He heals the heavy laden

There are just not enough hours in one day. I have a list of things a mile long to do and not nearly enough time to do them all. Blogging is not my top priority at the moment. In fact, it is not a priority at all. But I've had something on my mind tonight and I wanted to write down some thoughts. I've feel like I've learned 2 things in this last week.

1) Speaking without thinking is like shooting without aiming

Words. The words we say are something we can never take back. They have the potential to be remembered forever. We have the power to use our words to lift others up or bring them down. Every time we open our mouths to speak, we have a choice. We can ask ourselves this simple question "are my words helping or hindering those around me?" and "Do I want to be remembered by these words?"

I know recently I've had some words said to me that were pretty hurtful. You know those words that just make your heart hurt? Those kind. I'm usually pretty good at letting go and forgetting and forgiving. I feel like I have been able to forgive, but as I previously stated, you can never erase words. And sometimes, you unfortunately can never forget them. Or it can take great lengths of time. And there are those moments when you are just sitting. pondering. when those words come back to you. And you sit and dwell on them. And stress about them. And just fell yucky because of them. Words are powerful things.

One of my favorite christian rock songs is called "words" by Hawk Nelson. It says:

They've made me feel like a prisoner
They've made me feel set free
They've made me feel like a criminal
Made me feel like a king

They've lifted my heart
To places I'd never been
And they've dragged me down
Back to where I began

 

Words can build you up
Words can break you down
Start a fire in your heart or
Put it out

We cannot control the words that others say. We can only control our own words. I want to do my best to make sure the words I say are building others up and reflecting my best self.

 

2) Do not fear the future; go forward with hope and faith

 

Life is absolutely wonderful!! But life can be hard. And That's probably an understatement. We can spend our whole lives wishing, praying and hoping for a certain thing, thinking that when we receive it, our lives will be complete bliss. Then when it happens.... it's not as blissful as we expected. Trials and tribulations still occur. Temptations are still present.

 

Sometimes we feel like giving up. Well... sometimes I feel like giving up. Okay, a lot of times I feel like giving up. But I've found that I'm a lot stronger than I give myself credit for. Just when I think I've hit my breaking point and I think that I cannot go on anymore and I just want to quit life and all it's responsibilities and stresses and sit on my bed, under a blanket, drinking coke and eating Jalapeno poppers, and not come out for a week, I somehow manage to continue on.

 

On those days when I literally don't feel like I can continue on, I know that my Savior carries me until I can walk on my own. I have witnessed his hand in my life more times than I can count. There are many days, especially recently, that I don't think I could have gotten through without his help. His atonement includes not only physical ailments, but emotional, mental and spiritual sicknesses. He can and will heal us.

 

I read a talk yesterday by Dallin H. Oaks called 'He Heals the Heavy Laden' and it was fantastic.

It was from the October 2006 General Conference.

In it he says "at times we may despair that our burdens are too great. When it seems that a tempest is raging in our lives, we may feel abandoned and cry out like the disciples in the storm, "Master, carest thou not that we perish?" (Mark 4:38). At such times we should remember His reply: "Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" (v.40) The healing power of the Lord Jesus Christ- whether it removes our burdens or strengthens us to endure and live with them like the Apostle Paul- is available for every affliction in mortality."

 

I don't know what God has in store for me in the future. I don't know what trials and tribulations I am going to have to endure. But I trust him. And I know that with his help, I can make it thought anything. Elder oaks continues to say "The Savior teaches that we will have tribulation in the world but we should 'be of good cheer' because He has 'overcome the world'.

Having faith in Christ is the key to happiness, even in times of hardship. I'm not even close to perfect at this. But I'm striving to be better. I've always been thankful for my trials. And I plan to continue to be. Yeah... a majority of the time they stink. But the lessons we gain from them are priceless. And they make us better people. God is making us better people. I want to be better. I want to learn and grow.

 

It's been a rough few weeks for multiple reasons. And I know the rough times aren't over. But God hasn't left me alone yet. And I know he doesn't plan to. And that is a comforting thought and it makes me less scared for the future and hard times that are up ahead.