Troubled about many things

 

There are many demands on our time. It sometimes feels like there's too much to do and not enough time to do it. And on top of all that, God wants us to do those things that will bring us closer to Him: reading our scriptures, attending temple and other worship services, serving others, etc. It's not hard to understand why we sometimes let those things slide. But when we prioritize them, they help all the other activities in our lives to fall into their proper place.

When Jesus told Martha that "one thing is needful," He was not implying that the other things she was trying to do were unimportant or not worthwhile. Rather, He was pointing out that at that time, Martha's desire to learn from Him in order to draw nearer to God was more important. Concerning herself with keeping house and serving her guests was a worthy desire. But Christ would only be with them for a short time, and they were better served by taking advantage of His presence.

This doesn't mean every second of every day needs to be spent on studying the Gospel. We need to take care of our mortal bodies (which includes appropriate intervals of rest and recreation), maintain close relationships with those we love, and contribute to our communities and society at large. "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1). If we ever feel overwhelmed with all the things we need to do, or are ever unsure of what to do next, we can take some time to ponder what one thing is most needful in that moment.

True Love Triangle

 

In works of fiction, it is very common to have one character in love with two others, or visa versa. This trope is so common in fact, that it has it's own name: "love triangle". At the risk of sounding pedantic though, it's usually not a true triangle. While there may be three points (one character and their two love interests), there are only two sides: one connecting the character with one love interest, and another connecting them with the other love interest. If there is any relationship between the two love interests, it is often characterized by jealousy, competition, disdain, or sometimes even hatred. That is, of course, the point of authors employing the love triangle: it's a very easy narrative device for generating conflict and driving the story.

God's love, however, works differently. This isn't to criticize the use of such a narrative device in fiction, nor to diminish the conflicts that can arise from similar scenarios in real-life. It's simply a reminder that when we strive to follow the great commandment, we are edified and drawn closer together.

The admonition for one to "love thy God, and thy neighbor as thyself" supplies us with the three points of our "True Love Triangle". The first two are obvious: love God and love thy neighbor. However, loving them "as thyself" implies the need to actually love oneself. After all, if we don't love ourselves, then loving God or our neighbor "as ourselves" doesn't actually mean much. To be clear, I am not referring to the prideful, narcissistic "self-love"that causes one to see themselves as superior to others. Rather, I am referring to love like God has for us.

This three-way relationship of love between God, our neighbor, and ourselves produces a beautiful harmony in which strengthening any one point of the triangle simultaneously strengthens the other two:

• The more we love God, the easier it is to love ourselves, because we'll feel closer to Him and see ourselves as He sees us: someone worthy of love.
• The more we love God, the easier it is to love our neighbor, because we internalize God-like attributes such as mercy, patience, and generosity.
• The more we love our neighbor, the easier it is to love God, because loving and serving our neighbor is one way to demonstrate our love for God (see Matthew 25:40, Mosiah 2:17).
• The more we love our neighbor, the easier it is to love ourselves, because showing love for others makes us feel good about ourselves.
• The more we love ourselves, the easier it is to love God, because dark thoughts of self-doubt will be diminished, which could otherwise distract us from thinking of God.
  
• The more we love ourselves, the easier it is to love our neighbor, because taking care of ourselves grants us the health and strength we need to serve others.

So if we are ever finding it difficult to feel love for God, ourselves, or those around us, we may find it easier to start with another point of the triangle. The more we sincerely express love, the more love we will be able to feel in turn.

Those who love

 

This was a commission someone ordered for a friend. God often blesses His children through others. So by showing love and kindness to others, we are doing His work. ♥

Hardened or Softened

One section of the Book of Mormon tells of a lengthy conflict between two nations. It lasted many years. As this verse says, it affected different people in different ways, even those belonging to the same nation and who were suffering the same hardships.

The pandemic we are currently experiencing is comparable to a war, or any other long-term event that causes widespread suffering, and we see the same pattern repeat itself: some are of those affected are becoming hardened, cynical, hopeless, or selfish, while others are becoming more softened, caring, sensitive, and generous. We should all strive for the latter. To be clear, allowing ourselves to be "softened" doesn't mean we won't suffer, nor does it mean we don't take care of or protect ourselves and our families. Rather, it means that when we do suffer, we don't allow ourselves to become bitter and we remember to take care of others around us, to the extent possible. This has the added benefit of reinforcing a sense of control over our situation, which in turn empowers us to grow from our trials. If we ever feel ourselves becoming hardened by our trials, one of the best remedies is to serve others who are also suffering. By so doing, we'll be helping them and ourselves.

Stay hopeful. This current trial won't last for ever. Neither will any others that will come in the future. We have the ability to come out the other side better than we were before it started.

Serve The Lord

The world has different idols and gods than it did in Joshua's day. But his counsel to be deliberate about who or what we choose to serve remains relevant. The transient trappings of mortality have their place. We should do what we can to keep them there, and choose to serve God by learning of Him and His Gospel and by loving and serving those around us.