[We must cultivate] a willingness to labor. [The work of the gospel] is difficult. It will tax your energies. It will strain your capacity. It will demand your best effort—frequently, a second effort.In our Relief Society council meeting this week, someone asked about how we could avoid getting discouraged when our efforts to serve others seemed to be unwanted or ineffective. And I don't really know the answer to that (except "try not to get discouraged!"—which isn't very helpful). But I think one thing that helps ME with the inevitable discouragement is to have frequent reminders of these twin truths—that the work of mortality won't be easy for me, but that it will be good for me. "Hard is good," as a more recent conference talk put it.
So we put in our best effort; we give what we think is enough. And then…we give another effort. And each time, we grow a little more.
I struggle with giving service that is "unwanted or unaccepted" too. I think many of us do. The thing that helps me the most is something I realized recently--I'm not accountable for the person's reaction or acceptance, I'm accountable for me and my actions. It's very similar to sharing the gospel with others. Not all are going to accept it, but I'm not judged on whether or not another accepts the gospel, just whether or not I shared it. Takes all the guilt out of the equation for me. And I just read that talk, "Hard is Good" the other day and was encouraged! Thanks, as always, for sharing your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteYes! We made this same comparison in our RS class. It is a lot like missionary work! Our responsibility is just to offer and love and then leave the rest to the Lord.
DeleteThe second effort is where I've been failing. Now I've got some powerful food for thought and self-evaluation today!!!
ReplyDeleteAlong a slightly different vein. Or maybe the same. Just the "hard is good" business. I was feeling discouraged the other day. Just about the usual ceaseless ordinary demands of life right now. I was particularly feeling frustrated that I couldn't easily DO any of the good things that would undoubtedly help me grow spiritually -- visit the temple, truly study the gospel as I'd like, etc. But I felt this same feeling. That it being HARD was good. That I was in a unique phase where the opposition pushing on me making all these things difficult to do was good for me and was causing me to grow. That doesn't mean having free time to study all I want won't be good if it happens one day, and I actually can't do all that would be GOOD now. But somehow I knew that the hardness of it was good for me to be experiencing.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think what you've said here really is enough sometimes. Just knowing it is supposed to be hard and that we keep trying -- that it is meant to be that way. Well, sometimes we forget it.
Also, I was talking with my mom on the phone the other day. I was assuring her that I knew she was doing exactly what she should be doing for my nephews who live with her and have various problems. She was worried her efforts weren't enough, but I just felt SO strongly to tell her that she would look back and see that what she has been doing is what she is supposed to be doing even if it doesn't appear to be solving life for them. In the same breath I started telling her about a neighbor who I keep feeling I should be a better neighbor to, but how I just don't know how. We don't have much in common. And I don't have the ability to like "go to lunch" every month with someone. So I send occasional texts asking her whatever I can think to or how something is going, and I invited her for lunch over here once when some kids were napping, etc. But I keep wondering what I am supposed to do when nothing I try seems to connect with her or make us FEEL closer. But suddenly I felt like the Spirit was laughing at me that I could so clearly see for my mom what I couldn't see for myself. That maybe what I saw as crummy failed efforts . . . were the exact efforts I was supposed to continue making because they were what I am meant to be doing even if it isn't currently seeming to make some huge miracle happen.
Anywho . . . comment longer than the post. Eeks. Love yoU!
I loves all of this. It really is so much easier, for some reason, to see others (at least...certain others. Those we love.) and their actions so much more clearly than we see ourselves. I know WE are the only ones who can see in our own hearts, which is one indication that we are doing "enough", but then our personal knowledge of all our faults also gets in our way. So I think it's cool when you have an experience like that with your mom, where you defend her intentions and her goodness, and then think "....oh. And that could apply to me as well."
DeleteAlso, I am Gollum. I loves this, my precious.
DeleteThank you for your consistency in posting. I've been following along in reading or listening to the GC Odyssey since the beginning and it's nice to see you keeping it up. I appreciate your insights.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading! I hope there will be a GCO Renaissance sometime soon! :)
DeleteI want to also thank you for sticking with this. Though I trail way way behind the group I have not given up and am slowly moving forward. I love what you share
ReplyDelete