In a Rut

As I have been sitting here, contemplating about what I should write, absolutely nothing was coming to mind. Strangely, that is the inspiration that I needed. Not knowing what to write about made me think of all times in my life I have been "In a Rut."

When I was in high school I loved football, and I did all I could to be my best at the sport. This entailed spending a lot of time in the weight room. Day in and day out I would strength train by either doing a lot of repetitions with a smaller amount of weight, or a few repetitions with a large amount of weight. At first, I progressed very rapidly. I could feel myself getting stronger, and the amount of repetitions and weight that I was able to lift increased. Over time however, I found that over time the increase became less even though I was still working as hard as I was before. I was "In a Rut." It would get so frustrating. I'd set goals and do all I thought I could to reach them, but to no avail.

I would still progress, but I would progress very very slowly. That is when a wise old man that would work out in the weightroom told me, "If you do what you've always done, you get what you've always got." He explained that if I want to more fully progess, then I needed to change up my workouts and do something new. I had to get my muscles out of their comfort zone. I took his advice to heart and did what he told me to do. Just as he explained, I progressed rapidly again. However, just as before, I would eventually get caught in a rut, but now I knew how to get out of it and it was up to me to make the change. When I would, then I'd progress, and when I wouldn't make the change I wouldn't progress. It was that simple.

Our Heavenly Father has given us a plan to help us progress. He has given us commandments to follow to aid in that progression. Sometimes we feel as though we are stuck in our ways or "In a Rut." It doesn't need to be that way. There is always something that we can improve on in our own lives. Someway for us to progress and be more fully disciples of Jesus Christ. I myself, have many weaknesses that I strive to improve on everyday and with the Lord's help I know they can become strengths. The Lord tells us this when He says, "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." (Ether 12:27)

When we feel as though we're in a rut we can ask the Lord what we can do to improve and he will show us. Then, it is up to us to decide whether or not we'll do what He asks us to do. If we take the opportunity to act, and change then we'll see progression and come closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. If we fail to heed to them we stop our progression.

I know that the Lord truly does help us grow. He loves us and wants us to be the best we can. We'll find that if we turn our lives over to him that He will make a lot more out of us that we ever could.