Why Don't You Understand Me!

Have you ever had a pity party?

I found myself having a pretty good one last night. Aren't you sad you didn't join? 

In an effort to change my selfish and self-centered feelings, I read scriptures. I listened to music. I spent time writing in my journal.

Truth from a loving Heavenly Father
distilled upon my heart and mind 
as the dew distills upon the grass

I postponed prayer because I didn't feel like praying. But since I've discovered that prayer is the most effective tool for inspiring hope and happiness in my heart, I finally gave in. I knelt down and began to visit with my Father in Heaven. I try to be honest with Him because that's the only way I can find resolution to my problems.

"Why doesn't anyone understand me?" I opined. "I make such an effort to understand others!"

I continued in this vernacular for an unreasonable amount of time until this heaven-sent thought sunk deep into my heart—

Why don't you understand me? I understand you perfectly.

Friends, how much time do we spend worrying about what others think instead of worrying about what God thinks? How much time do we waste vainly hoping that others will accept and understand us when we could instead be making an effort to accept and understand God?

For me, the answer is far too much, far too often! I'm reminded of a statement from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland—

We consume such precious emotional and spiritual capital clinging tenaciously to the memory of a discordant note we struck in a childhood piano recital, or something a spouse said or did 20 years ago that we are determined to hold over his or her head for another 20, or an incident in Church history that proved no more or less than taht mortals will always struggle to measure up to the immortal hopes placed before them. Even if one of those grievances did not originate with you, it can end with you. And what a reward there will be for that contribution when the Lord of the vineyard looks you in the eye and accounts are settled at the end of our earthly day.

Our precious emotional and spiritual capital is better spent doing things that will bring us closer to God. In an effort to better understand He who understands me perfectly, I am recording the lessons He teaches me through prayer and scripture study. These lessons originate as thoughts which come gently, almost imperceptibly into my mind and heart.

I record these lessons in a journal. I invite you to do the same. These treasured spiritual tidbits will provide great comfort and direction to you in moments of stress and confusion.

MORE ONLINE

How to Pray and Seek Answers, Elder Richard G. Scott

How to Seek and Know the Father and the Son, Elder Robert D. Hales

Our Heavenly Father, Gospel Principles Manual

God's Plan of Happiness, mormon.org