I think probably the hardest thing about coming off a mission for me is that it feels like my progression has slowed down to a snail's pace. I was a Lamborghini cruising down the motorway and now I'm a rusty old Toyota Camry, just puttering along. Don't worry, this isn't a self-pity rant - over the past couple of days I've received some pretty amazing reminders from Heavenly Father about why I should be grateful for this period of my life.
It's part of the human condition that we're always looking forward to the future - to the next goal, event, or checkpoint that will make us feel happy and accomplished. Landing the dream job, getting married, buying a house, etc. But as I was praying the other night I had the impression that I need to be grateful for the things I'm doing right now, and that these things are preparing me for the future.
Then today I came across a talk by Elder D. Todd Christofferson called "Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread", given at a BYU devotional in 2011. It was one of those 'just-what-I-needed-to-hear-thanks-Heavenly-Father' talks. He speaks about the significance of every day acts that determine our future. How sometimes we just need to take things day by day in order to deal with big challenges. Christ is the 'Bread of Life', our manna in the wilderness, and we need His help daily to become the people we are striving to become. And as we realise our dependence on Him for daily nourishment and guidance, we will build a strong relationship of trust, and be thankful for our challenges because they bring us closer to Him. Change and progression take time - as long as we are moving forward with the Saviour there's no need to complain. So there are some very good reasons things are slow-going at the moment. Life is jolly good just the way it is!
Below are some excerpts or if you want the quick fix watch this Mormon Message:
It is day by day that we work out our plans for the future; it is day by day that we achieve our goals. It is one day at a time that we raise and nurture our families. It is one day at a time that we overcome imperfections. We endure in faith to the end one day at a time. It is the accumulation of many days well lived that adds up to a full life and a saintly person.
The Lord’s invitation to seek our daily bread at our Heavenly Father’s hand speaks of a loving God, aware of even the small, daily needs of His children and anxious to assist them, one by one... As we seek and receive divine bread daily, our faith and trust in God and His Son grow.
Though I suffered then, as I look back now, I am grateful that there was not a quick solution to my problem. The fact that I was forced to turn to God for help almost daily over an extended period of years taught me truly how to pray and get answers to prayer and taught me in a very practical way to have faith in God. I came to know my Savior and my Heavenly Father in a way and to a degree that might not have
precious commodity. I learned that manna today can be as real as the physical manna of biblical history. I learned to trust in the Lord with all my heart. I learned to walk with Him day by day.
Generally it is good to try to anticipate what is coming and prepare to deal with it. At times, however, this captain’s counsel is wise: “Take it one day at a time. . . . Don’t look ahead to the pain. Just get through the day.” To worry about what is or may be coming can be debilitating. It can paralyze us and make us quit.
President Ezra Taft Benson, speaking of repentance, gave this counsel:
We must be careful, as we seek to become more and more[Christlike], that we do not become discouraged and lose hope. Becoming Christlike is a lifetime pursuit and very often involves growth and change that is slow, almost imperceptible. The scriptures record remarkable accounts of men whose lives changed dramatically, in an instant, as it were: Alma the Younger, Paul on the road to Damascus, Enos praying far into the night, King Lamoni. Such astonishing examples of the power to change even those steeped in sin give confidence that the Atonement can reach even those deepest in despair.
But we must be cautious as we discuss these remarkable examples. Though they are real and powerful, they are the exception more than the rule. For every Paul, for every Enos, and for every King Lamoni, there are hundreds and thousands of people who find the process of repentance much more subtle, much more imperceptible. Day by day they move closer to the Lord, little realizing they are building a godlike life. They live quiet lives of goodness, service, and commitment. . . .
We must not lose hope. Hope is an anchor to the souls of men. Satan would have us cast away that anchor. In this way he can bring discouragement and surrender. But we must not lose hope. The Lord is pleased with every effort, even the tiny, daily ones in which we strive to be more like Him.4
In reality, there aren’t very many things in a day that are totally without significance. Even the mundane and repetitious can be tiny but significant building blocks that in time establish the discipline and character and order needed to realize our plans and dreams. Therefore, as you ask in prayer for your daily bread, consider thoughtfully your needs—both what you may lack and what you must protect against. As you retire to bed, think about the successes and failures of the day and what will make the next day a little better. And thank your Heavenly Father for the manna He has placed along your path that sustained you through the day. Your reflections will increase your faith in Him as you see His hand helping you to endure some things and to change others. You will be able to rejoice in one more day, one more step toward eternal life.
