Thursday, June 29, 2017

The Lord's Work

Perhaps because it sounded strikingly similar to another message I had heard recently, a particular passage from President Eyring's talk “Walk with Me” stood out strongly to me as I heard it:
None of us can do the work of the priesthood, and do it well, relying solely on our own wisdom and talents. That is because this is not our work—it is the Lord’s.
 Doesn't that sound familiar? It seems like only yesterday I was blogging about almost the exact same message. But there's a twist on it this time. Yesterday, the message was that, since this is the Lord's work, our task is not to lead, but to follow. This time, the message is that, since this is the Lord's work, we shouldn't expect to do it without His help.

I haven't lived long, but I've lived long enough to learn that things go more smoothly (or less roughly) with the Lord's help than without it. With God's help, we can accomplish miracles. Without it, we're lucky if we can get through the day. Some things, especially seemingly impossible things, are possible only with God's help. Perhaps this is the case with successful church service. Anyone can serve, but in order to be truly successful in church service, we're probably going to need at least some help from God.

The good news is that, as President Thomas S. Monson has taught us, "When we are on the Lord’s errand, we are entitled to the Lord’s help" (Ensign, May 1996). When we engage in church service, we are doing the Lord's work, and, if we let Him, the Lord helps us do it. I am thankful that the Lord offers His help to everyone who is willing to help Him. Life is hard sometimes, especially when church callings add to our already-taxing schedules and stress-inducers, so I'm grateful that the Lord's help is available to everyone who serves others. Without that help, most of us would have a hard time managing our own lives, let alone managing a church calling or two as well. We need God's help. Thankfully, He is willing to offer it to anyone who's willing to use a portion of it to serve Him.

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