I Will Finish My Race
I have come to learn that no matter how much you prepare, life will offer twists and turns that could never have been anticipated. I feel like I had spent 30 years of my life preparing for the most important calling of my life only to have that identity temporarily stripped away on account of the agency of another. This event caused me to stumble, to question my identity, even my self worth and the adversary would have had me give up on the hopes and dreams I felt may no longer be attainable. At these times in our lives we have a choice. We can accept a life of despair or we can choose the hope that is ours through the atonement and the Plan of Salvation.
I love sports and the Olympics in particular. My experience of preparing for marriage and fatherhood only to stumble made me think of a moment tied to my youth I will never forget. Having recently returned from the UK, my mind turns to my hero, Derek Redmond and his father Jim. Derek stumbled at the very moment he was destined to be crowned in greatness. He had a choice to either give up--and no one would have blamed him had he done so, or rather fight--which was choice which he did with his wonderful father be his side. Rather than embrace failure, he inspired a planet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZlXWp6vFdE&feature=related
I can relate to Derek's trial. I feel I am only just now getting off my knees to finish my race and my Heavenly Father is rushing to my side to help me on my way.
My hopes and dreams are very much alive. In fact, there is more light ahead of me than I have ever experienced in the past.
Tuesday, 31 January 2012
Tuesday, 24 January 2012
What is Hope? A blessing? A commandment?
Much of what I do at work revolves around change. Change is hard mostly because the future is uncertain and humans despise uncertainty. I certainly do. But what is it about change that is encouraging, that allows the minority of us to take the chance, to embrace that unknown? It is hope. Hope of something better in the future than what we have today.
At work, that is about better efficiencies, better customer relationships, a kinder public perception of our industry, and hopefully better outcomes for patients.
In our spiritual lives are the changes that we are making, and we are always changing whether we like it or not, driving us towards hope or closer to a state of despair? There are times in our lives where it may seem that positive change is not enough. A slow and steady progress may just seem too little to comfort our broken hearts. The Lord has an answer for us even in these cases. Ezekiel teaches us...
Eze 36:26
26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
The Lord promises breath of newness. A heart of flesh touched by the finger of the Lord. This doesn't mean a heart impervious to the stones that will come but one that just maybe will be able to endure those stones just a little better than the last time. This instills a tremendous amount of hope...particularly since the Lord has seen fit to offer me a rejuvenated heart and soul. What a blessing!
But is hope always a blessing? What does the Lord expect of us? Ether offers some insight here...
Ether 12:32
32 And I also remember that thou hast said that thou hast prepared a house for man, yea, even among the mansions of thy Father, in which man might have a more excellent hope; wherefore man must hope, or he cannot receive an inheritance in the place which thou hast prepared.
The Lord has prepared a way for us but the Plan of Salvation requires no man to fall into the Lord's embrace. Ether tells us that we must have hope. Hope certainly is a blessing but it comes from action on our part. To strive for hope is a commandment.
There are great rewards for those how follow the Lord's command. Even when times are good, we must still have hope. In so doing, protection is offered.
1 Thess 5:8
8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
My helmet has been beaten and battered. It has lost its shine and has dents and scratches from the pellets of the adversary but it is strapped on for the hope of salvation is mine.
Much of what I do at work revolves around change. Change is hard mostly because the future is uncertain and humans despise uncertainty. I certainly do. But what is it about change that is encouraging, that allows the minority of us to take the chance, to embrace that unknown? It is hope. Hope of something better in the future than what we have today.
At work, that is about better efficiencies, better customer relationships, a kinder public perception of our industry, and hopefully better outcomes for patients.
In our spiritual lives are the changes that we are making, and we are always changing whether we like it or not, driving us towards hope or closer to a state of despair? There are times in our lives where it may seem that positive change is not enough. A slow and steady progress may just seem too little to comfort our broken hearts. The Lord has an answer for us even in these cases. Ezekiel teaches us...
Eze 36:26
26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
The Lord promises breath of newness. A heart of flesh touched by the finger of the Lord. This doesn't mean a heart impervious to the stones that will come but one that just maybe will be able to endure those stones just a little better than the last time. This instills a tremendous amount of hope...particularly since the Lord has seen fit to offer me a rejuvenated heart and soul. What a blessing!
But is hope always a blessing? What does the Lord expect of us? Ether offers some insight here...
Ether 12:32
32 And I also remember that thou hast said that thou hast prepared a house for man, yea, even among the mansions of thy Father, in which man might have a more excellent hope; wherefore man must hope, or he cannot receive an inheritance in the place which thou hast prepared.
The Lord has prepared a way for us but the Plan of Salvation requires no man to fall into the Lord's embrace. Ether tells us that we must have hope. Hope certainly is a blessing but it comes from action on our part. To strive for hope is a commandment.
There are great rewards for those how follow the Lord's command. Even when times are good, we must still have hope. In so doing, protection is offered.
1 Thess 5:8
8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
My helmet has been beaten and battered. It has lost its shine and has dents and scratches from the pellets of the adversary but it is strapped on for the hope of salvation is mine.
Tuesday, 17 January 2012
cast not away therefore your confidence...
I'd like to quote Elder Holland in this beautiful adress he gave to BYU students years ago. "It is the plain and very sobering truth that before great moments, certainly before great spiritual moments, there can come adversity, opposition, and darkness. Life has some of those moments for us, and occasionally they come just as we are approaching an important decision or a significant step in our lives."
I have thought and pondered on these words lately. Many times, when we are tested at the brink of good things happening we mistakenly take it as a sign that we are either not worthy of the blessings, or it is some sort of signal that we won't achieve our wishes. Elder Holland suggests that being tested is necessary, and these very trials will bring us confidence in the end.
One thing we can always have confidence in, is the fact that Heavenly Father keeps His promises. Knowing the nature of our Heavenly Father gives us the ability to have condfidence in our own lives. We know that he desires to bless us in abundance.
Quoting President Hinkley, "we cannot sign on for a battle of such eternal significance and everlasting consequence without knowing it will be a fight—a good fight and a winning fight, but a fight nevertheless."
Rewards are so delightfully sweet when we have had to work to recieve them. This of course requires obedience and patience. With each reward, our confidence builds and we are prepared to be tested again.
"Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward."
“For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.”
I have thought and pondered on these words lately. Many times, when we are tested at the brink of good things happening we mistakenly take it as a sign that we are either not worthy of the blessings, or it is some sort of signal that we won't achieve our wishes. Elder Holland suggests that being tested is necessary, and these very trials will bring us confidence in the end.
One thing we can always have confidence in, is the fact that Heavenly Father keeps His promises. Knowing the nature of our Heavenly Father gives us the ability to have condfidence in our own lives. We know that he desires to bless us in abundance.
Quoting President Hinkley, "we cannot sign on for a battle of such eternal significance and everlasting consequence without knowing it will be a fight—a good fight and a winning fight, but a fight nevertheless."
Rewards are so delightfully sweet when we have had to work to recieve them. This of course requires obedience and patience. With each reward, our confidence builds and we are prepared to be tested again.
"Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward."
“For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.”
Friday, 13 January 2012
Constant Spiritual Orientation
I have been pondering over my demeanor at church and my demeanor at work and home. Do you ever feel like we act differently at church than we do elsewhere? Are we more inclined to stop and serve someone who needs a little help? Are we more inclined to lend praise or offer a compliment at church member than we would a co-worker?
One thing I'd like to do is be more spiritually consistent. One can accomplish this goal by raising the standard to the highs that church worship brings out in me or lower my standards to the level that I operate when I might be less spiritually in tune. Clearly the former is the goal but I think it will take a level of consistent spiritual consciousness I may not presently possess.
In order to accomplish this task, I will need to heed the words of Nephi in 1 Ne 11:36
36 And it came to pass that I saw and bear record, that the great and spacious building was the pride of the world; and it fell, and the fall thereof was exceedingly great.
If I can seek the praise and blessings of God over men, my goal may become obtainable.
One thing I'd like to do is be more spiritually consistent. One can accomplish this goal by raising the standard to the highs that church worship brings out in me or lower my standards to the level that I operate when I might be less spiritually in tune. Clearly the former is the goal but I think it will take a level of consistent spiritual consciousness I may not presently possess.
In order to accomplish this task, I will need to heed the words of Nephi in 1 Ne 11:36
36 And it came to pass that I saw and bear record, that the great and spacious building was the pride of the world; and it fell, and the fall thereof was exceedingly great.
If I can seek the praise and blessings of God over men, my goal may become obtainable.
Thursday, 12 January 2012
1 Nephi 10
As my relationship with Heavenly Father has strengthened over the last year, He has been incredibly generous with his Spirit. There were months in London where I carried a small notebook in my pocket to write promptings as I new if I didn't acknowledge the promptings as they came, I might not remember them, or worse, might not continue to receive them.
One of the results of this closeness with God is being able to relate the scriptures readily to my current circumstances. We are reminded of the scriptures power to do so in 1 Ne 10:19
19 For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round.
I love the Book of Mormon for its ancient teachings that help illuminate the mysteries of God in our day. I pray my thoughts and actions and the people I draw close to can help me be a better man, priesthood holder, and servant of our Heavenly Father.
One of the results of this closeness with God is being able to relate the scriptures readily to my current circumstances. We are reminded of the scriptures power to do so in 1 Ne 10:19
19 For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round.
I love the Book of Mormon for its ancient teachings that help illuminate the mysteries of God in our day. I pray my thoughts and actions and the people I draw close to can help me be a better man, priesthood holder, and servant of our Heavenly Father.
Monday, 9 January 2012
the tree
This evening I was asked if there was a certain part of Lehi's vision in the Book of Mormon that had special meaning to me. The answer is yes, and very much so. I have always loved the "tree" part of the vision because it represents the God's love for His Children and the desire that they return to Him. This is a message of Hope.
I imagine if I saw such a tree I would want to take in all of it's wonder and eat of it's fruit in abundance. Lately I feel like I crave the Love of God and the more I ask for it, the more he gives. This dream is a representation of that Love, and that partaking of the fruits of the tree are a representation of eating the fruits of the Atonement. "Greater Love hath not man that this". When I try to comprehend the sacrifice Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ made for me, so that I may experience joy and eternal life. The tree is an exquisite representation, and only begins to touch on what that might feel like.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
