Settling

I had a thought today while I was at church. 

A woman bore her testimony (click here for further information on what in the world I am talking about!) about Joseph Smith and how he sought out many different churches and church leaders to find what he felt was the right or true church. 

As she was talking about this I realized how grateful I was to him for not settling. Instead of going to a few different churches and then weighing his options and deciding to go with the best fit, he was honest with what he was feeling and did not settle for "good enough." 

He didn't think to himself, "Well, I guess this is the best one out of the five I've been to, so it'll do." 

He knew it didn't feel right. 

He didn't stay in his comfort zone, but instead, he sought growth, he sought a challenge.

Being the word lover I am, I looked up the definition of "settle," and this is what I found:

"Adopt a more steady or secure style of life."

Now trust me, I know how wonderful that sounds, particularly now as I am going through so many changes and uncertainties.

But we know that it is times of uncertainty, times of trial, that allow us to grow. 

"The stuff of growth was never made of ease..."

-Elder Dallin H. Oaks

(Full talk here)

So this is where I had my thought:

How often do we settle?

Settle for knowledge, truth, relationships, education, blessings, service, and on?

How often do we allow ourselves to stay in a "more steady or secure style of life," because that is just it, it is more comfortable, more sure, and more steady?

How much are we missing out on by settling and not reaching our full potential, the full potential that our Father in Heaven has had in store for us from the very beginning?

There is always a good, better, and best.

I am so thankful that Joseph Smith refused to settle with good or better, but went for the best.

Yes, it brought on more trials than he ever could have imagined, but without those trials he would never have been able to bless the lives of millions who have accepted the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, all because he refused to settle.

Think of the possibilities of what you could do and experience by never settling, by always aiming for the best.

I am going to try my hardest to stop settling and allow those times of uncertainty and discomfort to work to my advantage.

(Quote made by yours truly!)