Since I was home from church yesterday with a croupy Eva, I didn't get my usual influx of Sunday thoughts.
But I found myself thinking a lot about something I read on Lori's blog:
But I found myself thinking a lot about something I read on Lori's blog:
"God wants what you aren't willing to give.
"This is a difficult question because I think we THINK we're willing to give things until the time actually comes to give them."
I was mulling this over, thinking about the things I'm not willing to give. Unconditional love sure seems to be a hard one. And I quite often find myself complaining, if only to myself, about the meetings I have to attend for my YW calling. Sometimes I just want to do things that are pleasurable, rather than the plethora of other things that I know I should do (and that ultimately bring me great satisfaction).
Like Lori said, I think I'm willing -- until it comes right down to it -- then, I'm not so sure. Am I willing to give up my sleep? My limited free time? Am I willing to force myself outside of my comfort zone? Willing to offer true friendship to someone I might not initially be drawn to? Willing to make a leap of faith when necessary? Willing to give up some of my independence and ask for help?
Then, my thoughts turned to something my father-in-law wrote and that I was reading recently:
"C. S. Lewis named the symbol for sin and the world as “Turkish Delights.” We must look only into our own hearts to know all about the Turkish Delights, or temptations that exist there. If we lose our way, it is because we cleverly defend ourselves against that which would take us back to Father, or because of our taste for Turkish Delights. So what is our problem? It is our taste for Turkish Delights.
"We may look for security in accumulating, or by notoriety. We may be pushed off the path by extremism, crippling guilt, arrogance, prosperity, self-importance, intellectual pursuits, or extreme independence. If our hands are too full we may have no place in which to put what He offers us."
I think this is the key -- when I'm holding fast to my Turkish Delights, I may find it harder to receive what God is offering. They're what interfere with my willingness to give all that is asked of me. But oh, they are so comfortable, so familiar, sometimes so awfully hard to give up.
I'm going to be thinking about this a lot more...
12 comments:
This sort of thing makes me nervous to think about...that can't be a good sign.
Michelle I love these thoughts. I think this is one of the hardest thing about life, that we came here with human natures and desires, and yet everything that is good for us does not come easy and requires God's help. I don't think we can do it alone, nor were we left to.
I wonder about myself all the time and think it's one of the reasons why I choose the word give this year to focus on. I don't just want to give something because it's easy, I want to give because it's meaningful to someone else. I admit, like Jill, it makes me nervous and when faced with it what will I do? I hope I will give.
Like you I need to think about this more...there is a lot to learn.
I need to think about this a lot more. I don't think I have really thought about God wanting what I am not willing to give- it's like I need to sit on it for a few and wrap my mind around it.
I'm totally with Jill on this one--
:)
What great thoughts. It seems so basic and easy to do, and it is, but it is hard for us at the same time, isn't it? Thanks for the thoughts to mull in my head.
Thanks for giving me something to think about. That is a hard issue for sure.
I love how you thought of this, specially with the C. S. Lewis quotes. It hit me in a profound way to read we may look for security in accumulating, notoriety, extre....etc., etc., this is really what makes us fall of the path or loose our grip to the straight and narrow...wow.. soo much depth to this quote! So much!
These are such great thoughts Michelle. They reminded me of that quote by Joseph Smith (I'm gonna paraphrase) where he says that a religion that does not require sacrifice cannot bring us to God.
It seems hard and yet sometimes when I am struggling I wonder if it is like the story of Moses and the golden serpent...maybe my task is as simple as just looking but I'm making more difficult because I'm so stubborn?
So much to think about!
Huh. Maybe a better way of thinking about it is that we're not willing to give what God wants; that is a little easier for me to digest. Huh--I'll have to think about that a little more!
"God wants what you aren't willing to give."
This is a lot to think about. Thanks for the post. I need to think more and give more not on my terms.
can i confess i have stewed over this post for a good long while?! at first, it made me cringe. then i started thinking about what i just don't want to give up. then ir ealized that essentially, what god wants is a sacrifice from us- something that isn't easy for us to give up. and then i remembered that every time there is a sacrifice involved, the Lord blesses us. that gives me some comfort knowing that ultimately, what i don't want to give is what will need to be given.
this was a great post. lots of thinking required!
Like you,(and others here) I need to continue to think about this. It is interesting how our thoughts can rotate and turn around as we contemplate. What first went through my mind is not what I think now as I reread this. Good thoughts, Michelle, good thoughts. Thanks for sharing this- I needed to think.
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