IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE
A Bright Future for YouI read this awesome article in the latest Ensign, and I knew that the message was for me.
Your future is not determined by the conditions around you. It is determined by your faith, your choices, and your efforts. Yes, you live in challenging times, but so did Mary, Moroni, and Joseph Smith. You don’t have to be carried along in the current of the times. The Lord can and will help you set your own course. The challenges you face will serve to strengthen you as you move forward with your life. Each of you has a bright future, a future you cannot now fully comprehend. Paul V. Johnson, "Make Yours a Great Life", Ensign, Jan. 2011, 38–40
After I read it,then I read it twice and I shared it with my husband. In fact, this past Testimony Sunday, I bore my testimony on the truth of this article.
Sometimes we all feel sorry for ourselves, and I do at times. But to quote Oprah, I had an AHA moment. I can't in good faith do it anymore. I can ponder over my trials, and I can pray over them and then I can ask our Heavenly Father for guidance. But I can't whine anymore and if I do I will feel insincere. If I am overtaken in a problem or situation, I will ask for help, for prayers, for priesthood blessings, I will pray and believe. I will endure until the end. I will do my best not to whine or complain, I will speak only blessings. I will remember that this is what I signed up for. When I was in the Navy, a popular statement was this "Life Is hard and then you Die".
Well I suppose that is one way to look at it. Nephi son of Helaman seemed to allow himself a luxury moment to wish for the good old days
Helaman 7:8-9
Elder Johnson answers that statement with this:
- 7 Oh, that I could have had my days in the days when my father Nephi first came out of the land of Jerusalem, that I could have joyed with him in the promised land; then were his people easy to be entreated, firm to keep the commandments of God, and slow to be led to do iniquity; and they were quick to hearken unto the words of the Lord—
- 8 Yea, if my days could have been in those days, then would my soul have had joy in the righteousness of my brethren.
- 9 But behold, I am consigned that these are my days, and that my soul shall be filled with sorrow because of this the wickedness of my brethren.
……."You don’t have to be carried along in the current of the times. The Lord can and will help you set your own course"
Sometimes my husband and I will have conversations of future good days, and what if days, and when we pay this bill off days. We seemed to be content of waiting for those future good old days, and in effect not living to the fullest, in the present good day. We are in effect, believing the lies of the Adversary
"There are no better days than these days, because “these are [your] days” (Helaman 7:9). You are here on earth at this time for a reason. You have what it takes. You have skills, knowledge, and natural talents given to you from God. If you live righteously, you will have access to the inspiration and strength you will need to triumph over any challenge you face. You will have the protection of a worthy life; guidance from the Lord through the Holy Ghost and prophets, seers, and revelators; and the power of sacred promises that are yours because you keep your covenants." Paul V. Johnson, "Make Yours a Great Life", Ensign, Jan. 2011, 38–40These are the good old days.
1 comment:
What a neat post. I don't think I have read that article yet (I think I'm still reading the Dec Ensign... but I know the Jan one is somewhere), but now I want to read it right away! Growing up I was like you say you would like to be - positive, rarely complaining about my life (I'm sure I whined a little - I wasn't a completely a-typical child...) but I loved my life (even as a teen) and I really enjoyed living life. One of the things I made my husband prove to me before I married him was that he could enjoy the present and not just talk about what he'd like to do "when" or "if." He proved himself, but he is still a little stubborn about enjoying life right now. He's the kind of guy that talks about "when I have a better job," "when the kids are older," "when blah blah blah blah" - I am frequently calling him out on it, and he acknowledges that he is that way. In the past few years things have gotten a lot better - not because he has a better paying job (because he doesn't), not because our kids are older (because they aren't) but because he has started to realize that he can and ought to do the things that he wants to do.
My motto growing up was "If I want to do it, I can." (I knew that it needed to be a righteous desire - but I also knew that if I had that desire, nothing could stop me, and Heavenly Father would consecrate my efforts and even if it took longer than I thought it would or wanted it to, He would help me achieve it.
I really like that line: "The Lord can and will help you set your own course."
I think that's going to be my motto for this year!
Thanks again for the neat post. Sorry for such a long comment! Once I get going I can't seem to stop ;)
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