Joy In The Journey Radio
  • Home
  • Radio 4 LDS Singles
    • Recent Shows >
      • 9 Nov 22
      • 2 Nov 22
    • Archive 2022
    • Archive 2021
    • Archive 2020
    • Archive 2019
    • Archive 2018
  • LDS Singles Blog
  • Members
    • Members-only
  • World of TED
  • Firesides
  • Books
  • FAQ
  • Volunteer
  • Home-centered Church
  • Donate
  • Contact

continue the conversation

Partner now

5/3/2017

0 Comments

 
"It’s easy to think, “Yeah, I know that’s what I should do.  But I’ll do it tomorrow.”  That’s the voice of procrastination inviting us along the easy path leading us far beneath what we intend to accomplish."
You can listen to the host of Joy In The Journey Radio read this blog post by using the player here.  Feel free to continue the conversation by leaving a comment. And be sure to catch the latest episode of Joy in the Journey Radio by going to the Recent Shows page!
Picture
Back in college I prided myself on being able to procrastinate assignments until the last minute and then pull out my magic wand (also known as an all-nighter) and bring home a win.  I actually prided myself on being a professional procrastinator!

Then I got older, my metabolism shifted — more than once, I think — and now I just can’t go late night after late night.  My body cries out for sleep!

I also find it easier to hearken to that siren voice tempting me to seek instant gratification now at the expense of more worthwhile pursuits.  Whenever I succumb, I’ll eventually look around and ask, “How did I end up here, so far beneath what I intended to accomplish?”  Procrastination is truly the thief of life.

It’s normal to play the grasshopper fiddling away the summer while the ants labor to prepare for winter.  Playing the grasshopper is easy.  Playing the part of the ant takes self-discipline and dedication — in short, hard work.

We encounter these struggles with everything in life, including how we live the gospel.  For many, being active in the gospel is little more than following a script, a set routine that repeats itself over and over again.  But you can’t live life fully on autopilot.  Living your best life requires you to choose consciously.  That’s the only way you can get real.

Don’t wait

Picture
I’ve spoken time and again about our need to partner with the Lord.  If you read those words, you probably think they sound right.  But you won’t actually feel their rightness until you live them.

It’s easy to think, “Yeah, I know that’s what I should do.  But I’ll do it tomorrow.”  That’s the voice of procrastination inviting us along the easy path leading us far beneath what we intend to accomplish.

That’s not the path we extol when we sing, “I need thee every hour.”  Every hour includes all the time yet to come tomorrow and all the time we live right now.  Is there ever really a time when we don’t need the Lord?  Why then wait to partner with Him?

Yes, living life consciously is hard.  Resisting that natural tendency to let our autopilot coast us along is hard.  But if we do what is easy, life will be hard.

Don’t let any single tomorrow rob you of the fulfillment you could enjoy today.  Partner with the Lord now.

Visit your default future

Picture
Often it’s easy to procrastinate until tomorrow what we should do today because the cares of the present moment obscure our view of reality.  Visiting our default future cuts through those clouds, allowing us to see more clearly and choose more wisely.

Your default future is the one you’ll have if nothing changes.  If you keep doing what you’re doing, where will you end up?  That is your default future.

What is our default future if we don’t partner with the Lord now?  Where does that path lead us?  The Lord Himself informs us.

  They were slow to hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God; therefore, the Lord their God is slow to hearken unto their prayers, to answer them in the day of their trouble.
   In the day of their peace they esteemed lightly my counsel; but, in the day of their trouble, of necessity they feel after me. (Doctrine and Covenants 101:7–8)

Our default future will be suffering with unmet needs, suffering we can prevent today by partnering with the Lord now and taking counsel from His hand.

Do it now

Picture
If we do what is easy, life will be hard.  But if we do what is hard, life will be easy.  If we partner now with the Lord, do the work required to receive the revelation that can guide our lives, and then follow that counsel, our lives will be easy.

In that scenario, our default future will still be one filled with challenges.  But the burden of facing those challenges alone will be lifted from our shoulders.  We will have strength to take each next step in our journey.  And we will find joy in each of those steps.

Alma the Younger counseled his son,

   Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day. (Alma 37:37)
Partnering with the Lord means He’ll direct us for good, so of course we’ll be lifted up at the last day if we stay on that path.  And the best time to start down that path is right now.

Partnering with the Lord now while we’re single will makes it easier to partner with Him when we’re married, because He’ll guide us to that companion we need, one with whom partnering with the Lord is easier.  That will make partnering with the Lord even easier when the children come along — and oh, how you will need Him when the children come along!

Don’t let any single tomorrow rob you of the fulfillment you could enjoy today.  Partner with the Lord now, and let His counsel light your way.  If you do only what is easy, your life will be hard.  But if you do what is hard, your life will be easy.  And that will bring more joy in your journey.
Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Author

    Howdy! I'm Lance, host of Joy in the Journey Radio. I've been blogging about LDS singles life since 2012, and since 2018 I've been producing a weekly Internet radio show and podcast to help LDS singles have  more joy in their journey and bring all Latter-day Saints together. Let's engage a conversation that will increase the faith of LDS singles and bring singles and marrieds together in a true unity of the faith.

    Comment

    Joy in the Journey Radio encourages the free discussion of ideas but reserves the right to remove and/or block comments which do not conform to LDS standards.

    Donate

    Joy in the Journey Radio offers many free resources to help LDS singles everywhere, but it certainly isn't free!  Help Joy in the Journey Radio in its mission to improve the lives of LDS singles by donating today.

    Posts by Month

    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014

    Categories

    All
    Adrian Ochoa
    Agency
    Assumptions
    Atonement
    Attitude
    Attraction
    Autopilot
    Balance
    Becky Craven
    Believe
    Best Life
    Bradley R Wilcox
    Camille N Johnson
    Change The Culture
    Changing LDS Singles Culture
    Christ
    Christmas
    Clark G Gilbert
    Confidence
    Conscious Choices
    Covenant Mindset
    Dale G Renlund
    Dallin H Oaks
    Dating
    David A Bednar
    Depression
    Dieter F Uchtdorf
    Discipleship
    Donald L Hallstrom
    D Todd Christofferson
    Face To Face
    Faith
    Family
    Family History
    Fear
    Filters
    Finances
    Focus Determines Reality
    Full Life: Body
    Full Life: Heart
    Full Life: Mind
    Full Life: Spirit
    Future
    Gary E Stevenson
    General Conference
    Gerrit W Gong
    Goals
    Gordon B Hinckley
    Gratitude
    Habits
    Happiness
    Hope
    Jack Gerard
    Jean Bingham
    Jeffrey R Holland
    John A McCune
    John C Pingree Jr
    Journey
    Joy
    Leaders
    Legacy
    Life Of Meaning
    Live In The Moment
    Marriage
    Marrieds
    Michael A Dunn
    Michelle Craig
    Miracles
    M Russell Ballard
    Natural Mindset
    Neil Andersen
    Opportunity
    Own Your Life
    Partner With The Lord
    Peace
    Personal Ministry
    Perspective
    Philosophy
    Proclamation On The Family
    Quentin L Cook
    Real
    Reformat And Reboot
    Relationships
    Ronald Rasband
    Russell M Nelson
    Sacrament
    Self Talk
    Self-talk
    Service
    Sharon Eubank
    Stories
    Support
    Surrender To Love
    Susan H Porter
    Taylor G Godoy
    Temple
    Thinking
    Thomas S Monson
    Trials
    Unity
    Valentine's Day
    Vision
    Walk By Faith
    Yoon Hwan Choi
    Zion

    RSS Feed

Offerings

Home
Radio 4 LDS Singles
LDS Singles Blog
Books
Speaking
Recipes
Home-centered Church

Production

About
Staff

Support

FAQ
Volunteer
Donate
Contact
Joy in the Journey Radio is a production
of Aspire Mountain Media LLC.
© 2014-2022 Aspire Mountain Media LLC.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

  • Home
  • Radio 4 LDS Singles
    • Recent Shows >
      • 9 Nov 22
      • 2 Nov 22
    • Archive 2022
    • Archive 2021
    • Archive 2020
    • Archive 2019
    • Archive 2018
  • LDS Singles Blog
  • Members
    • Members-only
  • World of TED
  • Firesides
  • Books
  • FAQ
  • Volunteer
  • Home-centered Church
  • Donate
  • Contact