Troubled about many things

 

There are many demands on our time. It sometimes feels like there's too much to do and not enough time to do it. And on top of all that, God wants us to do those things that will bring us closer to Him: reading our scriptures, attending temple and other worship services, serving others, etc. It's not hard to understand why we sometimes let those things slide. But when we prioritize them, they help all the other activities in our lives to fall into their proper place.

When Jesus told Martha that "one thing is needful," He was not implying that the other things she was trying to do were unimportant or not worthwhile. Rather, He was pointing out that at that time, Martha's desire to learn from Him in order to draw nearer to God was more important. Concerning herself with keeping house and serving her guests was a worthy desire. But Christ would only be with them for a short time, and they were better served by taking advantage of His presence.

This doesn't mean every second of every day needs to be spent on studying the Gospel. We need to take care of our mortal bodies (which includes appropriate intervals of rest and recreation), maintain close relationships with those we love, and contribute to our communities and society at large. "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1). If we ever feel overwhelmed with all the things we need to do, or are ever unsure of what to do next, we can take some time to ponder what one thing is most needful in that moment.

Cry Day and Night

This question follows the Lord's parable of the unjust judge, who agreed to avenge a widow of her adversary, not because he cared about her or her well being, but rather because she kept asking for his help and he didn't want her bothering him anymore. The implication being, if the unjust judge would help the widow because of her persistence, how much more will God, who loves us, grant our righteous desires if we will be patient and persist in prayer unto him and if it be His will.

While this verse can apply to any righteous desire that we have, it is of particular importance when seeking knowledge in the form of personal revelation. We may not receive our answers right away. That's okay. Sometimes (often in fact) we will need to be patient. But while we are waiting to receive our answer, we should continue in earnest prayer, which will demonstrate to our Heavenly Father that the knowledge we seek is important to us, and that we trust that He is able to provide it unto us.

This is the third in a series of Sour Peppers on personal revelation.