Daily Thoughts

In the D&C we read that the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance.  However, if we're willing to repent and keep the commandments, the Lord will forgive us.   There is hope for us! D&C 1: 31-32 "For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance; Nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven;"

In the Old Testament we read further of the great afflictions of Job and how he suffered.  He cries to the Lord but doesn't feel like He's listening, even though when Job saw those in trouble, he wept for them. Can you imagine how Job must have felt?  Have you ever felt this way?  Sometimes life seems pretty unfair.  But in the end, whether in this life or the next, all things will be made right.  And even though we may feel like God isn't listening to our prayers sometimes, He really is.  And they will be answered in the right way and in the right time.  But oh how discouraging it can be in the meantime while we're suffering through our trials.  Job 30:16-31 "And now my soul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction have taken hold upon me.  My bones are pierced in me in the night season: and my sinews take no rest. By the great force of my disease is my garment changed: it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat. He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes.  I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not. Thou art become cruel to me: with thy strong hand thou opposest thyself against me. Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to ride upon it, and dissolvest my substance. For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living. Howbeit he will not stretch out his hand to the grave, though they cry in his destruction.  Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor?  When I looked for good, then evil came unto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkness. My bowels boiled, and rested not: the days of affliction prevented me.  I went mourning without the sun: I stood up, and I cried in the congregation.  I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.  My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.  My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep."

Some verses with a thought booklet tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, and then goes on to list other wonderful qualities.  I find it interesting that it says the "fruit is" rather than the "fruits are" when it goes on to list so many things.  It sounds like the fruit of the Spirit consists of ALL these things together, not a lot of different things independently.  It's a package deal.  So it's not like we can pick our our favorite ones and reject the others, saying "Well, I can't be longsuffering.  I'm just not a very patient person."  If we have a problem with impatience, that is exactly what the fruit of the Spirit is designed to conquer!  When we live by the Spirit, we'll find that the one fruit has many deliciously good qualities!  Galatians 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."