I think I just had a major epiphany with regard to a couple of verses. As a preface: You know that verse in Doctrine and Covenants 9:7-9 that first gives a mild rebuke to Oliver Cowdery for merely asking not and doing any of his homework ahead of time? Then the Lord tells Oliver that he needs to study it out in his mind and after he has done that, ask God if it is right. Understandable, God is telling him to use his own brain first. He wants him to figure it out as much as possible and then come to God for further witness on the matter. God tells him that once he asks, if it is right, he'll feel a burning in his bosom and he'll feel that it is right.
I've always wondered what the burning in my bosom was. I have felt it before, but I thought it only came at really spiritual moments. I thought it only came while I would pray or during church. It didn't occur to me until now that I have had the burning in my bosom to know if a thing was right often and during very ordinary days in my life.
Lately (as in the last few years, but particularly the past year), I have been wondering what path I should take with my songwriting and music. I have always believed that if you feel inclined toward something and it brings goodness to the world or a person in some way, to just do it. I have felt inclined toward many things in my life...to become a teacher, go to college, exercise, eat well, produce music, travel, write songs, build stuff, etc.
Now that I am looking back, I am realizing that the burning in my bosom was that same inclination that drove me toward a certain action that would bring satisfaction. Producing an album brought deep satisfaction. Now I'm going on a Summer House Concert Tour playing in people's backyards and living rooms. I feel a deep desire to do this as well. It feels like the right step forward. I've been doing other research and study about things that I feel I need to do. I have recently become a mother, which I love and cherish. All of these things have been the result of a burning in my bosom to act.
I think that the term fire under your bumb is in a way a variation of fire in your bosom. If you have the fire or need to do something and it is good, if you do it, you will not have regret. If you have that fire or desire to do something good and do not do it, I believe that is when there is regret.
Over the course of my life, I have taken very careful note that when I feel inclined toward something good, I should do it. When I do, I don't have regret. I believe the inclinations that drive us are the burning in our bosom. When we don't drive forward toward the inclinations, we miss out on greater blessings and perspective.
Monday, June 19, 2017
To Be Gentle
I am constantly aware of the state of my humanity. It particularly stares me down when I am not gentle or kind to the people in my life who matter the most to me. The ones that I hope feel loved and liked by me. I want them to feel I would do anything for them...even treat them with kindness in a rough moment. Sometimes in one split second, a harsh word or action can turn a perfectly good morning into tension. It can turn joy into sorrow. It can breed insecurity.
As I studied James 3:17, it says, But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. I wondered why this verse talks about peace, gentleness, being easy-going, merciful, etc and why that list begins with purity. The dictionary states that purity is freedom from adulteration or contamination, which basically means that it is free from any substance that makes the quality lesser. For example, the quality of a diamond increases with its purity because the clarity is what people want to see in a diamond. The question arises, What does it mean for us to be pure so that we can be peaceable, gentle, easy-going, merciful, and not hypocritical?
I believe the answer to that question is personal. Each person has things they wish were better about them. For some it is a need for perfection, other a substance vice, for others, a sexual vice. For others, it is the need for control, and the list goes on. Every person has something that affects their ability to be more gentle or peaceful in tough moments. We all have character flaws, that by working on it and being more gentle with ourselves and giving ourselves a chance to rise beyond it, naturally become more gentle with others and allow the little things to roll off our backs. That said, we will still have moments far below our character. We are human, not robots, and therefore will be thrown for a loop in an unexpected moment. That is when we must swallow our pride. The key is noting what sets you off and having the self-discipline to stop yourself in a rash minute.
It's easy to know this and harder to know AND do. That is always the tricky part. In the educational world, educators know this as the Knowing-Doing Gap. It's real, people. As humans, no matter the age, we know stuff, but struggle with then doing it. Maybe the answer is never staying off the horse. You fall off, you get back on. You never give up and stay off. If it happens often, you get help. Sometimes we need someone to coach us to do better so that we don't spiral into a depression.
Being human is not easy, but with time and help, we can get better at it. One more thing that is important to mention is giving others a reasonable benefit of the doubt. By believing that people mean well (if they aren't abusive), then put yourself in their place and try to have perspective. Perspective will make or break a tough situation and you will come out having triumphed.
As I studied James 3:17, it says, But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. I wondered why this verse talks about peace, gentleness, being easy-going, merciful, etc and why that list begins with purity. The dictionary states that purity is freedom from adulteration or contamination, which basically means that it is free from any substance that makes the quality lesser. For example, the quality of a diamond increases with its purity because the clarity is what people want to see in a diamond. The question arises, What does it mean for us to be pure so that we can be peaceable, gentle, easy-going, merciful, and not hypocritical?
I believe the answer to that question is personal. Each person has things they wish were better about them. For some it is a need for perfection, other a substance vice, for others, a sexual vice. For others, it is the need for control, and the list goes on. Every person has something that affects their ability to be more gentle or peaceful in tough moments. We all have character flaws, that by working on it and being more gentle with ourselves and giving ourselves a chance to rise beyond it, naturally become more gentle with others and allow the little things to roll off our backs. That said, we will still have moments far below our character. We are human, not robots, and therefore will be thrown for a loop in an unexpected moment. That is when we must swallow our pride. The key is noting what sets you off and having the self-discipline to stop yourself in a rash minute.
It's easy to know this and harder to know AND do. That is always the tricky part. In the educational world, educators know this as the Knowing-Doing Gap. It's real, people. As humans, no matter the age, we know stuff, but struggle with then doing it. Maybe the answer is never staying off the horse. You fall off, you get back on. You never give up and stay off. If it happens often, you get help. Sometimes we need someone to coach us to do better so that we don't spiral into a depression.
Being human is not easy, but with time and help, we can get better at it. One more thing that is important to mention is giving others a reasonable benefit of the doubt. By believing that people mean well (if they aren't abusive), then put yourself in their place and try to have perspective. Perspective will make or break a tough situation and you will come out having triumphed.
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