Heavenly Father made us more powerful than evil.
Yes it takes swipes at us.
Yes it knocks us down sometimes.
Nonetheless, the Great I AM of the Universe endowed us with the means to rise and overcome.
"He [Lucifer] may have power to bruise thy heel, but thou shalt have power to crush his head." (Paraphrased from Genesis 3:15)
Satan's only path to winning is if we sit back and permit it.
Sometimes the member about to go inactive only looses their grip if we sit back.
Many times the sister about to succumb to hopelessness and despair only slips if we mind our own business.
I remember one day as I was facing a difficult situation in dealing with someone's really adverse behavior, my friend told me "...not doing anything about it gives him permission to do it again."
Do we give permission under the guise of "peacemaking"? Do we give permission under the guise of "patience"? Do we give permission under the guise of not wanting to interfere? Do we give permission because we have thrown up our hands? Do we give permission because of not wanting to rock the boat? Do we give permission because it involved our peers?
There will be something you were prompted to think about when reading this post...a situation, a person, a cause.
Never EVER do "nothing." You have so much power in you to send vibes of goodness and increased well-being out into the world. It may not always be appreciated by others in the moment - but the good fight is worth it in the end.
Note to myself: Love this day. Find a way to love this day.
" "...not doing anything about it gives him permission to do it again.""
ReplyDeleteAlong those lines, my very wise great-grandmother always used to say that someone can only make you feel small if you allow them to. I imagine that she was quoting someone, but I have no idea who that might have been.
I've found it to be good advice for dealing with overwhelming circumstances as well - it's not just people that you can choose your reactions to, it's blame-less situations (like death or illness).
Thank you M!
DeleteBoy, you've been on a roll this week, lady. And, yes, it is very true that tolerance and complacency create avenues for evil to enter. As you can said, we can all do something.
ReplyDeleteAs for me, I'm going to the temple this afternoon. That is one way to bring the light of Heavenly Father into our lives and to keep the adversary out.
Elder Bednar promised us in very strong terms additional protection from the adversary if we would attend the temple often. I remember because it made such a strong impact on me.
DeleteAmen on this one; I totally agree with your thoughts. It's a struggle everyday to not let Satan take over our thoughts
ReplyDeleteBlessings for this one!
Yes, he is quite intrusive and persuasive isn't he? Love you LeAnn!
DeleteGreat post, and a great reminder!
ReplyDelete