Somethings been on my mind for the past few hours.
Pride.
Oh how prideful our generation has become.
"BUT FIRST. Let me take a Selfie."
Of course I've taken selfies and of course I've posted them to social media. I too am guilty of being prideful, but a few weeks ago I realized that none of it mattered. It doesn't matter how many double taps I get on my Instagram picture, how many thumbs up I get on Facebook, or how many golden stars I get on Twitter. Too often we are searching for man's approval, but how often are we searching for His approval?
Until a few weeks ago, all I wanted was praise from friends, family, and random strangers I didn't even know. But it wasn't until I started to trust in God and align my will with his that I realized that all this worldly stuff didn't matter. It doesn't matter what my neighbor thinks of me, it doesn't matter what the cute boy downstairs thinks... well I mean okay maybe a little. But not in the way of "Do I look good?" "Is that a ZIT??" "Is my hair on point?" but it matters of my service rendered to them, it matters of the example I'm setting and if I'm sharing with others Christ's light that is within me.
"The Doctrine and Covenants tells us that the Book of Mormon is the "record of a fallen people." (D&C 20:9) Why did they fall? This is one of the major messages of the Book of Mormon. Mormon gives the answer in the closing chapters of the book in these words: "Behold, the pride of this nation, or the people of the Nephites, hath proven their destruction." (Moro. 8:27) ... "Beware of pride, lest ye become as the Nephites of old." (D&C38:39)" - Ezra Taft Benson "Beware of Pride"
I highly suggest you read President Benson's talk ^^ It's an eye opener for sure.
A few of my favorite things he says are:
"The proud wish that God would agree with them. They aren't interested in changing their opinions to agree with God's."
guilty.
"What will men think of me? weighs heavier than What will God think of me?"
guilty..
"Would we not do well to have the pleasing of God as our motive rather than to try to elevate ourselves above our brother and outdo another?"
guilty...
"Selfishness is one of the more common faces of pride. "How everything affects me" is the center of all that matters--self-conceit, self-pity, worldly self-fulfillment, self-gratification, and self-seeking."
Once again....
How simple and how true! Many times I have thought my way was better than His, that what my boyfriend thought of me was more important than what God thought of me. I was the epitome of prideful. It wasn't until I truly had a broken heart and a contrite spirit that I was ready to humble myself and align my will with His. Honestly one of the hardest times in my life but 100% worth it.
Too many times I depended upon the world to tell me whether or not I had value and far too often my self-esteem was lowered because I wasn't like so and so or I didn't look like Julianne Hough... sadly I just admitted that to you all. I say 'you all' like I actually have readers other than the fam bam. (I can always count on you guys!)
Yes, I know that pride is something that catches us all at some point or another but President Benson gives us the antidote for pride and that is humility--meekness, submissiveness.
Mosiah 3:19
For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.
Of course we will have hard days but trust that you are never alone--He is there beside you. It's when we push through the hard times that God pours out his blessings for us. (Don't get me wrong.. He's always ready to bless us and is blessing us as we speak.)
Yes, I will probably still post selfies, but they are no longer to see how much approval I get but because I'm confident and feel beautiful in my own skin. As should all of you.
Let us rid of our pride and become as children.
Sincerely,
Lobster
