Slow down

Sooner or later, such times come to all of us.  That’s why it’s good we reserve a daily time and space for us to slow down.

Unless you’re new to the program, you know that Joy in the Journey Radio moved last summer across the country.  This was to facilitate a change in my life, a decision to return to school so I could get a credential to get the university teaching job I really want.

Now that I’m halfway through my first semester in 16 years, I have to admit it hasn’t been quite what I expected.  Apparently my tools were a little more rusty than I thought.  And attending a conference while keeping up with assignments and my research project in the midst of midterm exams is especially burdensome.  I just wish everything would stop for a moment so I can catch my breath.

Sooner or later, such times come to all of us.  That’s why it’s good we reserve a daily time and space for us to slow down.

Don’t forget the Lord

I’m especially nervous about midterms because they comprise such a large proportion of my final grades.  And my grades are a huge input into whether or not my funding will continue into next year.

Because so much is riding on my performance right now, I naturally felt after a priesthood blessing.  Being away from home, I asked my elders quorum president who my ministering brother is.  I learned I haven’t yet been assigned one (apparently being here for only two months I’m still new), but my elders quorum president volunteered to offer one.

As he laid his hands on my head, he pronounced some items I thought were rather generic.  But I was impressed with this counsel: Don’t forget to make time for the Lord’s work.

As I reflected later on that counsel, I recognized great wisdom in it.  The pressures currently upon me push me to spending inordinate amounts of time between sleep sessions in deep devotion to my studies.  But I shouldn’t allow those pressures to push deep devotion to the Lord out of my daily life.  I must reserve time and space for His work, and I must remain firm in keeping those appointments.

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His work matters more

Of course, keeping those appointments requires a resolve which life has a way of testing.  Currently I feel like mine is being tested to the limit.  Resisting that impulse to spend more time with my studies feels difficult.

But I also know I can’t expect the Lord to help me with my work if I’m unwilling to help Him with His.  And in the end, His work matters more.  Years or even just a few months from now, my performance in school will be whatever it is, and it won’t mean very much.  But I can always look back on moments when I chose to do the Lord’s work and find continual value in that choice.

Yes, I can’t help but think about the consequences of poor performance as I write those words.  Losing my funding will mean I can’t afford school, and that will mean either taking on huge debt with student loans or dropping out entirely and finding a new job (both of which I hate).

But I also can’t forget the sustaining hand of the Lord as I traveled here.  I felt the Lord with me in my journey.  He helped me as I went along my route here, which wasn’t always as planned.  Why would he lead me through all of that only to see me fail?  He wouldn’t, and that thought encourages me to walk in faith.

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Put the Lord first

I share this episode from my life with you today by design.  Yes, I think the program is improved when I can get personal with my audience, but my real intention in sharing this episode is to offer an analogy.  And that analogy has great application for LDS singles.

We all have moments in life when we feel the tug of daily living.  Life can get hectic as demands increase in quantity and volume.  And the strain from all these demands can feel quite intense.

But as I was recently reminded, we need to slow down and remember the Lord.  That starts by putting first things first in our lives.  And we should always put time for the Lord’s work first in our schedule.

I’m not suggesting we shouldn’t do our own work or make the time necessary for it.  Rather I am suggesting that we not forget to create sufficient time for the Lord first in our schedule.  Time spent in prayer, scripture study, and furthering His Kingdom will keep us close to Him Who controls all things and can move all things for our ultimate good.  And that will bring us more joy in our journey.

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You can listen to the monologue from today's episode of Joy In The Journey Radio here.  Please also feel free to continue the conversation by leaving a comment below.  Want to hear more?  Listen to the whole show by going to the show page for this episode.