Strength to Run

[Anonymous]

My wife posted this on Facebook yesterday (with my bolding added here), and I immediately thought of everyone here and the discussions we have about slowing down and moving forward at a pace that allows for a little relaxation and a reduction of stress and all-consuming worry. I hope my wife’s words help someone in some way, especially since they apply to much more than just decisions about serving a mission:

Quote:

Quote:

“And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.” Mosiah 4:27

This is the scripture [our oldest son] chose for his missionary plaque. I’ve always thought this was appropriate as he served a mission when it was right for him; not when others might have expected him to go. It says, “done in wisdom and order… expedient… diligent” – NOT “when culturally acceptable… regardless of personal circumstances.” I have always admired my son for knowing what he wanted and when it was right for him – in all aspects of his life: college, mission, marriage, etc.

I also love this scripture on a personal level.

As a mom, it is really easy to “run faster than (s)he has strength” – but that is not wise nor expedient. This scripture tells me it’s okay to know my limitations but that I need to do what I can and stretch myself so I don’t become complacent. In order to not run faster than one has strength means one needs to be running as fast as one can without going to either extreme (too much or too little). It has to do with realistic expectations.

Everyone who knows me, knows that I have struggled in the past with unrealistic expectations… This scripture has helped me lay aside those issues.

[Anonymous]

I always liked that scripture and the similar one in D&C 10. In the past I could never relax enough to feel like I was using that scripture correctly. 😳 It was a struggle to determine if there was a difference between me wanting to slow down and me needing to slow down, if that makes sense.

Now I try to look past pacing issues, I try to let that aspect take care of itself.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for sharing that thought. I struggle balancing my limited time between work, family, struggling to staying engaged with Church, dealing with some health issues surfing StayLDS, among other things.

[Anonymous]

dash, in Sunday School yesterday, we talked about the Sabbath being made for people and not people for the Sabbath. I mentioned that the Sabbath command is a positive one (“Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.”) not a negative one (“Don’t break the Sabbath – and here is a long list of things you need to avoid in order to keep from breaking it.”) Everyone in the room agreed, and we had a good conversation about avoiding collective lists and following the Spirit in what you choose to do. I mentioned a friend of mine who is gone from home all week with his job who takes his kids to the park to play on Sunday after church, since he doesn’t have that chance any other day. For him it is sacred time, but he has been told by a couple of members that he is breaking the Sabbath by doing that. I said that we can be Pharisaical, too, and that we have to stop judging other people and calling good evil. I know there were people in the room who would never go to a park and play with their kids on Sunday, but not one person disagreed with me (at least, openly).

Finally, I mentioned a friend who had a time-consuming calling in the Church who realized that she wasn’t making Sunday a day of rest in any way – and that is the main point of the original commandment. She was so busy with church stuff on Sunday that she actually worked harder on that day than any other day and went to bed exhausted every Sunday night. She needed Monday to recover from Sunday. She realized she was putting church stuff off until Sunday that she could be doing other days of the week, so she changed her scheduled to free up time on the Sabbath to rest, physically, mentally and emotionally. She said it helped change her life, her Sunday attitude and her testimony of the concept of a Sabbath day of rest. (I made that comment after someone else had suggested HT and VT on Sunday. I didn’t mention that comment, and mine wasn’t immediately after his, so it didn’t come across as challenging that person, but I thought it needed to be said.)

[Author]

Posts