I sat in a Sunday School class where the teacher asked what we do to remain on the path back to our Father.
The answers were unsurprising: pray, read scriptures, attend church, temple worship.
It was written on the board as a list.
Then, one woman raised her hand and said, “I hate lists. They make me feel overwhelmed and inadequate. They make it feel transactional, which just isn’t what my reality is like. Sometimes I don’t get the blessings I want from those things.”
Some good responses were given, and some needful reminders for all of us brought to light.
It all rests on purpose and focus I think.
God doesn’t really give lists-at least not the check-the-box kind of lists that we tend to make them.
The acts of faith, the spiritual work that we do are not tasks on a spiritual to-do list to get done and move on.
They aren’t items to check off to receive a grade or a gold star.
They are invitations to connect with Him.
Pathways to change and growth and instruction from on high.
Acts to show our desire to draw close to Him and our willingness to become holy-like Him.
The blessings are not of the vending machine variety-put in this amount and press a button for what we would like.
Not a transaction at all, but a relationship.
A closeness to and knowledge of our Creator and Redeemer and the peace and confidence that come with that.
A bond that allows us to receive His power and increased capacity in our lives.
A strength in faith and assurance.
It’s a way of building and nurturing a loving relationship that gives us full access to His guidance, that allows us to trust in promises yet to come, and that allows us to progress.
Sometimes we lose focus and the list helps us to maintain the practices that will lead us back to the purpose.
Throwing out the list often means forgetting or neglecting the relationship, because we’re mortal, and that is what the natural man tends to do.
But the list is only fully valuable if it ultimately reminds of the purpose-the Person we are trying to emulate and the love we are trying to learn from Him.
Accepting the invitation to draw near to Him in prayer and study and worship regularly and consistently is all about changing us.
Making our hearts like His.
And trusting that He knows and has offered us the best ways to do that.
