“Harden not your hearts”* is a phrase I read today in the book of Jacob, and I began to think about the control we need to exercise over our thinking.
Recently, I started to feel a little bothered by someone. “This person just wants me to feel small,” I thought. But then these two simple words came to my mind,
“Or not.”
Or not? The Spirit was teaching me to question my thinking. I was making assumptions. I was taking the easy bait of victimhood. I was hardening my heart. I was not giving the person the benefit of the doubt. I was wrong!
It is a common tendency to trust thoughts and feelings as though they are pure truth. Sometimes thoughts can be wrong because they might be influenced by emotion, popular philosophies, low blood sugar, fatigue, unhealthy family patterns… So much static.
My wisdom for the day is that we can be fooled by our thoughts. Measure your ideas with the standard of Christ’s doctrine. For me, the words “or not” were enough to help me see that there was a better way to look at things.
Our thoughts matter because they lead to action. Our hearts matter because they represent our loyalties.
“Harden not your hearts” is great counsel.
*See Jacob 6:5 in the Book of Mormon. See also Obadiah 1:3, “The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee.”