Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Alma 60:1-11

Was it a sin for Moroni to condemn Pahoran and the other war leaders. Obviously he was wrong, but was it a sin? Sometimes it is hard for me to take any action because I am afraid it will be the wrong action. But because Moroni took action, even though he was wrong, God was able to do good things with what he had done. It is hard for me to understand the balance between thinking and choosing wisely, and just getting something done. I feel like one wrong move and everything is over and ruined, but that isn’t the way anything works with God. How can I remember that when I am completely stunted by anxiety?
It is interesting that Moroni said if they had only suffered hunger and thirst and fatigue and crummy conditions they wouldn’t complain, but it is their loss of men that it is so hard and wrong. I feel like that is echoed in the book we just read for book club, Tough as They Come by Travis Mills about his experiences in Afghanistan and as a quadruple amputee. When they are out on missions the conditions are horrible, but that didn’t seem to be a complaint for them, either. It really made me respect the sacrifice of the soldiers who fight for our freedom. It also makes me feel like a wimp who is quick to complain, and want to do better.
Moroni really rips into Pahoran hard, “sitting on your throne in a state of thoughtless stupor.” It makes me laugh, but it also makes me think. He is really upset because the people trusted their leaders to take care of them, and they were not. Am I taking seriously the responsibilities I have been entrusted with? I am grateful I finally told Omar about the inspiration to read scriptures, and we did that last night, but there are so many other areas where I need to do better. Omar goes to work every day trusting that I will take care of things at home, but I so often fail to do that. I have been entrusted with loving and teaching my children, and protecting them, yet so often my anger is the thing they need protection from. I need to take my callings more seriously, I need to reach out more to the people around me. I have been given many talents and responsibilities and blessings. Am I taking those responsibilities seriously, or am I sitting in a thoughtless stupor?

And verse 11 really hits home as well. It is good to trust God, but we must do our part, and not sit and wait for him to solve our problems. If I am feeling myself getting depressed and overwhelmed, prayer is good, but I also need to do the things I know will help. Like exercise and reading scriptures and eating well and working hard. I have to do all I can before I can rely on His help. Which is what I want to teach my kids not just about God, but about asking for anyone’s help. I need to do much better to teach them to be responsible for themselves.

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