LOOK UP

I was just thinking how we have a natural tendency to base our worth on what other people think of us. If someone pays us a compliment, we are beautiful and talented! But... if someone puts us down or criticizes us, our worth drops significantly. Why is this? I think that whenever we call our looks or personality ugly or call someone else ugly, Heavenly Father feels very sad. He is perfect!!! So why do we view His work and His glory as ugly and worthless? We should never condemn the works of God. Instead of comparing ourselves horizontally to those around us, let us LOOK UP and see our worth from a higher perspective! 

Certain

This week I've been thinking about God's plan for me. There is so much uncertainty and it takes a lot of faith to trust God's plan. I have found it especially difficult to not confuse my path with my destination. I was really troubled yesterday and so I went to the temple that evening. While I was waiting, I read a scripture in D&C 58:3-

"Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter." 

That was an answer to my prayer!!! I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for me and that I need to trust that His plan is better than mine. That is what trusting Jesus is all about! And I am so grateful that He is the one certain thing in my life. I know that I can always depend on Him, rely on Him, and trust Him. I know that we are not forgotten and that great things are in store for us! Another answer to a prayer I had came from a quote by Horace Bushnell:  

"Trust God for great things; with your five loaves and two fishes, He will show you a way to feed thousands."

I know that He will make great instruments out of us!  

Life is beautiful

The stronger my relationship with my Heavenly Father and Savior becomes, the more I come to understand how beautiful life is. It is often too easy to focus on the challenging, mundane, and negative aspects of our lives. However, I have found that complaining, criticizing, and condemning our circumstances only degrades our spirit and makes it difficult for us to find that joy that we are meant to experience in life. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said: 

If we constantly focus on the stones in our mortal path, we will almost surely miss the beautiful flower or cool stream provided by a loving Father who outlined our journey. 

Every life has stones in its path. But without the stones, we wouldn't appreciate when our path is smooth and easy. Besides, the stones are what makes the path beautiful. We must always remember that we have truly been blessed with an abundant life! And I know that Christ is always there to light our path. My favorite quote is by C.S. Lewis. He said: 

Just as the sun is always shining in the sky, Christ is always there for us lighting our way. Despite the clouds that sometimes obscure our view of the sun, we know that the sun is there. Trials may cloud our view of our Savior, but do we doubt that He is there? In the darkest, coldest night, do we have to be perfect to earn a sunrise? No. Christ will always be there for us. He will always light the blackest of nights and we can have unwavering confidence that He will be there for us ushering in a new, clean morning. 

Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives: I know that my Redeemer lives!