I am still learning to accept parts of me. My faults, my weight, my acne and such things. I'm by no means perfect. I struggle a lot. I doubt myself a lot. Parenting is hard for me.This is particularly hard because I am bi-polar and I have clinical depression. Many times in my life I have often thought this world would be better off without me. With help I have made slow progress. I couldn't have gotten this far without Dennis, his and my family and our children.
These parts although negative are still parts of me. The things that make me the person I am. Learning to love the person I am is a work in progress. A project I am working on with my Savior. I know the spirit will guide me along the way.
1 John 4:8, 16. "8.He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."
16. "And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in God, and God in him."
Matthew 22: 37-39, "37. Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
Learning to love myself as who I am will only beneficial. It is a step in becoming more Christ like. Loving is a God like attribute and being able to love one another no matter who they are is essential, and that includes yourself. Honest, true love, charity, in some terms, could be another description. Charity is 'the pure love of Christ.' We are commanded to love and have charity. Meaning we need to at least try to love as "the pure love of Christ." Charity or love is described perfectly in Corthians.
1 Corthians 13:4-8 "4.Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5. Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6. Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7. Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away."
Unfortunately love these days is a term used loosely. Lust, extreme obsession, addiction, and the 'pleasures of man' can all be disguised as love. We cannot confuse love for something else.
Love if it is not centered around kindness, patience, focusing on the other, shared happiness, compassion and empathy, it is doomed to failure.
We need to be able to love unconditionally as Christ does. It is as essential as oxygen. You cannot do any of his will without at least a desire to love purely.
Love isn't limited to the significant other or even your own family. We need to remember that loving includes everyone. People from all walks of life, this love shouldn't exclude anyone. This can be especially hard for those who have had terrible, uncontrollable experiences.
Matthew 5:44,"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;..."
True love isn't just something that happens. Its a choice you make everyday. True love doesn't fall somewhere, its something that grows. It has to be continually nurtured, fed just like a seed. It requires effort and consistency.
Ways that I have learned to help encourage love are;
- Spend your time with them "Love is really spelled, T.I.M.E." President Uchtdorf
*Volunteer or give service. They're a lot of places that can benefit from services for example schools, food banks, homeless shelters. If those aren't your thing then find a nursing home and visit with some of the elderly there. Find someone in your area that can benefit from something you can do like rake their leaves, shovel their walk, mow their lawn.
-Honestly listen "One of the best ways to love, is to honestly listen. For in listening we learn the beat of ones heart." Time-Warp Wife
*Put down or turn off any electronics when you are together
*Don't anxiously wait to respond with something Reiterate what they said so
they know you understand what they are saying
-Show kindness and compassion "The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention." Oscar Wilde
*"In the scriptures compassion means literally, 'to suffer with'"
https://www.lds.org/scriptures/gs/compassion?lang=eng
* Don't judge them
*Understand they have had their own experiences and trials that have led them here.
-Pray for it " Pray, he is there; Speak, he is list'ning. You are his child; His love now surrounds you. He hears your prayer; He loves the children.Of such is the kingdom, the kingdom of heav'n." Second verse of 'A Child's Prayer', LDS Childrens Hymn
* God is love, so he can certainly help you with whatever your struggle is.
* Try fasting about it and putting their and your name in the temple
* Research it. Read talks, study the scriptures. Use topical guide and trusted scripture related sources.
I am not perfect at any of this. I struggle everyday to find good and give love unconditionally to others. I do know we have been given a great gift of love. We have a perfect example of it, Christ. We are beloved sons and daughters of a King. He loves us unconditionally. He doesn't wait for us to be perfect to love us. He loves us as we are. When we try to put forth effort to love, he will abundantly give us the strength to do so. This is his commandment, and he will help us keep if we try.
All my love,
S
All my love,
S
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