Before we are ready

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Saturday Afternoon Session of the April 1983 Conference.

I've wondered for a long time why it is that Heavenly Father seems to want us to do lots of things before we are ready for them. Hopefully you know what I mean by that. Not that he wants us to leap into things unwisely, obviously. But we aren't supposed to wait for TOTAL CERTAINTY. Not with marriage, at least not in my experience. Not with having children! Even when you THINK you're ready, you soon realize you can't really be completely ready for that. Not even with making covenants! Again, not that God advocates us NOT being ready, but if we waited until we really thought we could do a great job living our covenants completely—I still wouldn't be there. And baptism! What child is really "ready" at age eight for that step? But yet, they ARE ready—ready enough—at least Heavenly Father thinks so!

So it seems to me that there is something Heavenly Father wants us to learn from jumping into things with faith—and hope—before we feel ready. Maybe he realizes that the only way to truly GET ready is to start living the experience, and learn as we go? And I suppose that in the pre-earth life, we were prepared and readied—more than we even realize—to a point where He knew we were ready enough to go on.

Anyway, Elder Marvin J Ashton's talk, "Straightway," touched on this same theme. He said,

The word straightway suggests the urgency to take that first step toward any worthy goal… 

To take that first step may require great courage, but somehow possibilities and potential strengths begin to appear once the decision to act positively is made. Unsuspected courage and strength will be given to those who start forward in the right decision.

I've heard this teaching before, combined with the "take one step into the darkness" metaphor, but I liked how Elder Ashton explained the REASON we can and should take that step with confidence:

We invite all to serve the Savior and walk in His paths straightway. There is an urgency for all of us who have this knowledge of His divinity to act upon it without hesitation or delay. The time is now. 

Joshua reminds us of the importance of making decisions promptly: “Choose you this day whom ye will serve; … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Not tomorrow, not when we get ready, not when it is convenient—but “this day,” straightway, choose whom you will serve. He who invites us to follow will always be out in front of us with His Spirit and influence setting the pace.

I had never thought about how the reason we can have confidence in proceeding—the reason it's not just plain dumb of us to start on these things we really aren't ready for, imperfect and inexperienced as we are—is that Jesus Christ "set the pace" before us—and atoned for us—making our mistakes, even the big ones, relatively insignificant. Of course they sometimes hurt us and others, but as long as we keep picking ourselves up and following Christ—He makes up for those. If it were otherwise—if our errors led to immediate damnation—well then, of course it would be much more advisable to WAIT. Wait until we had dated every conceivable type of person before choosing one to marry. Wait until we were eighty years old and had learned some patience before we dared have children. Wait until we really understood what it meant to "consecrate our lives" before promising to do it. But then…how exactly would we learn those things without just jumping in and doing them? And yet how could we dare jump in and do them, knowing we were certain to fail and that would be the end?

It only works when you add a Savior into the equation. And THEN it makes more sense to start trying as soon as we can possibly try. Much before we are very wise. Much before we are very patient. Much before we are very experienced. To just start moving—so we can begin learning and growing as soon as possible—making a million mistakes along the way—and relying on our Savior to transform us as we keep repenting and keep trying.

And I love this:

Don’t procrastinate action while wishing for missing abilities. To those who are inclined to respond with “Not now” or “Not yet” to the invitation to “come, follow me,” may we suggest, with all the love and sincerity we possess, He wants you. He will welcome you straightway regardless of where you have been, where you are now, who you are, or what talents you possess or lack.… 

Do not doubt your abilities. Do not delay your worthy impressions. With God’s help, you cannot fail. He will give you the courage to participate in meaningful change and purposeful living.

It does take courage. We talk so much about being prepared, and there is definitely a place for that. But there are so many things I have done without being at all prepared for them, and I'm glad I didn't wait, because I think my fears could have kept me waiting forever! Yet there are things I am still fearfully waiting to dive into—and I think it shows a lack of appreciation for and understanding of Jesus Christ's atonement when I feel that way. He atoned for us precisely so we could grow by doing the things we aren't ready for. And if we will just take that terrifying first step—he will help us keep going until we finally ARE ready to receive all that He has.

Other posts in this series:

Potency and Authority by G

The Blessings of the Keys of the Priesthood by Jan Tolman