Day 18 – Honesty

Day 18 – 11:02 p.m. – Today was a pretty good day.  I looked at some pictures I didn’t really need to see.  Nothing pornographic but lustful.  I’m readying in the manual right now and it states:

Addiction surrenders later freedom to choose…one can literally become disconnected from his or her own will.

Will is such a big part of the plan of happiness.  Satan wanted to force his will upon us and then have all the reward.  Jesus said “Thy will be done…”

At times it’s tough to understand what “submitting my will to His” means.  Maybe not what it “means” but how to do it consistently.  I feel like the formula is simple:

1. Read Scriptures
2. Personal Prayers
3. Serve Others
4. Keep the Commandments

Although these are the “primary answers” they are key ingredients in true happiness.  One of the tough challenges is to keep my heart “centered” on these important truths.  It’s so easy to get distracted by all the “things” there are to do in life – work, callings, family life, etc.  Making time for these simple concepts is what “submitting my will to His” is all about I think.

The central feature of pride is enmity – enmity toward God and enmity toward ur fellowmen.  Enmity means “hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.”  It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us.

Pride is essentially competitive in nature.  We pit our will against God’s.  When we direct our pride toward God, it is in the spirit of “my will and not thine be done.”…

Our will in competition to God’s will allows desires, appetites, and passions to go unbridled (see Alma 38:12; 3 Nephi 12:30).

The proud cannot accept the authority of God giving direction to their lives (see Helaman 12:6).  They pit their perceptions of truth against God’s great knowledge, their abilities versus God’s priesthood power, their accomplishments against His mighty works” (Apr. 1989, 3-4; Ensign, May 1989, 4)

I need to always seek to be humble, prayerful, and willing to submit my will to God’s in all things.

I’m grateful for my family: Becky, Caleb, Madi, and the little one who’s on their way.  I’ve been so blessed and must always acknowledge the hand of God in all things.

Bye for now.

Nate