Overconfidence

A couple of Sundays ago, our Elder's Quorum President, Brenton, gave a talk about being lax and too comfortable as Saints as time passes. The topic is more than relevant in a YSA setting.

Typically, once you have become familiar with a routine, you naturally become less invested emotionally. When put that in a gospel perspective, it signifies an underlying danger that's waiting to happen.

The allegory Brenton gave during his talk was mountain biking. I'm sure that applies to all extreme sports. When a novice is just starting out, the said person is unlikely to perform reckless actions due to the lack of experience. However, over time, that gradually changes as the novice improves and becomes a veteran in the game. Brenton used his close to death experience to relate to a lax attitude in the journey of discipleship. He almost rammed into a tree because he was so confident that he could handle the trail by himself. Little did he know, there were things that he could not control and it resulted in a near fatal experience.

We often hear in sacrament, Sunday schools, and even our respective groups, etc. that we should pray always and read the scriptures daily. These are even commandments from the Lord Himself. As time passes and we hear the same message again and again, we became complacent, thinking that we've already got all the basics covered. In reality, we are slowly slipping away when we put more and more "I know" before "I do". It's great to have the knowledge about the gospel, but it is more important to live it.

I remember the zeal I had when I was first baptized. Over the years, I admit that I don't have the same fiery desire to always check on myself to make sure I'm doing all the basics that every member has been asked to do. That doesn't mean I'm a horrible person, but that certainly indicates I'm not doing as well as I should be. The point being, we don't want to be in a state of carnal security (2 Nephi 28:21). You see it happen in the Church quite often. This can range from that married couple who thinks their temple sealing is the end all be all of progression to some people who says they believe, but feel like it's okay to let off a little slack because they've been following the commandments for so long.

That is the wrong attitude. I find myself trying to pray earnestly and read my scriptures daily, but the limited amount of time on my hands often pushes me otherwise. Regardless, we aren't expected to run faster than we have strength (D&C 10:4). I suppose we have the tendency to either do too little or do too much at a given time. Perhaps baby steps, though as embarrassing as it is in YOUR own mind, are the best place to start.

Nobody should be judging you for the choices you make to progress towards a better you. I'll take my time and do the best I can. Remember, perfection is not the requirement in this lifetime, but it certainly feels great to know where your limit lies and push beyond it.