Conform or Transform

Day thirty-nine

I've noticed an increase in the number of distractions in my life lately.  Some days I feel so bombarded by the world that I feel like I spend more time trying to wade through all the distractions then I do actually working on the important things!  So my prayer this morning included a request that I might recognize the distractions more quickly and focus more time on the important things.  A blessing of discernment and efficiency!

So I moved on to the important scripture study of Article of Faith 8:

We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.

The phrase 'the word of God' is repeated, and when inspired words are repeated it usually means that there is some significance to them.  So I started studying the phrase 'the word of God.'

Definition of 'the word of God':  Instructions, commandments, or a message from God. (Guide to the Scriptures)

I think that is a very fitting definition for what's found in the scriptures.  I've seen other churches use the letters of the word Bible to stand for: Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth, I thought that was quite clever. But there is so much more to the scriptures when you look at them from the viewpoint that the words written in them were spoken under the influence of the Holy Ghost, they are inspired revelation, and should be considered sacred.

So what can we learn from the scriptures?  Here are a few of my thoughts.

Lasting Power
There's all types of media filled with exciting information about what's happening in the world, but if you go back in a few months and read the same story, it is a very different experience this time.  It's old news, you toss it aside and you move on to a new story.  Yesterday's news is dead and gone.

God's word isn't like that.  The scriptures stand outside of time.  God's word is as relevant today as it was two thousand years ago.  Isaiah 40:8 says it best:

"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever"

Perspective
We live under constant pressure to be what the world thinks we should be, from the way we dress, the way we talk, what we eat, to what we watch.  One writer describes it this way, "It's as if your real self is being buried under all these external things that change so quickly you can hardly keep up." (Words to Live by For Teens)

The scriptures take you outside that thinking and give you a perspective from which you can make sense of the things of the world.  If you take the time to study the scriptures you will find out who you are and how God feels about you, what your purpose is, and how you play a part in God's plan.  You learn that there are more important things to seek, than the things of the world.

I love this quote:  "While the world does its best to conform you to itself, God's word transforms you."  (Words to Live by For Teens)

Transformation
The scriptures are filled with stories of people who were facing challenges very similar to ours.  Their greatness shines through as we read about how they overcome the challenges and transform into what the Lord needs them to be.

Another good quote:  "Of all commentaries upon the Scriptures, good examples are the best and the liveliest." ~John Donne

So what is it that this transformation gives us?  It empowers us, it gives us freedom to ignore the things that don't suit us or don't honor God, and to stay focused on what really matters.  It allows us to not be deceived (JS-M 1:37), it allows us to be filled with the Holy Ghost and speak with boldness (Acts 4:31-33), it allows us to receive his word directly by revelation through the Spirit or from his chosen servants (D&C 1:38), and the list of blessings goes on.

So it is up to us, do we let the world conform us or do we use our gift of agency, study the scriptures and allow the Lord to transform us into what we need to be?  As a lover of agency and the scriptures I choose to be transformed!