Thoughts on Thursday - Running Faster

I was reading a story in the Ensign this week about a woman who came home from her mission due to an illness. While recovering she went back to work at the same ice cream store she had worked at as a teenager. She was discouraged that she didn't finish her mission or college. Her friend asked her, "Why do you have to finish the race of life in a set time? Why not just run the race?" She later learned. "I don't always need to sprint. Occasionally, it will be all I can do to simply face the finish line. Doing our best to move forward-no matter what speed 'our best' is-is OK. Our efforts can be made perfect because the Lord's grace is sufficient for us all."

Sometimes I feel we ask too much of ourselves. We push too hard. We expect things to be ideal/perfect all the time. Sometimes I wonder...is what we call "doing our best" the same thing the Lord would call "running faster than we have strength"?

I don't think the Lord expects us to run ourselves ragged. I think when we are really doing the things he asks us to do (and not 100 things more) we can feel peace most of the time. I don't think the state the Lord wants us in is filled daily with stress and guilt. To me that state of stress is often a sign that I am trying to take on too much - "running faster than I have strength". The feeling of guilt is also a clue that I am asking/expecting too much of myself.

We need to simplify. We need to hone in on those things that are essential and of utmost importance. Sometimes it is all we can do just to face the finish line. THAT IS OK. Many times we need to say, "No." We need to say "NO" to fluff. We need to say "NO" to excess. When I think of this I mostly think of women in callings in the church, however, I think it can apply to all aspects of our lives. Far too often I observe women who have spent too much time and energy on fluff. They spend too much of their precious time and energy on visuals and extras that don't really matter. These things are nice and good but I don't think they are necessary or great (most times). They are not worth continual stress and anxiety.

Yesterday I prayed with real intent and listened for an answer to my question, "Lord, what would you have me do today?" My answer yesterday was, "Just take care of your family. Take care of your family." As I was out grocery shopping, I had several thoughts of my own making in regards to people I know. I recognized that they were not impressions of the Spirit because of the guilt and dread that was associated with doing something in regards to those thoughts. Peace returned when I remembered, "Take care of your family." The Lord knows me. He knew that yesterday it would take all the energy I had to grocery shop, take Caden to the doctor, and feed my family. I needed to focus on that. I know that peace comes from God. Peace comes from the Comforter, the Holy Ghost. When we do things from this core of peace, we know that we are on the Lord's path. He knows that we are really doing the best we can. It may not be the sprint we were capable of in the past. It may look like nothing compared to what others are doing. It may not be to the ideal that we wish for. What matters is that we rely on the Lord, point our compasses toward Him and have faith that He really does know each of us personally. I believe He does.