Experiences and Attitudes

Another positive result of Thursday night's adventure: Yesterday morning I invented a drink I call a PL Smoothie. "PL" stands for Promised Land, and the smoothie has only two ingredients: Milk and Honey (in very unequal proportions). Yesterday I thought the drink was only okay, but now I kinda like it.

I was also wondering this morning about what kinds of experiences bring us closer to God. I know that a main reason we have negative experiences is to bring us closer to Him, but what about positive experiences, like doing service, talking with a friend, or going for a walk? They can bring us closer to God too, can't they?

I think the answer is that they can bring us closer to God, but we have to help the process along for it to happen. For example, you can go for a walk and gain nothing from it but some fresh air and exercise, or, while you're walking, you can take the time to really notice how beautiful everything is, and how much God must care about us to make such things beautiful, just so we could see them and enjoy them. Then, by the time your walk is over, your heart will be full of gratitude, and that will bring you closer to God.

Inversely, we can have negative experiences that don't bring us closer to God, and the answer again is our thoughts and our attitudes. If we let the experience humble us and think of the Savior and His suffering in a more understanding and compassionate way, our suffering can bring us closer to God, but if all we think during our trials is 'Why is this happening to me?' and 'How long will my trial last?' then we probably won't get much out of the experience. It may even make us bitter to God, just as some good experiences may cause us to forget that we need God.

So, no matter what experiences you have today, try to make sure your attitude is such that any experience you have will bring you closer to God.