Sunday, December 7, 2008

I Come to Thee

Not that it is any great news flash, but I have found on those days when I don't feel the spirit in my life, when I feel I need a boost, or when I just may be struggling, listening to hymns can be a real boost.

One of my favorites has become "I Need Thee Every Hour". I listened to it dozens of times driving in my car on the way to work as I struggled with keeping my mind on the Lord and off of my addiction. I truly felt it was the intent of my heart to have the Savior in my life and to have him come to me when I needed help. It almost turned into a daily prayer , "Savior, I need thee. Come help me".

One morning as I drove, I had a shocking experience. I was listening to this particular song, I was feeling down, wondering why after all my pleading for the Savior to help me I was still struggling with pornography and lust. I was not really paying attention to the words until the chorus imprinted itself in my mind with great power. "I need thee every hour, every hour I need thee. Oh bless me now my Savior, I come to thee".

Those words "I come to thee" pushed themselves into my mind and would not let go. I had been thinking of this all wrong! This song was not a prayer for the Savior to come to me and help. He was already there and waiting to provide all the help I needed. The song was a commitment by me to go to Him. If I wanted the Savior in my life every hour, it was simply a choice on my part to come to him every hour.

That message has never left me. The words "I come to thee" have become and important part of all my prayers and the way I attempt to live my life.

4 comments:

Papa D said...

That is a WONDERFUL point. I am going to include it in my talk next week about the Atonement.

Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Papa, thank you for your kind thoughts and for stopping by my blog.

I looked at yours and enjoyed it as well. Please feel free to stop by anytime.

Jared said...

I appreciate your thoughts and comments. You've probably read this before but in case you haven't, I ran across this talk by Dr. Rick Moody. It was given at BYU in 2003.

http://www.byub.org/secrets/transcript/moody_transcript_2003.htm

As a psychologist-in-training (and someone who has dealt with many people struggling with addictions) I especially like the parts take from a particular method of psychotherapy. These are ideas I will be incorporating into any future work I do with people who have addictions.

Tim Malone said...

Amen! What an awesome aha moment. Thanks for sharing and reaffirming what can be the only way for us to make permanent change - to come to him. We must go to him in gospel study, scripture reading, prayer, service and all kinds of other ways that ultimately bless is in so doing.