch my thoughts, what I say and what I do, but do I always remember it? I don't think it's a question of understanding the fact that improper thoughts, words and deeds offend the Spirit, but more a remembering that when in the scenario to prevent us from sin. I was blessed by remembering yesterday. I went to go and get a drink and then the thought came...I'm fasting. So I restrained. When those thoughts, songs, videos, etc come that we know can offend the Spirit, we need to remember it and act accordingly. How has remembering helped you to restrain??
Remembering to apply can lead us to accomplishing what the Lord would have us do.
2 comments:
I think when you've seen somebody suffer something first hand that comes as a result of a sin or from forgetting the important things, then it makes it easier for you to make good decisions by remembering what you may have seen them suffer.
Good one Ceej! I think that being able to learn from others mistakes is always better than making them yourself. Alma told Helaman to learn wisdom in youth and to learn in his youth to keep the commandments. Not to spend his youth sinning so he'd know not to sin later in life. We don't have to put our hand on a hot stove to konw that it's a mistake.
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