How does step 7 qualify as the greatest act of your love so far?
By putting God first in my life and being willing to submit my will completely over to Him, I’m giving Him the only thing I can really offer that he hasn’t already let me “borrow”.
If I really, truly love God, I have to be willing to submit my will and do what He knows is best for me.
To help me better answer this question, I’m going to review the reading in Step 7…
When we had progressed to this point, we were ready to pray without any other motivation but our desire to become one in heart and in mind with Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
WHY I’m doing what I’m doing is the best way to show my love of God too. Like it says in this quote, my only motivation is my desire to become one in heart and in mind with Heavenly Father and His Son.
Having felt a portion of the love of God, we desired to give up all our sins, even all inclination to sin, so we might know Him better.
I really DO feel this way. I’m tired of “wanting” to sin, or being “tempted” to sin. I just want to do what God wants and “always remember Him, that I may always have His Spirit to be with me.”
One thing I feel like I really need to do is plead with the Lord to forgive me of my pride, my transgressions and my shortcomings. I need to ask Him for a new way of life. I need to “yield without reservation”.
I like how it says that “…in taking step 7 we were not excused from the work that was ours to do. We still had to be patient and ‘press forward with a steadfastness in Christ’ (2 Nephi 31:20).” I also like that it notes that I need to learn to accept life in God’s terms and wait upon His purposes and His timing, even in the removal of my shortcomings.
Here are some of my shortcomings currently:
- patience with my children
- desires to look at women as they walk by (not following the ‘chin-up’ policy all the time)
- chatting with old friends from high school, almost “flirting at times”
- being prideful, comparing myself to others and feeling that I’m better than them
- not using my time most effectively at work – lack of organization
- putting off the things that I feel will be hard until a later date or simply not doing them
- not reading my scriptures consistently
- not having my personal prayers, the kneel down kind, consistently (I do pray during the day but it’s not as “formal”)
- not going to bed at a reasonable time
- not exercising consistently
- thinking about past transgressions
- I’m sure there are many others that I can’t think of right now
I like that it also says, “We finally abandoned the idea that we could become perfect by ourselves, and we accepted the truth that God desires us to conquer our weaknesses in this life by coming to Christ and being perfected in Him.”
Another way I can show my love to God is through Sacrifice. I don’t know what I’ve been willing to sacrifice so far. I know I’ve talked about going to bed earlier but don’t feel I’ve given that up yet. I feel this is something I need to really commit to.
I do feel good about the Action Step regarding “Praying humble for God to do for me what I cannot do for myself”. I feel closer to God as I consistently ask for His help in the face of temptation.
I feel answering these questions thoroughly is one of the little ways I’m showing my commitment to submit my will to God and put my trust in Him. I feel I’m willing to do whatever it takes to overcome my shortcomings and put my complete trust in Him. I feel there is work to do. I can be better. But I really do feel the grace of God more now in my life than I can ever recall before (except for maybe after the car accident I had at 15.)
Here’s to a great day!
Hasta Luego!
Nate
Leave a Reply