Learning to Dance in the Rain

Have you ever noticed that when you’re feeling disgruntled or upset, the last thing you want to do is think of others or serve them, and yet, when we do help another, we feel happier, and our own problems seem smaller?

I was thinking of that as I sat at the back of Gospel Doctrine class the other day.  We read Matthew 11:28-30 where the Savior invites all those that “labour and are heavy laden” to come to him and He will give them “rest”.  He promises us that if we take His yoke upon us that our burden will be “light.” 

Well, I started wondering, what is “his yoke”?  How can we do that, and how can we, with all the stresses and heartache that we experience, feel light? 

Hmmm..what did Christ do when He walked on earth, He spent His days caring for others, healing them, teaching them, serving them.  He went into the lowliest of places where the people were rejected and dirty.  He bent down, and loved them.

Now I have always thought of Christ helping us carry our own burdens, and I do believe He can, if we put our faith in Him and trust in Him, He can give us greater perspective, and help heal our hearts and inspire us to solve even everyday problems.  But what if we turn it around.  The verse says to take HIS yoke upon us…so to me that implies that we are sharing His load.  His work is serving others.  Could it be that He invites us to care for others, and serve them, and by doing so our own burdens are lighter.  We are strengthened emotionally and spiritually when we reach out to those around us.  We allow Him to work through us to bless lives, and in so doing we are blessed too.

Elder Uchtdorf said “In the end, the number of prayers we say may contribute to our happiness, but the number of prayers we answer may be of even greater importance. Let us open our eyes and see the heavy hearts, notice the loneliness and despair; let us feel the silent prayers of others around us, and let us be an instrument in the hands of the Lord to answer those prayers.”

As I learn more of the Savior and what is important to Him, it makes it easier to align my priorities.  What is important to Him is us, and not what kind of job we have, or car we drive, but how we treat those around us.  How we love.

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