"Caring for others takes a team."
-President Eyering:
First Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
When I heard this message my mind started to wander...
if caring for others is a team effort... why am i often content to rely on others to help the people in need? why have i slacked in my role as a team-player?
My attitude for service definitely needed to be re-vamped over the past couple of weeks. In months and years past, a chartiable heart has come so naturally to me; I rarely had to think about looking for ways to serve someone. However, because I allowed my mind to become preoccupied with other things, the natural tendency toward charity slipped. I started to notice selfish thoughts when it comes to service.
oh, i can't hold the door for that person... i am far too busy and can't be late for class.
i had a long day at work and school and i am tired. aj can take care of the dishes later.
etc.
When my mind would switch to selfish mode, I consciously knew that I was not being serviceable. I knew that my selfish actions would make life harder for the other person involved. Yet despite all of that, I let the inward thinking pattern slip into my life and soon it became normal.
The past few weeks, however, I have been able to take a step back and look at life through eyes of someone who wants to "make good things happen every day." It is still hard sometimes (selfish habits are hard as rocks to kick) but I know that eventually I can re-train my brain to think with charity first.
One experience I had Friday night helped me remember how good it feels to serve! Something I hadn't felt fully in a long while. Afterwards I was able to feel a joy rush through me and I knew that I had done something that made a positive difference in someone's day.
I am so grateful for my call to serve others. It is something I definitely need to work on... but I know that with time I can become more of a team player on Team "Share the Love."
c:
Grace
