To Become

I have recently learned a fun saying to remember when you come upon a situation that is difficult to stay happy in. Ya know, like the ones that someone hurts you or offends you in? Well, I learned that you have two choices. "You can choose to become bitter, or you can choose to become better." I made the choice last week to become better.
"To be or not to be" is an interesting quote from Shakespeare. I like the admonition to just be. But I like better "to become". It suggests that trials will refine us and make us better somehow. It also suggests that this trial we are now in will be over some day. Maybe soon, maybe not. But, this trial will end, and when it does, you will either come out quite torn up and beaten, or quite a better person than you were before the trial. You may be both.
The temptation to let stress rule and overrun your life can be very big. Satan does a pretty good job at making it look glamorous, or easy, or fun. Remember that he was a liar from the beginning though, and that it REALLY IS a trap. You don't have to have the hair, the nails, the fashionable clothes, the most friends, the cleanest house, the prettiest yard, the most vogue decor, and certainly not the kids who have all this either. Look at all the things that the world says a woman at your stage in life has to have. Go ahead. Make a list. You'll find that it is quite ridiculous. You don't have to have read the latest popular novel, or seen the most recent new release. You don't need the peer pressure that you deal with whenever you get together with friends and neighbors, or family, for that matter. You REALLY don't need the kind of body that the world deems beautiful. You are being deceived if you think that anyone else on this earth is perfect - yes it's probably time to accept that the person who may have hurt or offended you IS NOT PERFECT. Nor can they be expected to be. You can't see into their soul, and God wants you to feel free of their judgments because judgment is His!
What you do need is to just be. For a moment just be. Breathe in a deep breath of light, clean air and welcome it into your desperate body (if you feel desperate). When you breathe it out, imagine you are blowing either all the bad out, back to the earth, or that you are breathing love out to all those who desperately need your love.
After doing this, pray. Ask for the next step. It may come right away, but if it doesn't, just be patient and look for it in doing laundry, dishes, going for a walk, writing in your journal, you get the idea. The next step can be as small as smiling, hugging your little ones, posting a scripture on your wall, making dinner, getting a game out to play with your kids, tickling them, calling your husband to tell him you love him, apologizing, etc...
At times when I have done this, I get the Holy Ghost reminding me that I haven't read scriptures today, or I haven't been out for a walk in too long, and need to go. At the least, I usually feel refreshed and ready to face my problem, whether housework, communicating with hubby, or kids in a healthier way, and so on.
So, is there a place for all that stuff that makes life stressful? What about a clean house and a nice yard? What about practical clothing that is clean? Sure! What about a practical yard that brings joy into your life and into the lives of those who look at it? Sure. But God will help us with whatever we really need to be doing at the moment. If it is His will that we have any of these things He will guide us to whatever it is, through the Holy Ghost, the scriptures, or friends answering prayers. The point is, do these things for God and in the order God wants you to do them. (I'm preachin' to myself here, too!) I have a previous post about what is needful that may help a bit, too!
To become all that we were meant to become, we must get to know the character of God, because we have that potential - to become like God. Making the choice to become better is definitely a step in the right direction for today. And Tomorrow. And if it's hard to keep that choice in your mind and heart, seek strength through Jesus Christ Our Lord.
(Philippians 4:13) "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
(Matthew 6:24) "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
(John 16:33) "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
Good wishes and prayers to you!