I’ll Help You the Rest of the Way
I’ve been waking up at 4:45 am several times a week to get to my favorite yoga class. (Yes, this class is totally worth it!) One morning after going to sleep past midnight and hitting snooze a couple of times, I just laid there in bed. Exhausted was an understatement. My body was still sore from the previous class, and I thought of ten things I could get done if I didn’t go to class today. And of course I thought about the absolute deliciousness of sleeping in for another hour! As I laid there, mostly asleep, but awake enough that I felt this little tiny rush of energy. I felt the impression come clearly, “Just get up and get there. I’ll help you make it the rest of the way.” My eyes immediately opened and I sat up in bed. I quickly said a prayer and expressed my gratitude for the extra burst of energy. I couldn’t stop smiling all the way to my class and felt that little extra skip in my step for the rest of the day. I love the sweet little gifts heaven sends our way when we need a little encouragement. That feeling and those words, “Just get up and get there. I’ll help you make it the rest of the way,” have come to my mind and heart several times.
This isn’t a new concept or idea by any means. In the last General Conference Pres. Eyring added that his “encouragement is to help you know that when you do your part, the Lord adds His power to your efforts” (General Conference October 2016). It is important to remember that obedience is key to our eternal salvation and earthly happiness. There isn’t a cookie-cutter route to success for each individual, but we do have the powerful gift of agency and are equipped with many tools to help us on our way. In whatever stage of life we may find ourselves, we can remember that there is a loving Heavenly Father who is eager for us to call on Him. He loves us unconditionally. So get up and just get there! Be present, do your part and Heavenly Father has promised He will take care of us. In a speech given at BYU by Elder Richard D. Franklin he said, “I feel to say to you that the Lord has a special mission for each one of you, and as you live in accordance with gospel principles, the Lord will open up the way before you and assist you in solving your problems and making the right decisions throughout your life” (Peace and Happiness, 1983).
Sometimes the moments we find difficult are as seemingly insignificant as getting out of bed in the morning. Or maybe we think we don’t know what major to choose in college, or if we even want to go to school! Maybe moving to a different city seems daunting; having a healthy relationship with someone seems like too much to ask for. I’m pretty sure Heavenly Father doesn’t measure our worth or success by the number of degrees we have, or how full our calendar looks either. But he does want us to learn and grow. I really believe He wants us to boldly move forward and trust in Him. Elder Gong of the Quorum of the Seventy pleads with us to, “Please remember, we can choose to be good, to learn and to believe. Heavenly Father knows how all things will work together, and He knows how all things can work together for our good. That’s a great promise” (Choose Goodness and Joy, 2011).
