Going Through the Motions

I've been going through the motions lately. I mentioned that to my husband last night and he said, "Who doesn't?" I think this is true to a certain extent. One of the easiest traps for good LDS people to fall into is "going through the motions" or living the gospel casually.

I hate it.

It's like walking into a room and forgetting why you came there, or losing your train of thought halfway through a sentence. We need to remember why we are where we are and why we do what we do.

As this applies to living the gospel, I find myself keeping a firm grasp on my testimony as a means of motivation, but I lose the power of the emotions involved to back it up. When the spirit is strong and active in my life, it opens my eyes to the significance of every moment. It makes it easier for me to see the influence that I have as a mother, wife, and homemaker. I better value the knowledge that I gain from books, speakers, and conversations. It allows me to really feel the weight of important things.

As it has been for the last few weeks, I have felt spiritually numb. It's strange to be able to recognize things that would normally move me and yet to be so far removed from it that I can't really feel it anymore.

So what's the solution? I don't know that the answer would be the same for everyone. For me, I recognize a need to "put my life in order." This means I need to sit down, pray for guidance, and re-prioritize. I will look at all the stuff I do with my time and throw out anything pointless or harmful. I'll make a list of the most important things, those that must be done everyday, and I will make time for them first in my day. Then I'll look at all the additional positive things that I'd like to be doing and make sure that I choose to spend my free time at those pursuits. This will give me satisfaction, but more importantly I will be doing what the Lord would have me do. That will give me spiritual peace and fulfillment.