Comments on: You Can Write Your Blessings: Some questions for you

By: catherine

catherine — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 03:55:55 +0000

Please provide a link or reference if possible to Pres Packer story.

By: samantha harris husband: Writing Stuff Down to Get What You Need « dqian

samantha harris husband: Writing Stuff Down to Get What You Need « dqian — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 05:30:02 +0000

[...] today (and for the full account of President Packer’s referenced story, you can check out this entry over at Dr. Wally’s [...]

By: Charmaine

Charmaine — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 04:05:08 +0000

“Six things were on our list, each relating to a blessing for someone dear.”

“…you may write blessings for yourselves and insert every good thing you can think of…”

This is my question, are these two quotes from the article the same concept? Is there a difference in wishing something for ourselves and going to work or wishing for something that doesn’t depend on anything we do except maybe exercise faith?

I like the little talked about parable of the Unjust Judge (Luke 18) “that men ought always to pray, and not to faint” If our cause is just will God hear our “continual coming?” “I tell you that he will.” Does not giving up make a difference?

By: Candleman

Candleman — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 22:04:08 +0000

Wally,

You are absolute right. You also have more experience with knowing His will than I have.

When Jesus went to raise Lazarus from the dead He “lifted up [his] eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.” (John 11:41)

Clearly he had desired to restore Lazarus to life, had sought approbation from the Father and received it. There is no reason we should not expect the same. It is more likely, though, that I might “ask amiss”, than it was for the Savior.

I am hopeful that such a day will come for me. It has on occasion, particularly when giving Priesthood blessings, for which I am especially grateful. But, for the most part, I’m not entirely certain what God has in mind or in store.

Perhaps I am too laid back about this, lacking curiosity or something. But I kind of like not knowing. God has never let me down and the element of surprise really enlivens my days. These days, being in recovery from addiction, I spend my time in the moment. I seldom look much into the future (or the past)and have no interest in having any control over what comes. God is in the driver’s seat and I’m content to enjoy the ride!

By: Kristen

Kristen — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 21:39:55 +0000

As we discussed this in my home, we also wished for more details. I feel very inspired when I read something like this, but then questions arise:
*Are goals and blessings the same thing? I’ve always thought of goals as something you work on and have control over, and blessings as something you request.
*If I don’t receive the blessing I’ve asked for, does that mean I ‘didn’t do right’?
I think confusion about the correct way to approach God in some matters is what keeps me from doing it.
I’d like to hear more of Dr. Wally’s thoughts.

By: admin

admin — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 21:17:42 +0000

Yes, Jim. As we write our goals, we must be sensitive to the agency of others. Maybe that is why we must sense from God what goals He would have us set.

-Wally

By: admin

admin — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 21:17:14 +0000

Yes, Candleman. You’re right. But I wonder if submitting to His will and making requests can be merged into one seamless whole. Maybe when we sit peacefully with God, He will give us the right desires. Then, when we ask for the things we want, He gladly grants them.

This way He is teaching us to do exactly what He does: Act with great power while being in total alignment with Truth, Goodness, Eternity, Law.

What do you think?

-Wally

By: Candleman

Candleman — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 03:21:19 +0000

I don’t have any doubt that Elder Packer and President Heber C. Kimball were absolutely correct. Still, I’d sure like more details, especially from Elder Packer.

I’m not too comfortable specifying which blessings God might give me.

I don’t look upon Him as a vending machine.

I’ve found things work better, for me, to ask God what He’d like me to do, rather than presuming to direct Him around the universe.

I’m a lot more comfortable waiting to see what He has to give me, that telling Him what I want.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I have hopes, dreams and even goals. But I don’t have any terms. Wanting life on my terms always leads to disaster. Accepting life on God’s terms, on the other hand is relaxing, rewarding, amazing and divine. God’s great gifts always exceed my feeble hopes and desires. I’ve had occasion to suspect that insisting on my own desires, which were granted, precluded something better. Can’t have that!

By: Jim

Jim — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:12:23 +0000

I’m a great believer in the power of positive thinking as it pertains directly to my life- the things that I can directly “control.”

I have noticed too that there is power to committing goals or even “to-do’s” to writing- that those things that I write seem more likely to be done than things that I think of but do not write.

At the same time, I am skeptical of making a goal that relies to some extent on the agency of another. For example, if I am a missionary, I can easily make a goal of the number of hours I plan to study, to proselyte, etc. But it is another matter to even prayerfully and with inspiration to set a goal for the number of people that I plan to baptize. I can do all in my power to find people to teach, to teach them with the spirit, to help them make and keep commitments, etc., but ultimately the decision to be baptized is theirs, not mine. If someone chooses to not be baptized, is this somehow a reflection of my lack of faith?

Or, if I’m reluctant to make a goal that relies on another’s agency, does that reflect a lack of faith on my part?