Live by faith, not by fear
This is something I've really been thinking about lately. There is so much in this world to be fearful of. I don't watch the news, because it's just too depressing. I would rather be ignorant than have that in my life every day. Mike tells me when big things happen, or I hear it from my co-workers. Recently my brother and his girl friend were telling us that the economy here in Utah is suppose to get really bad toward the end of the year. Even just typing that, I get a pit in my stomach. It's so easy to feel that - and feel the panic that comes with it. I have to remind myself that my life belongs to the Lord, and that as I do my part to take care of us, he will do the rest.
This especially applies in my weight loss. I fear that I won't be able to do it. That I'll give up, that I will always be mediocre. But that truth is all of those things Satan wants me to believe. And the other truth is that ALL of them are up to me whether they come true or not. I can choose to believe that crap, or I can choose to have faith in myself, that I am strong. And faith in the Lord that he wants me to take care of this temple he has given me and that he will give me strength when I am lacking.
Comments
by the way, I prefer not to watch the news as well...
Sam, trust in the Lord with all your might! He will get your through this and give you the strength you need. Just as you said but, it's true. I am telling myself this over and over and am praying that one day, I will really, truly believe it.
The thing I try to remember is that sometimes the outcome is better than I could have imagined. In my effort to control something, I might be preventing something amazing from happening.
In other words, for as much as I want to rule the world (or at least my own world), sometimes the collective moment of things happening around me (or in your words, "the Lord") has a better plan.
"We can forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light." -- Plato
Buddha didn't reach enlightenment/nirvana until he confronted Mara (on par with the christian Satan) by putting his head in Mara's mouth. It is said that from time to time the Buddha would see Mara in the guise of fear, doubt, shame, but he would invite Mara to sit next to him. He'd pour Mara a cup of tea. In other words, sometimes fear has a place, but it should be on OUR terms, not its terms.
A Journey to a New Me - one of things I learned about faith, whether in a religous setting, or a personal setting (meaning faith in myself) is that sometimes you just have to go on the small hope you have in your heart and then do. Sometimes it's only after the doing that you realize you had the faith all along.
Fatgirl vs World - thank you so much for your comment! I especially appreciated the last part about Mara and not running from it, but allowing it to have it's place on my own terms. I agree, there is a purpose for those bad things - how else would we know the good?
Thanks again everyone!