home
What does it mean to feel at home?
Warm. Happy. Good. Comfortable.
I think that's my favorite. Comfortable. Because it's the most like home.
Sometimes, I look back on my past posts or in my journal, and I see myself SO LOST. And we all have moments like that. We've all felt alone and lost and UNCOMFORTABLE. At least in that moment, or day, or week, or month, or year.
But as I was thinking about how hard and sad it is to wade through those times, it hit me that I'm NOT going through that now. Because I remembered a little piece of that pain, I could contrast it with how I feel now. And ya know what?? I have LOTS to think about. I have a million things on my mind. BUT. I am okay. I am MORE than okay, I am happy. So, so happy.
And I feel at home.
And it's made me so much more grateful for the truths that I know--there is opposition in all things.
One of my all-time favorites (from 2 Nephi 2):
11 For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my firstborn in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad....
Of course, we will always have bad days and moments and weeks. If we didn't, we wouldn't be human. We wouldn't be here. There HAS to be the sweet and the bitter. Or we wouldn't be able to really tell when we are happy and comfortable. Hard things WILL come.
But we get to CHOOSE whether we will act or be acted upon. We get to CHOOSE to be obedient, and that is ultimately what will make us happy, comfortable, at home. Even if we are what feels like galaxies away from people we love, even if we are serving the Lord on another continent speaking a new language, whether we are doing most everything ALONE, we can be at home. Because Heavenly Father will ALWAYS bless obedience and action. I KNOW without any doubt that that is why I am happy. At home. That is why I have everything I could ever need right by my side, in my life.
He loves us. And He wants us to feel at home.
So...act.
Warm. Happy. Good. Comfortable.
I think that's my favorite. Comfortable. Because it's the most like home.
Sometimes, I look back on my past posts or in my journal, and I see myself SO LOST. And we all have moments like that. We've all felt alone and lost and UNCOMFORTABLE. At least in that moment, or day, or week, or month, or year.
But as I was thinking about how hard and sad it is to wade through those times, it hit me that I'm NOT going through that now. Because I remembered a little piece of that pain, I could contrast it with how I feel now. And ya know what?? I have LOTS to think about. I have a million things on my mind. BUT. I am okay. I am MORE than okay, I am happy. So, so happy.
And I feel at home.
And it's made me so much more grateful for the truths that I know--there is opposition in all things.
One of my all-time favorites (from 2 Nephi 2):
11 For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my firstborn in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad....
13 And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not there is no God. And if there is no God we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished away.
14 And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit and learning; for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon.
15 And to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man, after he had created our first parents, and the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and in fine, all things which are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter.
16 Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other...
22 And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.
23 And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.
What a BEAUTIFUL doctrine. What a beautiful thing that God has given us--opposition. Agency. Choice whether we are going to be happy or not. Whether we choose to have JOY. Because that IS the reason for our existence! Isn't that amazing?! And we get to choose if we'll be joyful!!Of course, we will always have bad days and moments and weeks. If we didn't, we wouldn't be human. We wouldn't be here. There HAS to be the sweet and the bitter. Or we wouldn't be able to really tell when we are happy and comfortable. Hard things WILL come.
But we get to CHOOSE whether we will act or be acted upon. We get to CHOOSE to be obedient, and that is ultimately what will make us happy, comfortable, at home. Even if we are what feels like galaxies away from people we love, even if we are serving the Lord on another continent speaking a new language, whether we are doing most everything ALONE, we can be at home. Because Heavenly Father will ALWAYS bless obedience and action. I KNOW without any doubt that that is why I am happy. At home. That is why I have everything I could ever need right by my side, in my life.
He loves us. And He wants us to feel at home.
So...act.
I love reading your thoughts. :) Also, this reminds me of mine and Jon's song called "Feels Like Home" by Chantal Kreviazuk. You've probably heard it before, but it was the first song Jon and I danced to as man and wife. It's more about love than the spiritual aspects, but still...pretty great. You should look it up!
ReplyDeleteRach, I LOVE that song. It's wonderful. And that totally relates! Part of the reason we feel at home is because of love, right? :) Dittos are good at making people feeling like they're home. Thanks for being you.
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