Perspective

Your relationship to God

"And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel. 

...and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true." -Mosiah 4:11-12

These verses come from the great account of King Benjamin's speech to his people in the beginning of the book of Mosiah. The fourth chapter of the book deals with pride and humility, as the King comments on previous revelations.

This may seem like a harsh selection to focus on as it calls out the "nothingness" of us all, but it really contains a message of love and humility. I've written about humility before and how it is not beating yourself up over your weaknesses, but it is recognizing God and your relationship to Him.

God is our loving father in heaven, who created us all and cares about everyone. When we recognize His role in our lives, our love for Him can increase. Sometimes we can get so wrapped up in our own lives and accomplishments that we become self-centered and place ourselves above others. In verse 19, King Benjamin poses the question, "Are we not all beggars?"

In reality, we all depend on God in one way or another. He literally gave us life and guides us along the path of security. Often we may think that God is not looking our for us or refuse to believe in Him altogether. However, I am confident that anyone can find His hand and blessings in their life. If you ponder your life, you will realize the astounding circumstances made possible only by some greater being that lead you to where you are today.

The concept of pride and humility is tough to swallow since many portray it negatively. Surely, I'm not the most eloquent in delivering the proper message, but I want to get the point across that humility is not weak and your accomplishments are not lessened by recognizing God. Imagine fulfilling your goal to win the state basketball championship. Surely, you can't wait to tell your parents and friends about your success. When you tell your dad he is ecstatic and extremely proud of you, and you recognize that he was the first person to teach you how to shoot a basketball. As you accept your tournament MVP award, you let everyone know that your dad is the real MVP or something like that.

It is a similar experience with God (maybe without any Kevin Durant references). God is your father and wants you to succeed in everything you do. He helps you to learn, grow, and become the person you are supposed to be. When you do something, it is not lessened because God helped you there. When you recognize Him, you will be humble and feel more joy in your work.