Look to live- treatment for the wounded spirit.

My time as a teenager is instructive to me.

The day to day details of my life then are vague.

However, how I felt through those years remains with me.

I'm thankful for this.

It's made me a better mother.

I remember vividly the feelings that overcame me when I made stupid choices.

I remember the feelings that led me to make those stupid choices.

I remember how my spirit suffered.

Like our bodies our spirits can be wounded.

Wounded by 

sin, 

pain, 

anger, 

sorrow,

and

regret.

I sliced my finger once while opening a can of tomato sauce.

I treated the wound, and covered it with a band-aid

It took awhile for it to heal.

 I don't hurt myself physically everyday.

But, everyday my spirit gets "sliced".

  How do I treat the wound?

Through the Atonement.

Through Christ I can heal.

But,

I must confess.

This is not always my first treatment option.

The treatment is easy enough-

Sincere prayer often.

Repentance in those prayers.

Reading, pondering and applying the words of Christ

found in the scriptures.

 Living the commandments of God.

In the past as I've read of Moses and the brazen serpent

I've always been shocked that some did not look so they could live.

Why, when it was so easy?

Today.

I ask this of myself.

Do I look to live?

Spiritual death is all to real.

I see it in the faces of those who don't know the treatment. 

I've been taught.

Repent.

Pray.

Read.

Obey.

Love.

 I find myself turning to other means to treat my wounds.

Artificial means.

Most often the kinds of things 

that dull my senses.

Dull my feelings

or mask them. 

Eating too much.

Surfing the web way too long.

Shopping without $$ (Retail therapy)

I can't see the wounds to my spirit,

but they are very real.

It's not always easy to see,

to feel.

If I'm honest with myself.

If I drown out all the things that pull my attention

from my heart.

If I pray out loud.

I hear,

I feel,

I know that the wounds are there.

I am not perfect.

I get angry.

I get prideful.

I do lots of things that tear at my heart.

My soul gets week.

Diseased if I don't look to live.

I want to overcome.

I want to heal.

I want to be whole.