I'm doing something called Feel Great in Eight. It is a health program, mixed with spiritually uplifting goals. I have overcome a few addictions with this program and one that I have recently been working on is striving to LIVE like Christ lived, by doing my very best to exemplify his behavior. This has been extremely difficult as I have intended to take my love to a much higher level. This has required a deeper level of forgiveness and submission than I tend to feel comfortable with on a regular basis. This requires a constant devotion of conscious effort and commitment. I am still working on this and probably will be my whole mortal life, but I would absolutely LOVE if the destructive spirit of contention, resentment, and revenge were completely and entirely absent from my life.
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, said it best in this last conference when he said, "We simply have to stop judging others and replace judgmental thoughts and feelings with a heart full of love for God and His children. God is our Father. We are His children. We are all brothers and sisters."
We are all brothers and sisters.
He continues to say the following:
"When we feel hurt, angry, or envious, it is quite easy to judge other people, often assigning dark motives to their actions in order to justify our own feelings of resentment".
"As always, Christ is our exemplar. In His teachings as in His life, He showed us the way. He forgave the wicked, the vulgar, and those who sought to hurt and to do Him harm."
"Jesus said it is easy to love those who love us; even the wicked can do that. But Jesus Christ taught a higher law. His words echo through the centuries and are meant for us today. They are meant for all who desire to be His disciples. They are meant for you and me: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”
"We are not perfect."
"The people around us are not perfect. People do things that annoy, disappoint, and anger. In this mortal life it will always be that way."
"Nevertheless, we must let go of our grievances. Part of the purpose of mortality is to learn how to let go of such things. That is the Lord’s way."
"Remember, heaven is filled with those who have this in common: They are forgiven. And they forgive."
"Lay your burden at the Savior’s feet. Let go of judgment. Allow Christ’s Atonement to change and heal your heart. Love one another. Forgive one another."
"The merciful will obtain mercy."
I know without a doubt that the Lord's way is supposed to be our way. In a world that has so many wicked habits and tendencies, we must personally make a commitment to be different. We all need the Savior's help and the Savior himself needs more of us to be willing to exemplify his pure love through our very own loving countenance and righteous ways.
