Do you ever feel that you are reaching for something, but you don’t know what it is? Like an idea is always on the tip of your tongue? Or like a baby laying in a crib with your arms flailing around reaching for something but don’t how to get it? Because of this, we turn to revelation to direct us in our decision-making process. Which is what we should do, but are we doing it with the right perspective? Making decisions is hard. I was the flippy-floppy type of decision maker. “Should I or Shouldn’t I…” I would ask myself over and over again. I was always so concerned with making the Right Choice that analysis paralysis would take over. I admit, it took me eighteen and a half years of formal education (no, not years of life, but all the way through grad school) to feel comfortable about making a hard decision and sticking with it. I came to feel that there was only one Right Choice. Although, that one Right Choice may not exist in every situation. Follow me for a second… This may seem a little off topic, but it all ties together. A lot of my life I have believed “When I get married everything will be perfect. I will have my life figured out, my husband will have things figured out, and we will have a perfect little figured out life together.” News flash, Alex, you will probably never feel like you have your life figured out. Why would you expect someone in the same boat as you to have it figured out? Even though I have followed my dream to go to grad school and find some awesome jobs, I rarely ever feel satisfied[8] . I am constantly wondering if I’m living up to my potential or that I am doing everything the Lord asks of me. We have somehow been lead to believe/talked ourselves into this idea that revelation will tell us every time what is the One Right Choice. To reiterate, that one Right Choice may not exist in every situation. A couple of weeks ago, many of you saw that the article “You Are Not Messing Up God’s Plan for You”, written by Ariel Szuch. This Ensign article was shared consistently by Millennials for a few days (which in the social media world, that’s a loooooong time). Like it may have for many of you, this article this article comforted and inspired me. As I have tried to explain these sentiments in my “Expectations” blog, Ariel says it more succinctly: For a lot of my life, I wondered if I was messing up God’s plan for me. I’ve agonized over making the right choice… I’m learning that God is much less a divine dictator who demands perfect compliance to a predetermined plan for our individual lives and much more a co-creator with us of the kind of lives we want to live. I’m learning that his plan for me is a lot less like a laser-crossed minefield and a lot more of a journey of coming to know myself and coming to know Him . Giiiiiiirlllllll. Nailed it. Our Heavenly Father intends for us to be that baby laying in the crib flailing our arms. When we flail we are reaching towards Him. We need Him to show us how to obtain what we want. Although, there is a part of us that is firm in His Gospel. We believe that Heavenly Father loves us. We believe that He has a plan. We are rooted in the doctrine. We are firm in that those beliefs. Flailing Arms, Firm Feet. It’s an interesting dichotomy. Part of us is thrashing around looking for something to hold onto. While the other half of ourselves is unmoving. So how does Revelation, The Right Choice and flailing body parts should do with each other? Faith. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). “Faith is knowing the sun will rise, lighting each new day. Faith is knowing the Lord will hear our prayers each time I pray. Faith is like a little seed; if planted it will grow.” I haven’t seen Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. But I have felt their presence. I haven’t seen water changed to wine, but I have felt my heart change after asking for it. Faith is looking for Revelation. Faith is having the courage to step into a decision where there isn’t One Right Choice. Faith is knowing God may left us flail for a little bit. This is the lifelong test. Giving up control and having faith. I flail. And I flail hard during that first unknowing step in a decision. But you know what I do know? I am always caught. And that’s Firm Feet. Elder Christofferson has said: “Some of you may have wondered about the values and significance of your life and what the Lord thinks of you. There are things that may have happened or may not have happened in your life. You may worry about parts of your patriarchal blessing that are not yet fulfilled. Please know there is a great deal still to happen in your life before your resurrection. Much more can happen than you expect! Mortal life is not the beginning or the end. The key for all of us is to accomplish all that we can now.” The only way to grasp what our flailing arms have been reaching for is being a co-creator with our Heavenly Father. Let him know what you want to do, move forward with faith that He will let you know if He approves. So, go ahead and flail. That’s how we learn. Elder Chrisofferson continues: “Cultivate and apply your talents. Develop your God-given spiritual gifts. Don’t be content with where you are. Try new things. Keep going. Remember in the parable of the talents that the reward is the same for the person who increased their five talents to ten and the person who increased their two talents for four: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord’.”
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single.The Ability to Be Whole and Complete on My Own Archives
April 2017
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