I’d read professional development books.

I totally got into podcasts.

I studied the scriptures a lot and read supplemental materials.

I love learning, I had the time and the mental capacity to do it, and so I did.

Fast forward a few years and three little kids later, and it blows my mind how little time I have for that anymore.

I started a podcast episode that I was super excited to listen to last week, and it took literally all week, listening to 5 or 10 minute portions here and there, to finally finish it.

My scripture study has become much more focused on the essential basics.

I can only read articles on my phone for as long as I have before my baby slaps my phone out of my hands with her newly discovered fingers.

My speed of personal improvement has slowed down so much.

So much to the point that it’s tempting to think, “What’s the point! I’m failing at it all.”

“Your direction is more important than your speed.” -Richard L. Evans

Why were the people in Jerusalem in spiritual trouble?

It wasn’t because they had slowed down the speed of their spiritual progression.

“They hearkened not… and went backward, and not forward.” (Jeremiah 7:24)

They were going in completely the wrong direction.

A step in the right direction, no matter how small, is still a step.

Three verses of scripture read on my phone before zonking out in bed knowing I’ll only have a few hours before a kid wakes me up is a step in the right direction.

Listening to half of a conference talk because I only have 5 minutes in the car is a step in the right direction.

Sending a text to someone when I’ve been meaning to do so much more to serve them is a step in the right direction.

Forward. Not backward.

(Or when I go backward, repenting and taking that little step forward as fast as I can again.)

Always trying to move a little bit closer to the Lord, inch by inch.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Forward and backward first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.