Focus on Your Very Next Step

 Just because the Holy Ghost shows you a way that you could be better doesn’t mean that you have to do it right away and that God will be displeased if it takes you a little bit to get around to it.

I receive way more revelation and inspiration about where and how I can improve than I can possibly work on. That’s because I strive to constantly study the word of the Lord,which is really good at showing all of us how we can improve to become more like the Savior, because I am constantly attending various church meetings where every talk or comment leads to an invitation to act, and also because I am constantly asking the Lord for revelation myself–to know what I can do to bring my life more in line with His will. The first promise of Ether 12:27 is certainly true–the more that I come unto Christ, the more he shows me my weakness! 

God does not, however, want us to feel hopeless or defeated, which can happen if we erroneously assume that God expects us to make an enormous effort to work on all of these things at once.

I am not perfect at anything in life. So if I am determined to find at least one way that I can improve or be better in any given area, I can always find at least one way to improve, if not many. Especially when I have a desire to know and to recognize where I can improve and I am asking for help to see my next steps, the Holy Ghost is not going to withhold that from me. So the Holy Ghost ends up showing me more possibilities for improvement than I can possibly take at once.

Of course, the ultimate goal is becoming perfect as God is perfect, and each step along the way is important, but a journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step. We cannot possibly take all of our “next steps” to coming unto Christ all at the same instant. What we need to remember is that just because the Holy Ghost shows you something that you can be better at doesn’t mean that you need to be perfect at it immediately. Should you feel overwhelmed at all the ways that you could and should improve yourself, the Holy Ghost can help you to see which steps to take are the most important now and which ones can wait and come a little later. With that assurance, you can consistently and confidently throw your whole heart, might, mind, and strength into your very next step.

“And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.” - Mosiah 4:27