Faith & Self-Discipline

"There is much unhappiness and personal distress in the world because of failures to control tempers, appetites, passions, and impulses." William J. Bennett

Lillie has such an appetite for reading, and words... or might I say she just has an appetite for anything that makes noise, and fits in her mouth--paper is the perfect answer!

This thought sparked an idea in me. He does not say that there is much failure period, but there is failure to DO something. There is a failure to control; to be an agent for ourselves, to choose to do something about our circumstance--to change. 

"[In]...Controlling our tempers, or our appetites, or our passions...our habits make all the difference. We learn to order our souls the same way we learn to do [many things]--through practice ... [and] strong desire is essential. "  We live in such a world of 'quick fixes' that we desire to get instant gratification for anything and everything. Too often our desires are that of a carnal or worldly nature, and too little we desire characteristic, morals, values, and spiritual things. 

The idea that practice is the answer to self discipline and control brings me to quote Alma 32:26 & 27 "...Faith is not a perfect knowledge ... if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment ... exercise a particle of faith ... believe, let this desire to work within you..." 

I love this! We are as much of a mortal, physical being as we are a spiritual being, believing and having faith in God, in the world, in good, and in His promises takes PRACTICE!

Practicing at something that does not come easily IS hard. It takes TIME. It takes trial and error, and NOT giving up. Practicing faith is a journey we do not simply gain a perfect knowledge of anything overnight, we must struggle, we mustn learn, and above all we must keep on continue to practice! LOVE = TIME and so If one truly loves God, values, morals, characteristics enough than they will put forth the practice that is needed to master.  

Practice is exciting!

At times practice can be hard, very hard...and even distgusting ...

little by little as you persist and endure in the mode of practice it can be very interesting!

If you get tired of preactice, don't give up. Someday you will succeed, you have the potential built up inside of you. God can see it, He knows what you are capable of learning!