Scripture Power

This week I have realized how much strength and power I am given for reading my scriptures.  I have had a few weeks where I haven't read them every day.  Not that I haven't read them at all, but not every day.  Come Thursday or Friday, I tended to check out of that commitment that I made to God and myself.   I found that on these days, things were much more challenging emotionally and perspectively.  I had a harder time being hopeful and being proactive about everything.  I thought less about my day and what I wanted to accomplish and thought more in terms of what I "had" to do that day.  When I read my scriptures, it helps me to refocus on the things that I know are really important and the things that I really want (not just what do I want to eat at my next meal or what form of entertainment I should pursue during my next down period.  Scripture study invites the spirit and helps me attain and maintain through out my day a positive attitude.  It helps me to actually want to do all the hard things that I've signed up to do or that are made available to me through out the day.  Taking time for scripture reading is "me" time that I need everyday.  It helps me to be my best self.  I read about people who were striving with their whole beings to keep the commandments and do what is right, even in very difficult circumstances. They are great examples to me.  If they can do it, maybe I can do the smaller things that are asked of me every day.  I'm always glad that I chose to read, this is something that I need to remember the next time I think I might skip today. When I read the scriptures, I am reminded of how much God loves me and all of His children.  He is constantly trying to get them to do things that will help them to be the happiest they can be.  He really does love us all.

Yea, scriptures!

Following God

Mosiah 5:7

7 And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the ^achildren of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are ^bchanged through faith on his name; therefore, ye are ^cborn of him and have become his ^dsons and his daughters.

This change of heart spoken of by King Benjamin in the book of Mosiah in the Book of Mormon is something that can actually happen.  Acting in faith can be hard, but if you stick with it, you begin to see the benefits and want to continue in the path.  This is the change of heart.  Changing from rebellion to tentative submission to proactive involvement.  Once you reach this last stage, certain things become easier, you look forward to staying the course and actively plan to proceed down the course in the future.  The desires of your heart have changed.  So often this only comes after a long time of acting in faith, without seeing much result or at least the result you want to see.  But once you have developed good habits and dedication to the path, you begin to see all the different ways staying the course makes you better, your life better, everything better.  You don't want to lose that so you have encouragement to carry on and to keep growing in this direction.  You want to reach further down this road and see what else you can become and how else you can develop, what else you can do.  You can see how believing God and following Him is really allowing Him to love you and help you to be the happiest you can.  He really does want us to be happy.  For that I am very grateful and humbled.