Lately I've been feeling really bogged down by the pressures and stresses that come with the life upheaval we've been experiencing. I've caught myself thinking what today would have looked like if we'd stayed in Boise. Luke and I would've hung out at home or had a play date with friends. Maybe we would've gone out to Costco as a family and brought a pizza home for dinner. Just a normal day. No major stress. As soon as these thoughts ran their course into my head popped the quote, "faith is for the future," and I knew it was time to reread my very favorite talk.
Years ago, I was going through a very emotionally turbulent life experience towards the end of my time at BYU. I went to a weekly devotional that Elder Holland was to speak at and little did I know the effect that it would have on me for years to come. The talk, Remember Lot's Wife, regards all times of transition in our lives and the tendency we have to try to hold on to the past instead of moving forward. I've watched, listened to and read this talk during many times such as this when I've needed it. I'm pretty sure I listened to it on a weekly basis after I first heard it and during a particularly painful break up.
All too often I see myself in the actions of Lot's wife. And all too often, as soon as I recognize it and remember these words, life starts to get better.
So I'll end with this excerpt, one I always need to keep in my heart:
"I plead with you not to dwell on days now gone, nor to yearn vainly for yesterdays, however good those yesterdays may have been. The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead, we remember that faith is always pointed toward the future. Faith always has to do with blessings and truths and events that will yet be efficacious in our lives. So a more theological way to talk about Lot’s wife is to say that she did not have faith. She doubted the Lord’s ability to give her something better than she already had. Apparently she thought—fatally, as it turned out—that nothing that lay ahead could possibly be as good as those moments she was leaving behind... To all such of every generation, I call out, 'Remember Lot’s wife.' Faith is for the future. Faith builds on the past but never longs to stay there. Faith trusts that God has great things in store for each of us and that Christ truly is the 'high priest of good things to come.'"
Thank you, Elder Holland.
Years ago, I was going through a very emotionally turbulent life experience towards the end of my time at BYU. I went to a weekly devotional that Elder Holland was to speak at and little did I know the effect that it would have on me for years to come. The talk, Remember Lot's Wife, regards all times of transition in our lives and the tendency we have to try to hold on to the past instead of moving forward. I've watched, listened to and read this talk during many times such as this when I've needed it. I'm pretty sure I listened to it on a weekly basis after I first heard it and during a particularly painful break up.
All too often I see myself in the actions of Lot's wife. And all too often, as soon as I recognize it and remember these words, life starts to get better.
So I'll end with this excerpt, one I always need to keep in my heart:
"I plead with you not to dwell on days now gone, nor to yearn vainly for yesterdays, however good those yesterdays may have been. The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead, we remember that faith is always pointed toward the future. Faith always has to do with blessings and truths and events that will yet be efficacious in our lives. So a more theological way to talk about Lot’s wife is to say that she did not have faith. She doubted the Lord’s ability to give her something better than she already had. Apparently she thought—fatally, as it turned out—that nothing that lay ahead could possibly be as good as those moments she was leaving behind... To all such of every generation, I call out, 'Remember Lot’s wife.' Faith is for the future. Faith builds on the past but never longs to stay there. Faith trusts that God has great things in store for each of us and that Christ truly is the 'high priest of good things to come.'"
Thank you, Elder Holland.
