Monday, December 16, 2013

Above The Line or Below The Line?

          Fruitful          
Unfruitful

Are your thoughts fruitful or unfruitful?

I learned about this concept from Elder Corbridge, a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. He asked us, "Are you above the line or below the line?"

There is a line. Above the line is what is good, "productive", and fruitful. Below the line is what is negative, "unproductive", and unfruitful. He said that we most often go below the line in our thoughts.

Elder Corbridge said to us missionaries, "If you feel anxiety in missionary work-Welcome to the club!" So it is with all of us in life! If you feel anxiety, like your not good enough, and that you have struggles-Welcome to the club! He went on to say, "Don't bring yourself down. We need to be alive and happy. It is the Lord's purpose for you to have joy. To have joy you need to feel anxiety." We learn of happiness when we experience sorrow. Without the negative, we wouldn't know the positive.

"For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things." 2 Nephi 2: 11

Ether 12:27 says, "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." Notice that it doesn't say weaknesses. He helps us to know how we can improve. When we think that we are not good enough, it is because we see things as they are. Only through our Savior, are we capable of doing the things that the Lord wants us to do. We must rely on him.

When we think above the line we:
1. See a need.
2. Assume responsibility for it. Own it.
3. Decide what you are going to do. Plan it.
4. DO IT.

When we think below the line we avoid responsibility. You say, "It's not my job."

Let us all think above the line! Let us rely on our Savior to build us up. He will guide us if we only ask.

No comments:

Post a Comment