Exploration of Principle
This morning I was reading in the Book of Mormon in 1 Nephi 15. I had just read how Nephi explained his father's vision of the Tree of Life and the Iron Rod. A passage stood out to me at the end of verse 20:
It made me wonder: was that their problem all along, they didn't understand...truly understand what was going on or how to make things work out?
Going to Jerusalem to get the plates...did they really understand its significance in the lives of millions of people of what they were about?
The three trials before they got the plates...did they understand it was perhaps a test to see how much they depended upon God? And so that God could comfort them with a reassurance of His great power and majesty?
I think they had great understanding of the significance of going to visit Ishmael to get wives, which reminded me of the following cartoon in the most recent New Era:
But, truly...think about other cases of contention, especially the big one: Nephi has more power than us, and we are the big brothers!!!
Did they understand that priesthood authority (the power that Nephi had) is activated through service? Did they realize that they, too, could have that power? No, they didn't understand.
This line of thinking led me to reflect on the three levels of learning as outlined by Bednar in his book "Increase in Learning"
-Knowledge: learn something about the topic or concept
-Understanding: apply it to yourself and to your heart
-Intelligence: act on that transformation and make it a part of you.
It is much deeper than that, but that is basically it: you learn about something with your mind, you internalize it and ponder it and think about it on different levels and applications, then you act on it create intelligence.
Laman and Lemuel knew plenty of things. They weren't stupid. However, they didn't apply their knowledge to understanding.
Self-Application
So, I thought, how does this apply to me? Does every case of my frustration or anger arise out of lack of understanding? I cannot think of one that does not.
I am frustrated because of how someone treats me or misunderstands me. Not only do they lack understanding in the last case, but perhaps I lack understanding about their mental state or the role that this opposition plays in my own development. God has perfect understanding and in every case where I am frustrated, whenever I have sought His understanding (like Laman and Lemuel sought Nephi's) I have found peace.
Dry-walling is going slow, grrrrr....Mary, you lack understanding in God's time-table or how this experience it teaching you, changing you. If I lack humility and the desire to understand, like Laman and Lemuel, I will continue to bash my head up against the walls of frustration, revenge, hatred and anger.
Is this truly the way to resolve all conflict and frustration in our lives? At least from our perspective? To seek understanding?
Moving Forward
Sadly enough, when I wrote "hatred," I thought...do I hate anyone? A little voice answered in my mind. The only person you truly hate is yourself. . Tears in my eyes. Sigh. The clarity that comes with writing.
The mudding analogy of a previous post whispers that with the Light of Christ beside me, that is a blemish in my drywall that needs to be addressed but with His loving illumination, it, too, will be healed and covered and sanded clean away.
***********
As I reviewed this post before publishing it, I decided to segregate it into sections...you know, make it easier to read. As I did so, I realized that I unintentionally followed the three steps of creating intelligence:
-Exploration of Principle- Knowledge
-Self-Application- Understanding
-Moving Forward- Intelligence
I know that this is a true way to become intelligent in who we are and to find peace in a greater understanding of God's view of the world.
This morning I was reading in the Book of Mormon in 1 Nephi 15. I had just read how Nephi explained his father's vision of the Tree of Life and the Iron Rod. A passage stood out to me at the end of verse 20:
...And it came to pass that I did speak many words unto my brethren, that they were pacified and did dhumble themselves before the Lord.It hit me. They understood and they were pacified.
It made me wonder: was that their problem all along, they didn't understand...truly understand what was going on or how to make things work out?
Going to Jerusalem to get the plates...did they really understand its significance in the lives of millions of people of what they were about?
The three trials before they got the plates...did they understand it was perhaps a test to see how much they depended upon God? And so that God could comfort them with a reassurance of His great power and majesty?
I think they had great understanding of the significance of going to visit Ishmael to get wives, which reminded me of the following cartoon in the most recent New Era:
But, truly...think about other cases of contention, especially the big one: Nephi has more power than us, and we are the big brothers!!!
Did they understand that priesthood authority (the power that Nephi had) is activated through service? Did they realize that they, too, could have that power? No, they didn't understand.
This line of thinking led me to reflect on the three levels of learning as outlined by Bednar in his book "Increase in Learning"-Knowledge: learn something about the topic or concept
-Understanding: apply it to yourself and to your heart
-Intelligence: act on that transformation and make it a part of you.
It is much deeper than that, but that is basically it: you learn about something with your mind, you internalize it and ponder it and think about it on different levels and applications, then you act on it create intelligence.
Laman and Lemuel knew plenty of things. They weren't stupid. However, they didn't apply their knowledge to understanding.
Self-Application
So, I thought, how does this apply to me? Does every case of my frustration or anger arise out of lack of understanding? I cannot think of one that does not.
I am frustrated because of how someone treats me or misunderstands me. Not only do they lack understanding in the last case, but perhaps I lack understanding about their mental state or the role that this opposition plays in my own development. God has perfect understanding and in every case where I am frustrated, whenever I have sought His understanding (like Laman and Lemuel sought Nephi's) I have found peace.
Dry-walling is going slow, grrrrr....Mary, you lack understanding in God's time-table or how this experience it teaching you, changing you. If I lack humility and the desire to understand, like Laman and Lemuel, I will continue to bash my head up against the walls of frustration, revenge, hatred and anger.
Is this truly the way to resolve all conflict and frustration in our lives? At least from our perspective? To seek understanding?
Moving Forward
Sadly enough, when I wrote "hatred," I thought...do I hate anyone? A little voice answered in my mind. The only person you truly hate is yourself. . Tears in my eyes. Sigh. The clarity that comes with writing.
The mudding analogy of a previous post whispers that with the Light of Christ beside me, that is a blemish in my drywall that needs to be addressed but with His loving illumination, it, too, will be healed and covered and sanded clean away.
***********
As I reviewed this post before publishing it, I decided to segregate it into sections...you know, make it easier to read. As I did so, I realized that I unintentionally followed the three steps of creating intelligence:
-Exploration of Principle- Knowledge
-Self-Application- Understanding
-Moving Forward- Intelligence
I know that this is a true way to become intelligent in who we are and to find peace in a greater understanding of God's view of the world.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts...Isaiah 55:9
No comments:
Post a Comment