How to Handle your Goliaths

Among my favourite lessons in Institute was last Wednesday - the Spirit was strong, and the topic so relevant - at least the Spirit made it relevant - to my life at this time.

The moral?

Because David learned to protect his sheep from bears and lions, he knew how to handle his Goliaths.
 - Glenda Alekna

What are the bears and lions in your life right now? They could be small, or large. Do you notice them?

Here are some examples of bears and lions:

• Social closure: You limit your friendships because you're afraid of how to handle friendships that go awkward.
• Family time: You need to spend more time with your family.
• The "scripture push": This is what I refer to as the difficulty of giving my daily scripture study time the meaningful attention and sincerity it needs to bless me.
• Spiritual distraction: Just how much do you seek the will of the Lord as you attend sacrament meeting, Institute, and even during your day to day activities? Are you always open to the promptings of the Holy Ghost?

I list these examples in particular because 1. like a bear to sheep, they are large! 2. They are also things I have dealt with in my life. 3. I have discovered that fighting against these things have given returning blessings of help and grace as my Goliaths have come. This last reason is most personal to me. Here are ways the above bears and lions help in fighting Goliaths:

• Social inclusiveness: So many times, when I choose to forget my issues and make a friend, that friend ends up helping me!
• Family time: I think one of the sources of the most growth, the most reward and the most happiness lies here.
• The "scripture push": Scripture pushes result in that moment when you're going through a difficult time, and the perfect scripture or quote from a prophet pops into your mind and makes you smile, and your burden lightens like unto feathers.
• Spiritual attentiveness: The Spirit knows everything. Including what makes you happy, including the solution to your problem, and while the solution is underway, He helps you know that everything is always alright in the end. And if it's not alright, it's not the end!

Goliaths can be lifelong. I've dealt with negativity, and have only overcome it recently. It comes back every now and then, but I am stronger than it, especially with the help of the Lord. You know what other Goliaths are out there: A destructive family. Depression and anxiety. Loss of purpose in life. Losing a loved one. The list goes on.

I pray we all appreciate our lions and bears for the opportunities they give us. I pray we all stop hiding our sheep from any bears and lions, and in the strength of the Lord, handle those bears like a boss, and those lions like the Lord would if He were entrusted with the sheep. May we be well prepared for the Goliaths that are sure to come in our lives.