Don't Be Natural - Principle Three

Day 4 - Mosiah 3:19 "For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."

"How old do you picture the "little child" mentioned in this scripture?  A tiny infant"  A two-year-old?  Remember that two-year-olds aren't to good at "yielding" or submitting."  Write about how young a child you are willing to become to your Heavenly Father and just how far you are willing to submit in all things that He might see fit to "inflict" upon you."

What is it about an adult, what it is that has to change to become like a little child so we can be submissive and meek and humble, etc?  Well, we could lose that ego and pride.  Ego and pride are a couple of layers we gain as we "grow up".  How about layers of distrust, resentment, guilt, damaged esteems, negativity...the list goes on.  Maybe we don't really grow up as much as we become more mortal?  Maybe being a child was closer to being celestial?  The only way I know of to deal with all these complications, these layers we gain, is to bring in the Spirit.  Because we simply cannot will them away by only our desire, nor by ourselves.  The Spirit is the only power to actually change a heart.  Being submissive is another way of saying we are at peace inside.  And we're willing to bear all things because we trust the Lord.  Trust is confidence and thus a strength.  So the qualities of meek, willing, "as a child", and submissive which initially sound weaker are actually outward symptoms of strength, confidence and direction.  We are ensured in our hearts, therefore we can endure.

20-20 Hindsight - Principle Three

Day 3 - Jacob 4:10 "Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works."

"To counsel means to give advice.  Often when we pray we seek more to advise the Lord in what we think He should do for us or others ("Dear Lord, please bless so-and-so that such-and-such will happen"), than to listen for His counsel or advice.  Write in the form of a question something that has been troubling you, addressing it to the Lord.  Then listen and record the answer you receive."

Well, I guess the Lord doesn't think we're "Dear Abby" huh?  How good of a track record do I really have in regards to the sum total of all my failed observations, understandings, 20-20 hindsight, etc?  And we all tell ourselves stories, lot of stories about the reality around us.  Why someone else does what they do, what their motives are, what their true intent is.  We predict outcomes that never happen and and feel slighted when no slight actually exists.  And we make mountains out of molehills.  Not all the time, of course, but sometimes we do.  The Lord looketh on the heart and the Lord sees the whole picture.  AND he loves each of us and our individual family members far more than we are capable of loving them.  And he has loved us for a much longer time.  This is definately a trust issue - this learning how to communicate with the Lord.  But the author is not suggesting we shouldn't cousel WITH the Lord, but rather is suggesting we check the tendency to dictate TO the Lord.  Of course we can think things through, share our opinions and observations with the Lord and ask for enlightenment and inspirations to handle challenges and tasks.  I believe the main point here is when we go to the Lord with an open mind, we are able to feel and understand the Spirit more.  We are able to see addtional paths, better options...

Drowning it Out - Principle 3

Day 2 - 2 Nephi 10:24 "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, reconcile yourselves to the will of God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh; and remember, after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is only in and through the grace of God that ye are saved."

"Nephi asks us to conform, to adapt our will to the will of God.  when we act on our compulsive / addictive behavior, it is because we want something we can't have [or rather, it is because we are drowning something else out!].  Our will is at odds with the will of God.  We have surrendered it instead to the will of the flesh or the devil (two different phenomena, by the way).  Write about the struggle you'd like to be saved from, and whose power it is that can save you.  What is that power called?"

Oh sigh,  how is it that these scriptures and questions come up coincidentally, right when I'm in the throes of a weakness I'd like to ignore?  So I've been video game free all this time (yeah!).  And I find that it gets easier and easier to remain so.  Now, I'm a cookie addict, been at it the last few days and at my age the consequences are big and immediate.  I've stopped exercising for several weeks too.  Does it feel good? Well, kind of, when I first shove that cookie in my mouth or make that excuse that "tomorrow" I'll start exercising again.  But when I have to exhale to zip up my pants or I step on that scale...it feels lousy.  It is definately time to get on my knees and plead for the grace and the strength to get back on track.

Ruth said something very wise at class the other night.  She said we tend to tell ourselves that since we blew it eating once, we may as well keep on over-eating, and try again tomorrow.  The truth is, she says, we can start right that very moment.  Just because we overeat in one situation, doesn't mean the rest of the day has to follow the same course.  Wonderful advice.  So here it goes for me.  I'm obviously drowning out nagging feelings of one source or another.  I need to take stock of myself, pull myself together and dedicate my will to God's guidance.  Love you all.

Not yet??? - Principle Three

Day 1 - 1 Nephi 18:11 "And it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel did take me and bind me with cords, and they did treat me with much harshness; nevertheless, the Lord did suffer it that he might show forth his power, unto the fulfilling of his word which he had spoken concerning the wicked"

"Write about why according to this verse, the Lord "suffers," or in other words "allows," us to be in bondage at times.  (See also John 9:1-3 for further insight into why God allows forms of bondage such as physical handicaps.)"

John 9:1-3 "And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.  And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?  Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him."

Since God consecrates our afflictions for our gain, I'm guessing sometimes we haven't learned all of our lessons yet, that there is still something needed to stretch us, to grow us, to strengthen us.  When the people of Alma where in bondage, they went through a faith-promoting process where they were strengthened to the point where they didn't feel their burdens, before their prayer of liberation was answered.  It has been my experience that whenever I pray for the Lord to zap a terribly antagonistic foe with lightening -- it doesn't work.  Not at all, and I know this because sheepishly I admit trying it a few times when younger.  This is the prayer that works, and works beautifully.  'Please give me what I need to be equal or greater than the problem I face'.  And there is beauty in the process of gathering strength and inspiriation to face our frustrating challenges.  It may not be very obvious while we're in the middle of hardship, but with our spiritual hindsight, later we can see a method to the madness.

My Great God - Principle Two

Day 7 - Alma 24:10 "And I also thank my God, yea, my great God, that he hath granted unto us that we might repent of these things, and also that he hath forgiven us of those our many sins and murders which we have committed, and taken away the guilt from our hearts, through the merits of his Son."

"Capture this scripture for yourself.  what does it teach you personally?  Freedom from the bondage of addiction is a gift from God.  here Alma thanks God for three great gifts.  What are they?  Write about them in your own words."

First the three gifts:  The privilege of repenting.  Here I marvel that such a mechanism even exists.  An eraser, a chance to clean the slate.  Second, that many sins can be forgiven, that the process of repentance and forgiveness is powerful enough for many trespasses.  Third, the gift of peace, of confidence before God, because our guilt no longer drags around behind us.  Guilt in the heart is a heavy burden, when guilt is gone, the lightness and euphoria that replaces it is sweet.  Really sweet.

I personally love the phrase "my God, yea my Great God".  The admiration, the love, the evidence of a personal relationship sounds through these words.  I love that Heavenly Father is so majestic, so noble, so large in capacity.  And the Christ right along with him.  Sometimes I can't get over how extraordinary it is that we're related, that I get to associate with them, that they put me here so that I could join them completely someday.  Revelations 3:20-21 "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.  To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne"  This verse reveals an intimicy, a personable Christ who regards us so much, he wants us to have what ever he has.

True Root - Principle Two

Day 6 - Mosiah 11:23 "And it shall come to pass that except this people repent and turn unto the Lord their God, they shall be brought into bondage; and none shall deliver them, except it be the Lord the Almighty God"

"When we are under the influence of any addiction, one way to describe our situation is to say that we are in bondage.  Is our addiction [any repeating bad habit] really the primary sin we need to repent of, or is it just a symptom?  According to Abinadi, what is the true root of sin?

My bad habits and "addictions" come from not being rooted in Christ.  Or in other words not consciously bringing the Spirit into my life.  So the true root of sin is not turning to the Lord.  Because when left to my own devices, I gradually sink.  My sins and bad habits are a symptom on the surface, a symptom of the condition and attitude of my heart.  Where my heart truly is, my actions follow.  The only way to get the power to act differently is from conscious contact with the Spirit, with the Savior.  I am 3 days - video game free!

Rays of Hope - Principle Two

Day 5- "And this is the means whereby salvation cometh. And there is none other salvation save this which hath been spoken of; neither are there any conditions whereby man can be saved except the conditions which I have told you."

"Salvation means to save or preserve something precious.  Christ's atonement is His testimony to us of how precious we are to Him and the Father.  Keep track today of some of the little ways, the positive coincidences, the tiny blessing that demonstrate your preciousness.  At the end of the day, record a few in your journal.  If you do not honestly feel precious before Him, speak to Him in writing, of your honest feelings."

I remember last year, in a hard, destitute phase in our lives that I came across this verse and challenge.  I had quite the attitude..."sure, fine, but there won't be any blessings to write about".  At the time I was sure, despite all my gospel knowledge that I had fallen between cracks.  Either the Heavens intended it, or they just plain forgot about me.  My prayers were bouncing off the ceiling.  But I decided to try this anyways, and at first I had to look hard, then they came.  One small blessing after the other.  I realized after a few days that there were rays of hope everywhere.  I just had to be willing to accept their reality.  This exercise was one of the elements that helped restore my brightness of hope.  A wonderful buoyancy to enjoy amid life's storms.

God's Love - Principle Two

Day 4 - Mosiah 4:6 " I say unto you, if ye have come to a knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and also, the atonement which has been prepared from the foundation of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that should put his trust in the Lord, and should be diligent in keeping his commandments, and continue in the faith even unto the end of his life, I mean the life of the mortal body"

"I often say that I believe in the goodness of God, but when it comes right down in believing that this goodness is extended to me by my Savior I lose my faith.  I would ask you in the words of King Benjamin 'if ye have come to a knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his long-suffering towards [you]"?  Has this happened to you?  Describe how this belief (or lack of it) impacts your life and influences your compulsive/addictive behaviors."

This is something I have come to know through this course.  I mean, I "knew" it before, but now I feel the concept of love and possibilities inside my heart of hearts.  Which is an entirely different experience than just hearing the words echo around inside my head.  What that means is when I identify a weakness that needs to be tackled , and it's not going anywhere on its own - then it is time to bend my knees and plead for strength and inspirations on how to combat my challenge.  It means I know that heaven is on my side and help will come.  Our afflictions, weakness and trials serve a really important function, well more than one, but one of them is so we will learn to make Christ our partner.  And it isn't just a phrase "a personal relationship with the Savior".  It is real, it is intimate and it works, time after time, problem after problem.  I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I love the effects, I love the victories.