Heavenly Father is really good about teaching me important lessons attached to experiences that I will remember. Like, the other day I had an awful migraine and I had tried tylenol and lots of water, but nothing was working. I remembered that I had this pouch with a bunch of vitamins and caffeine in it that I figured would help. I took that pouch with some water and within minutes my head was feeling better. I started doing all the things I needed to do with making dinner and cleaning up the house. For the next hour or two I felt really good, then it started in my stomach. I started feeling really sick and nauseous. All night my stomach hurt and then my headache started coming back. It lasted through the next day.
I was way over feeling sick when I decided I better write a letter to Heavenly Father and in my journal before going to bed. It was in that quite moment he taught me how much He is aware of us. I learned that me taking caffeine was a temporary fix for my headache because it came back. Also, that there are many things like that all around us that are only temporary fixes. Satan is the one that leads people to believe in temporary fixes because of the lure of feeling a more immediate relief. When I'm feeling depressed or lonely, sometimes I sit on my bed and watch a show. While I'm watching the show I feel relief from my own emotions, but when it is over the emotions come back with a greater intensity. I know I haven't dealt with what is really going on and have just put a bandage on the problem.
A visual comes to mind, that instead of pulling the piece of wood out that is sticking out of my leg I put a bandage on it hoping that will make it feel better. I'm looking for a bandage instead of someone to pull the piece of wood out. If I just keep putting a bandage on then the cut is going to get infected and it's going to start affecting other parts of my life. I'll be more prone to other injuries and sickness. Pretty soon I'll lose that leg, but if I get someone who is qualified to pull it out I will heal. My leg will heal up and the only mark after some time will be a scar from where it was in my leg.
How often do we look at the trials and struggles in our lives and search for a quick fix? There are people that turn to all sorts of 'fixes' such as alcohol, food, exercise, eating disorders, pornography, mentally stepping out, Facebook, games on our phones, and other things to find relief. We know those things don't fix the trial or whatever is going on, but it does allow for temporary relief. So, why settle for temporary relief when there is true lasting relief that can be permanent? Our Savior, Jesus Christ offers the permeant relief we all want. I wouldn't want to keep a big piece of wood in my leg forever with a bandage, even though I know I often do. I'm just thankful for the reminder from my Heavenly Father that taught me those 'pieces of wood' can be healed and removed permanently by our Savior, Jesus Christ.
So, the next time when you are feeling terrible, life is out of control, or whatever the struggle may be think about the source you are turning to for relief. I know that understanding this and being able to see this visual has changed how I look at it. I hope to be better in the future and learn how to turn to my Savior for relief all the time.
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