Negative Thinking

As I read the scriptures I end up doing self assessments to see where I stand.  I then think about how I can improve one of the areas where I am deficient – knowing that this is fairly difficult since it is impossible to make a goal in the future regarding something that comes upon you in the present (be it in the future).  Character change (or Christ-like attribute development) is difficult because the negative thing happens in the moment and catches you unaware.  The only correcting influence is remembering the Savior at all times so you can’t be caught unaware.  A watered down version of remembering is to just be self-aware that you have fallen into a negative attribute (depression, hate, anger, impatience, etc.) and just stare at the negative thinking going on in your head.  Watch it, it is not your true self.  It is pretending to be you but it isn’t (why else could you just be observing IT).  It is your ego or natural man trying to take over.  By not identifying with it but just observing it, it start to shrink.  Over the course of a few weeks it disappears.  Just by observing it.  This is called watching yourself (Mosiah 4:30) in the scriptures.

Since negative thinking (the opposite or charity thinking) is just in your head, why not give it to Christ knowing that he suffered for all that?  Perhaps casting one’s burdens on to Christ is what is meant initially when the scriptures say to come unto Christ.  Why hold thoughts and emotions in your head when you have a being that is willing to accept them since he paid for them.  Perhaps negative thinking is sin and the way to get rid of it is to believe that there really is a God who can relieve you of them.

Since negative ways of thinking are bad habits, they will come back.  They are old friends but really demons.  It takes practice believing that because of Christ all feelings of shame (regrets of the past, not good enough now) and fear (of the future) can be taken by him simply by giving them to Him over and over again.  You can then carry a song away (Hymn 124).  Just believe.

Nowhere in the scriptures does it say we have to perform some great act to get to heaven.  But, I do believe that God will open doors and provide the way for each of us to fulfill our particular missions in life if we have been constantly relying on His grace and merits up to that point.  God opens the doors, we do not. 

The way is EASY for the person with charity.  He is constantly in a peaceful, relaxed, happy state.  He can’t offend anyone.  That is when God can use you.  You can’t be confounded (because you have no triggers).  Now that state upsets nasty people.

Whenever I feel like my Patriarchal Blessing has been thwarted (by my acts, or how I was raised), I give it all to God.  I have to.  It would be unmerciful (which is sin) not to.