Do you ever get discouraged?

Do you ever get discouraged?

I do.  Sometimes I feel discouraged when --

• I am overwhelmed with the things that I know really do need to be done.
• I doubt whether I am doing the “right thing,” and I am pretty sure I am not doing it the “right way”.  That’s discouraging.
• I doubt myself.  I’m not capable.  I’m just not adequate.
• I doubt what I’m doing matters to anyone, and whether I’m of any use to anyone, either.

Etc.

In times of overwhelming discouragement, I just don’t know how to “snap out of it” and “feel better.”  

It’s like saying, “Just go ahead and speak Greek.  You’ll know how if you just “feel” it in your heart.

No.  I won’t.  I won’t know how to speak Greek if I haven’t learned it.    Plain and simple. And maybe, I don’t even want to learn Greek.  

How am I going to feel better if I have to feel anything in my heart?  My heart seems frozen - closed off - close to fragmenting.

So, sometimes, I can’t rely on my heart.  Sometimes I realize that I’m just not capable of telling my heart to “do better.”

It’s at times like this that I need another solution.  There is another solution, too.

I have to rely on what I know.  I have to rely on what is in my mind.  That’s why it is so important

to have our minds filled with things that we know to be true -- even when we may not feel peace in

the moment.  If our mind is filled with hopeful thoughts --  that hold true always - and are true in a

spiritual perspective, we can pull up that information in our mind.  Rely on that, until we can get to

a place where our feelings come alive again.  

Pres. Henry B. Eyring, October 2017 Conference, “Fear Not To Do Good,” says this:

The way to optimism as we go forward was given by the Lord: “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not” (D&C 6:36). President Monson told us how to do that. We are to ponder and apply the Book of Mormon and the words of prophets. Pray always. Be believing. Serve the Lord with all our heart, might, mind, and strength. We are to pray with all the energy of our hearts for the gift of charity, the pure love of Christ (see Moroni 7:47–48). And above all, we are to be consistent and persistent in following prophetic counsel.

When the way is difficult, we can rely on the Lord’s promise—the promise President Monson has reminded us of when he has often quoted these words of the Savior: “Whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up” (D&C 84:88).

Action Items:  

Just for today, I will:

• Put thoughts in our minds that are true - eternal - and inspiring.
• When our feelings are just “fragmented,” then rely on those thoughts.
• ACT according to those thoughts - as if you really did FEEL it.

Soon, you will notice that your feelings have shifted.  You will feel peace, calm, and comfort as you rely on what you know.

The Lord is there.  Angels are there.  We can do this.