My friends;
Today I am sharing a scripture and quote script I wrote out for myself some time ago. I needed something to bring my brain back from the abyss when discouragement was looming, when fear was encroaching or when I felt helpless and worried about everything and everyone!
If you should find yourself needing a spiritual booster shot, I hope this might be helpful to you too.
One caveat though:
You know how when you start to move into a black hole, how much you don’t want to do what you really need to do? Like the things that would actually help the most, like praying!?
Well, if you recognize that dark place approaching, decide now that you will just start reading this, or something else you find inspiring, and don’t stop until you are feeling better!
I have found that reading for these 16 minutes is a lot less time invested into feeling better, than the time I might have spent feeling scared!
And to those of you who might tell me I need to feel my feelings, I want to say that real emotions come and go, and having a good cry or hitting something with a pillow is a great idea! Even grieving, which is important work, comes in waves and ebbs away again. But far differently to me, is choosing to stay in despair and listen to and take counsel from, discouragement and fear! To me it is a certain waste of precious time!
Ok, that said, check out this restoration tool!
(Read aloud: approx. 16 minutes)
“Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God which is
quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and
the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course
across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked—
And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the
kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and
with all our holy fathers, to go no more out.” Helaman 3:29-30
In other words, when I’m listening to the temptation to feel failed, discouraged,
defeated and struggling to feel cared for; when my mind is in turmoil, I can STOP
and choose to use the word of God as my defense! Further, through this
scripture script, I can choose to accept his love, feel his love, repent of my
weakness, (the ways I have been unloving to myself and others), be honest about
my choices, choose now to come away from misery, and go on my way rejoicing!
“But behold, the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his glory,
and I am encircled about in the arms of his love.” 2 Nephi 1:15
“Do the very best you can.” President Hinckley
“Therefore, dearly beloved (Sisters), let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our
power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the
salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.” Doctrine & Covenants 123:17
“The love of God sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men;
wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things…Yea, and the most joyous to
the soul.” 1 Nephi 11:22-23
“I glory in plainness; I glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus, for he hath redeemed my
soul from hell.
I have charity for my people, and great faith in Christ that I shall meet many souls
spotless at his judgment-seat.” 2 Nephi 33:6-7
“Lift up your hearts and be glad, for I am in your midst, and am your advocate
with the Father; and it is his good will to give you the kingdom.
And, as it is written—whatsoever ye shall ask in faith, being united in prayer
according to my command, ye shall receive.” Doctrine and Covenants 29:5-6
“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it
shall be done unto you.
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my
Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you, that your
joy might be full.
This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord
doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I
have made known unto you.”
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should
go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever ye
shall ask of the Father in my name he may give it you.” John 15:7-16
“Fear not to do good, my (daughters), for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also
reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward.
Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you,
for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.
Behold, I do not condemn you; go your ways and sin no more; perform with
soberness the work which I have commanded you.
Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.
Behold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails in my
hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the
kingdom of heaven. Amen Doctrine and Covenants 6:33-37
“To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,
Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath
visited us,
To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our
feet into the way of peace.” Luke 1:77-79
“But remember that he that persist in his own carnal nature, and goes on in the
ways of sin and rebellion against God, remaineth in his fallen state and the devil
hath all power over him. Therefore, he is as though there was no redemption
made, being an enemy to God; and also is the devil an enemy to God.
And now if Christ had not come into the world, speaking of things to come as
though they had already come, there could have been no redemption.” Mosiah
16:5-6
“And then shall the righteous shine forth in the kingdom of God.” Alma 40:25
“And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every
kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him
the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which
bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may
be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the
flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.” Alma 7:12-13
“Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us: and we
ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
But whoso hath this world’s goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth
up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in
truth.
And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before
him.
For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all
things.
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have confidence toward God.
And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments,
and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
And this is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son
Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him and he in him. And
hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.” 1
John 3:16-24
“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is
born of God, and knoweth God.
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” 1 John 4 7-8
“And he cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto
his voice; for behold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every
living creature, both men, women and children, who belong to the family of
Adam.” 2 Nephi 9:21
“Then Jesus beholding him loved him…” Mark 10:21
“Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against
me.” Mosiah 26:30
“And they did admonish their brethren; and they were also admonished, every
one, by the word of God, according to his sins, or to the sins which he had
committed, being commanded of God to pray without ceasing, and to give thanks
in all things.” Mosiah 26:39
Psalm of Nephi:
“Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his
great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea,
my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine
iniquities.
I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so
easily beset me.
And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless,
I know in whom I have trusted.
My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the
wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.
He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh.
He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before
me.
Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions
in the night-time.
And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him; yea my voice have I
sent up on high; and angels came down and ministered unto me.
And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried away upon
exceedingly high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld great things, yea even
too great for man; therefore, I was bidden that I should not write them.
O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the
children of men hath visited men in so much mercy, why should my heart weep
and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my
strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?
And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to
temptations that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and
afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?
Awake my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no
more for the enemy of my soul.
Do not anger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength
because of mine afflictions.
Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee
forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God and the rock of my salvation.
O Lord, wilt though redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of
mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?
May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that my heart is
broken and my spirit is contrite! O Lord wilt thou no shut the gates of thy
righteousness before me, that I may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may
be strict in the plain road!
O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt
thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path
straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way—but that
thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of
mine enemy.
O Lord, I have trusted in thee and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust
in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of
flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.
Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give
me, if I ask not amiss; therefore, I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry
unto thee, my God and the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall
ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen” 2 Nephi 4:17-35
“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I beseech of you in words of soberness that ye
would repent, and come with full purpose of heart, and cleave unto God as he
cleaveth unto you. And while his arm of mercy is extended towards you in the
light of the day, harden not your hearts.” Jacob 6:5
“And he was learned, that he had a perfect knowledge of the language of the
people; wherefore, he could use much flattery, and much power of speech,
according to the power of the devil.
And he had hope to shake me from the faith, notwithstanding the many
revelations and the many things which I had seen concerning these things; for I truly had seen angels, and they had ministered unto me. And also, I had heard the
voice of the Lord speaking unto me in very word, from time to time; wherefore, I
could not be shaken.
8 But behold, the Lord God poured in his Spirit into my soul, insomuch that I did
confound him in all his words.
23 And it came to pass that peace and the love of God was restored again among
the people; and they searched the scriptures, and (I) hearkened no more to the
words of this wicked man.” Jacob 7:4-5, 8, 23
“Think of the purest, most all-consuming love you can imagine. Now multiply that love by an infinite amount—that is the measure of God’s love for you.
God does not look on the outward appearance.
Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect,
He loves us perfectly…He loves us because He is filled with an infinite measure of
holy, pure, and indescribable love…He loves every one of us, even those who are
flawed, rejected, awkward, sorrowful and broken.
What this means is that, regardless of our current state, there is hope for us. No
matter our distress, no matter our sorrow, no matter our mistakes, our infinitely
compassionate Heavenly Father desires that we draw near to Him so that He can
draw near to us.
The divine love of God turns ordinary acts into extraordinary service. Divine love
is the motive that transports simple words into sacred scripture. Divine love is the
factor that transforms reluctant compliance with God’s commandments into
blessed dedication and consecration.
Love is the guiding light that illuminates the disciples’ path and fills our daily walk
with life, meaning, and wonder.
Love is the measure of our faith, the inspiration for our obedience, and the true
altitude of our discipleship.
Love is the way of the disciple.” Deiter F. Uchtdorf, 2009, The Love of God, October General
Conference
Amen and amen.
Love,
