I have so much to improve upon. It is rare that I bring up religion in this journal of mine. I often feel that my philosophies of life and religion and beliefs are intrinsic to who I am, and the gradual progression (or regression) that is represented in the many flawed words I type out reflects my own beliefs.
Click continue reading to get into the religiosity of it all.
Occasionally, I have moments of lucidity where things make so much more sense to me. It happened recently in an institute class. Institute is a church education system set up through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where anyone can learn in a manner guided by a dedicated teacher.
Last week we were reading from he doctrine and covenants and the following two verses made me think quite a bit.
Section 29:
1 LISTEN to the voice of Jesus Christ, your Redeemer, the Great I AM, whose arm of mercy hath atoned for your sins;
2 Who will gather his people even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, even as many as will hearken to my voice and humble themselves before me, and call upon me in mighty prayer.
It seems so logical. The Lord loves all, but those who are Humble, Prayerful Listeners are those who hearken to his voice and will feel the comfort of his spirit.
So I got introspective, like I always do. Who am I kidding? I'm simply introspective walking to and from class observing the world around me drawing upon the inherent beauty of it all.
But I started thinking a bit about myself, and where I've arrived at currently in my busy life. I've scheduled out time for rational thought and relaxation. I've scheduled out time to contemplate. When I do sit around, I just have extreme feelings of guilt as though I am very unsuccessfully letting someone down to get out of that one responsibility. I'm distracted by everything else going on in my life.
There is a common phrase in church about being "past feeling." It comes from the bible, in the Book of Ephesians chapter 4:
17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
Am I past feeling? have i become so caught up in my own endeavors that I'm not able to see outside of my own world?
Now I'm not worried to the point where I'm going to take up a pack and go live homeless in San Francisco so I can 'walk the earth', but it does make me think about a scripture that I read quite frequently in the Book Of Mormon.
I quoted this scripture quite frequently while I was a missionary in brasil, and today, it struck another chord with me. That same familiar one that I need to do better, help others, and focus on what really matters.
32 For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.
33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.
34 Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world.
Here, Alma's teaching companion explains that while we are alive on the earth, we are accountable for our actions, and seeing that any other way is a mistake. With the patience and love of a parent, he pleads with the readers, and the people he is addressing, not to procrastinate the day of change, the day of repentance, the day of turning your own life around.
Time for me to take a little turn for the better.
