Courage may be necessary for you to believe; it will at times be necessary as you obey. It will most certainly be required as you endure until that day when you will leave this mortal existence.
I have spoken over the years with many individuals who have told me, “I have so many problems, such real concerns. I’m overwhelmed with the challenges of life. What can I do?”
I have offered to them, and I now offer to you, this specific suggestion: seek heavenly guidance one day at a time. Life by the yard is hard; by the inch it’s a cinch. Each of us can be true for just one day—and then one more and then one more after that—until we’ve lived a lifetime guided by the Spirit, a lifetime close to the Lord, a lifetime of good deeds and righteousness.
The Savior promised, “Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life.”
This was excerpted from President Monson's talk "Believe, Endure, and Obey" from the April 2012 general conference. I know that for me, personally, this is a good reminder that can be applied to not only believing, but other things Heavenly Father wants us to do to obtain blessings.
Sometimes I know I need to ask Heavenly Father to help me be better and grow a stronger testimony, but I hesitate because I feel unable or perhaps not really willing to do my part. Everyone struggles with things that they know they need Heavenly Father's help for, but feel like they will have to do so much themselves that it isn't really worth it. But President Monson says right there that you just need to do it one day at a time! Have the COURAGE to ask Heavenly Father each day in your morning prayers to help you see just one or two ways that day that you can improve. At night, think about your day and where you've seen how you've improved. Then thank Heavenly Father! At the end of a week, two weeks, a month, a year, look back and see how much Heavenly Father has helped you accomplish goals, become better, and BELIEVE! Then keep going! This is a wonderful pattern for life.
In Alma 37:6-7, it says, "Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise. And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls." This is so true! If we try to reach greater heights one step at a time, it will be so much more effective and be much easier than attempting to do it all at once!
Have a wonderful evening!
Yep, Satan is really good at feeding us the lie that it will be too hard or require too much effort to change/improve. It really is worth doing small things each day to improve. Thanks for the reminder!
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