The majority of my thoughts this week can be accurately summarized by this quote:
"Let not the opinions of man interfere with the directions given to you by God."
Let's just be honest here... everyone cares what others think of them. Of course, in some cases that's not always a bad thing... At times it can motivate us and push us to be our best selves! But I think more times than not, it cripples us and does more harm than it does good.
I wish it was easy to, "not care what others think" and to simply feel comfortable with ourselves and our own choices... But we all know it's much easier said than done, right?
In the past year or so, and especially here recently, I have been having a lot of impressions (or thoughts, if you will) that I know are directly from the Lord (NO DOUBT ABOUT IT). These thoughts at times are completely out of the blue, and they come accompanied by strong feelings in my heart and in my mind. There have been manyyy times where I'll sit pondering after a thought or impression as come to me... taking a moment to just be still, reevaluating the feelings I've experienced, and then thinking back over the thoughts that have come to me. At times, those things that come to me make NO sense or may even come across as a very odd thing to do...
Whether you're reading this as a Christian or an Atheist... I think we both can agree that at some point in your life this has happened to you too.. It may have been a thought about moving somewhere you never would have thought to move.. a feeling that you should take a job you had never really considered before, college, starting a blog (haha), the list can go on forever..
Hopefully this makes sense... I guess the gist of what I'm getting at, is that sometimes in your life you will have a thought or an impression that may seem crazy, unrelated to anything you already have going on in your life, and it will hit you with so much force that you know it's coming from somewhere outside of yourself... You'll be filled with a sense of passion and purpose and a drive that comes out of no where. When you tell others, they may think you're crazy and try to change your mind or try to make you see things in a "clearer light" or whatever... but I just want this to be a reminder that you are not destined to walk a path like those around you! You are SO unique in your own special way! You have strengths and abilities that others around you don't have... and even if they do... No one does it the way you do! You... are meant to be exactly who you are now for a reason. You... are meant to be exactly where you're at now for a purpose. My dad always tells me, "There is no such thing as a coincidence. It's just God choosing to stay anonymous." God IS directing you in your life right now whether you feel that or not. Those feelings you feel, no matter how "crazy" or "random" they are... they are literal directions to a life God knows you need, and you may not even know you desire yet. Those impressions may seem weird to those around you because God's leading them on their own personal journey and their map isn't like yours... AND THAT'S TOTALLY OKAY. You don't have to feel obligated to take directions from someone you pass by along the way. Advice is always a good thing to take into consideration. But don't doubt yourself just because someone's doing it differently than you. Differences are awesome!!! Embrace it.. You'll be much happier.
Something I've learned.... Is to never question those thoughts... JUST FOLLOW. Follow obediently, follow quickly, don't wait around questioning yourself, God, or your feelings. If it's not a bad thing... than why not just do it and see where you end up?? Learn to trust yourself and your feelings. God trusts you enough to speak through them to get to you.
Lyrics to a hymn I love:
But if, by a still, small voice he calls... to paths that I do not know. I'll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in thine: I'll go where you want me to go. I'll go where you want me to go, dear Lord, over mountain or plain or sea; I'll say what you want me to say, dear Lord; I'll be what you want me to be.
"Faith isn't a feeling. It's a choice to trust God even when the road ahead seems uncertain."
Check out this talk if you need a little bit more motivation ;)
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/10/by-divine-design?lang=eng
