I heard a talk in sacrament meeting this past Sunday that got me thinking. Actually, it was one particular aspect of this talk that really caught my attention. The speaker had been talking about how he was looking through some old journals of his from several years ago, and was not happy to see that he was still struggling today with the same problems that he was trying to overcome several years ago. This happens to so many of us. We become complacent in our spirituality. He said one thing thought that really made me think. He said “You’ve got to live your life deliberately”. While it seems like such a simple statement, it really made me ponder on whether or not I’m living MY life in that manner. Am I still struggling with the same things I’ve been struggling with for years, or am I making a concerted effort to overcome those inadequacies?
To have a deliberate life would mean, by definition, that you were carefully weighing it, considering it, studying it, or being intentional about how you live. When we think of this from a spiritual standpoint, are we carefully weighing our decisions, are we studying our weaknesses, and are we intentionally making an effort to change our lives?
I started thinking about my own weaknesses, and what I could do to overcome them at this point in my life. They are, after all, the same issues I’ve been dealing with for a few years now. What could I do, that would be deliberate, to change? This speaker in sacrament meeting mentioned keeping a journal to track your progress daily. This is something I have not done since my mission. As a missionary, I was diligent at writing in my journal daily. I didn’t want to forget a moment of what I was experiencing. It is something I cherish to this day.
What about a spiritual journal? Do you keep one? I never have. But, I am considering doing so. It would involve summing up each day what I did that day to help, or hinder, my own spiritual growth. It could include things that I studied in my scriptures, or feelings that I felt when I didn’t start or end my day with pray and scripture study. It would be an intentional way I could try and change what I am lacking in my spirituality.
What do you do to live your life deliberately?
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