The first Sunday of the month is our Fast and Testimony meeting at church. The congregation fasts together, and the first hour is given for individual members to come and share their knowledge and belief in Christ and His gospel. Back in January, on Fast Sunday, the Bishop shared his testimony and invited us to do the same as we felt to do so. He also asked that we 'be unrestrained' as we shared when and what the Holy Spirit directed. Though I was busy with kids and didn't make it up to the pulpit that day, that invitation stood out to me.
In the weeks since January, I've thought a lot about that phrase that Bishop used; "to be unrestrained". Jesus Christ lived a life of unrestrained compassion, goodness, service and love. He lived the gospel, He fulfilled His purpose, He was about His Father's business, all unrestrained, unabashed, unashamed. And He asks us to follow Him. We must follow Him. The question then is 'how'? How do we live such an unattainably perfect life? How do we share His gospel with as much purpose and love as He did? How do we truly follow after One such as He?
I think the answer is: without restraint.
Shortly after that Sunday I was sitting at work with a patient when an ambulance rushed by the window, sirens blaring. My patient almost instantly let out a short, sincere, audible prayer for the responders, those affected, and their families. It was beautiful. It was her first reaction. And it was unrestrained.
On a different day I was sitting with another patient talking about life, when she asked if she could pray for me. And she did. Right there in the operatory, she prayed for me, my family and that the power of Jesus -through whose name is all power- might be with us. It was beautiful. And again, it was unrestrained.
These precious women were an example to me of casting off limitations. Culturally, it's so easy to refrain from sharing certain things: emotions, experiences, precious beliefs, hardships, challenges, triumphs, anxieties. Restraint is ingrained into our everyday interactions. It becomes our comfort zone. And guys, comfort zones have very real limiting power on our ability to share the gospel as the Savior did. He wants us to share His good gospel. He did not limit Himself to a comfort zone. Instead He invited everyone -everyone- who would follow Him outside of theirs. That includes you and me.
The Bishop's invitation to be unrestrained was an invitation to step outside our comfort zones too. It is not a call to be overbearing or without tact or concern. But it is an invitation to speak up when an opportunity to talk about the gospel, or to share testimony presents itself. It is an invitation to share sacred beliefs and experiences with others. It is an invitation to act without hesitation or doubt when moved by the Holy Spirit. It is an invitation to pray more freely. It is an invitation to serve a little differently. It is an invitation to shake off the 'little' sins that hold us back from bigger endeavors. It is an invitation to talk about Jesus in daily conversation like the friend He is. It is an invitation to be comfortable with a little discomfort. I contend that there is no discomfort worth avoiding when stepping into it means drawing nearer to the Creator of the world, the Author of our salvation, the Savior of our souls.
Howard W. Hunter said, "To the extent that our mortal powers permit, we should make ever effort to become like Christ- the one perfect and sinless example this world has ever seen. We must know Christ better than we know Him; we must remember Him more often than we remember Him; we must serve Him more valiantly than we serve Him. Then we will drink water springing up into eternal life and will eat the bread of life."
So I guess my point in writing this is to extend to you the invitation to be unrestrained. Find what that means personally for you, because it will look differently for all of us. The Atonement of Jesus Christ enables us to break any and every restraint. We don't follow Him perfectly, but we can be a little more unrestrained as we share His Goodness.
In the weeks since January, I've thought a lot about that phrase that Bishop used; "to be unrestrained". Jesus Christ lived a life of unrestrained compassion, goodness, service and love. He lived the gospel, He fulfilled His purpose, He was about His Father's business, all unrestrained, unabashed, unashamed. And He asks us to follow Him. We must follow Him. The question then is 'how'? How do we live such an unattainably perfect life? How do we share His gospel with as much purpose and love as He did? How do we truly follow after One such as He?
I think the answer is: without restraint.
Shortly after that Sunday I was sitting at work with a patient when an ambulance rushed by the window, sirens blaring. My patient almost instantly let out a short, sincere, audible prayer for the responders, those affected, and their families. It was beautiful. It was her first reaction. And it was unrestrained.
On a different day I was sitting with another patient talking about life, when she asked if she could pray for me. And she did. Right there in the operatory, she prayed for me, my family and that the power of Jesus -through whose name is all power- might be with us. It was beautiful. And again, it was unrestrained.
These precious women were an example to me of casting off limitations. Culturally, it's so easy to refrain from sharing certain things: emotions, experiences, precious beliefs, hardships, challenges, triumphs, anxieties. Restraint is ingrained into our everyday interactions. It becomes our comfort zone. And guys, comfort zones have very real limiting power on our ability to share the gospel as the Savior did. He wants us to share His good gospel. He did not limit Himself to a comfort zone. Instead He invited everyone -everyone- who would follow Him outside of theirs. That includes you and me.
The Bishop's invitation to be unrestrained was an invitation to step outside our comfort zones too. It is not a call to be overbearing or without tact or concern. But it is an invitation to speak up when an opportunity to talk about the gospel, or to share testimony presents itself. It is an invitation to share sacred beliefs and experiences with others. It is an invitation to act without hesitation or doubt when moved by the Holy Spirit. It is an invitation to pray more freely. It is an invitation to serve a little differently. It is an invitation to shake off the 'little' sins that hold us back from bigger endeavors. It is an invitation to talk about Jesus in daily conversation like the friend He is. It is an invitation to be comfortable with a little discomfort. I contend that there is no discomfort worth avoiding when stepping into it means drawing nearer to the Creator of the world, the Author of our salvation, the Savior of our souls.
Howard W. Hunter said, "To the extent that our mortal powers permit, we should make ever effort to become like Christ- the one perfect and sinless example this world has ever seen. We must know Christ better than we know Him; we must remember Him more often than we remember Him; we must serve Him more valiantly than we serve Him. Then we will drink water springing up into eternal life and will eat the bread of life."
So I guess my point in writing this is to extend to you the invitation to be unrestrained. Find what that means personally for you, because it will look differently for all of us. The Atonement of Jesus Christ enables us to break any and every restraint. We don't follow Him perfectly, but we can be a little more unrestrained as we share His Goodness.
Comments
Post a Comment