A few weeks ago I picked up a book at Deseret Book written by Wendy Watson Nelson. She is a marriage and family therapist who was single most of her life. What would she know about marriage and family? A few years ago she married Elder Russel M. Nelson. I have admired her work for several years and have read many of her books and articles. This particular book has really helped me to find different outlooks into my own personal problems.
This book, Rock Solid Relationships, has helped me to center the solutions to my problems with the Savior and the scriptures. I will just mention a few things right now that struck me again this morning as I looked back through the notes I took when I started reading. Here is a paragraph from her book:
"When we don't know the next step to take, when we can't see any light at the end of our relationship tunnel, the scriptures--the word of God--are the "iron rod" that we can count on and hold onto. The wisdom contained in the scriptures will guide us over the mountains of misunderstandings, through the dark nights of betrayal, and around the mine fields of destructive traditions and legacies of lethal thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. And all we have to do is be willing to seek their wisdom. "Yea; we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall ....lead the man (and woman) of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery" (Helaman 3:20--even that gulf of misery that is created by unhappy and stressful relationship."
She goes on to explain that the scriptures hold to keys to everything, but sometimes we need to keep reading and look before we find it. But we are promised we will find it. "Feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you ALL things what ye should do." (2 Nephi 32:3)
I know when I was in my deepest depression nothing anyone said helped me at all. Looking for answers from others just didn't work. I never felt that angels were sent to help me. That only happened to other people. I felt I was never good enough, never worthy, that God didn't know me and didn't care about me. I felt so alone and of no worth. It took a long time of looking, reading, trusting on the word of others that the scriptures were true, trusting on the word of others that God did know me, and did care. Sometimes even now I slip back into those thoughts and I have to struggle to keep my head where it should be. I just needed to remember that my husband, children, grandchildren, and all my extended family needed me to be my best, however difficult it was each day. I guess it was a "fake it until you make it" type of thing. They deserved happiness, and I was trying so hard to be the one to give it to them.
This book has helped me see what I need to do as I work on my eternal relationships. I still struggle with thoughts of not being good enough. I think it will always be a struggle, but I can say it is worth it because I love my family. They are worth everything I can possibly put into our relationships.
Turn to the scriptures, turn to prayer, turn to Christ and you will receive ALL things what ye should do..
1 comment:
I have been very neglectful as far as reading my scriptures lately. I have felt so out of balance. I'm one who gets up faithfully and reads and have done so for many years. But this year, it feel monotonous and I have struggled.
But the other day I felt so off kilter and I knew it was because I hadn't been reading my scriptures. So I recommitted myself and thought it would take a few weeks before I felt balanced again.
It took only a couple of days, several prayers and I was back where I wanted to be.
It taught me that the Lord blesses even when we just give a little effort. Sometimes we can't see those blessings, but they are there.
Post a Comment