It had been one of those really busy days.⁣

And I wished that I could just take a day off the next day to watch Netflix and rejuvenate, because boy, did I need it. ⁣

But of course, I couldn’t do that. ⁣

My packed to-do list for the following day was still there. ⁣

I felt exhausted and prayed for strength to get through the following day. ⁣

And here’s an example of when the Lord used my scripture reading to answer my prayers and needs in an immediate way. ⁣

As I was reading my scriptures that night, I happened to read D&C 64:33.⁣

Here, the Lord says: ⁣

“Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing”.⁣

That phrase, that I’ve heard a million times before, hit me like lightning. ⁣

Doing good things and being a good person is literally the whole point of this life. ⁣

NOT to get my work out of the way so that I can watch Netflix as much as possible. ⁣

Yes, I need to make sure I’m not running faster than I have strength and that I’m sleeping well. ⁣

But then… I WANT to let the good things that I’m doing energize me instead of drain me. ⁣

And it may sound overly-simplistic, but that’s what I chose in that moment. ⁣

I simply CHOSE to let the good things that I’m doing ENERGIZE me instead of drain me. ⁣

And… it worked. ⁣

I know, I know, it sounds too easy. But I think the mind is a powerful thing. ⁣

Deciding to not complain about all the good things that I’m doing opened the door for gratitude and energy to come in to my life in an even greater capacity.

And I even gained some clarity on a few things in my life that I thought were the awesome, but were not necessary. ⁣

Piece by piece, I’ve started finding that joy even more. ⁣

I’ve stopped glorifying my “busy-ness” and my fatigue. ⁣

I’ve got a lot of really great, really important things on my plate. ⁣

And I’m gonna keep on going and finding the joy. ⁣

Because God wants me here on earth to DO good and BE good, AND have joy.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post What if you ARE weary?  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

There ain’t no tired like Saturday-morning-EFY-counselor tired. ⁣

(Has anyone else experienced this?! )⁣

But it was GOOD tired. ⁣

It was a “man, my body needs to just sleep for 40 hours” tired.

And also a “but I feel like I’m walking on a spiritual high!”⁣

To me, this is one of the most extreme examples I can think of of NOT feeling weary in well-doing.

I was so energized, but also tired.

But not weary. ⁣

“But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.” (2 Thessalonians 3:13)

I think the caution to “not be weary” comes with 2 implications:⁣

1. Do good things and draw our energy from doing those good things⁣

I feel SO much more satisfied at the end of a day when I have reached out in service, done fun things with my family, and spent meaningful time with friends.

That’s where I draw my energy from!⁣

But I also like to stop and realize all the “good” that I already do each day and try feel energized from that, too!⁣

I cleaned up our breakfast oatmeal splatter mess right after it happened instead of waiting for it to dry and get more difficult?! Good things! ⁣

It’s like we get to cheer ourselves on when we catch the good things each day, and then draw our energy from it, no matter if we feel a little tired in the moment. ⁣

But then the other implication of this counsel is:⁣

2. Don’t overcommit so that we move past “good-tired” and into “weary”⁣.

It’s SO easy to overextend ourselves. ⁣

Did volunteering to help with that project seem like a good idea at the time, but now it’s just making you weary? Maybe it’s time to say no for a bit!⁣

Is the ghost of “but this is how they’ve always done it in the past” haunting your calling at church and making you weary?

Maybe it’s time to change traditions. ⁣

To me, “weariness” implies much more than being tired.

It implies feeling “run down” or “worn out”. ⁣

And I don’t think we are capable of doing much good when we feel weary. ⁣

I love feeling energized but tired from doing good things.

That is a fulfilling feeling! ⁣

But it’s also important to know when to say “no” or “not now” when we begin to feel that weariness.

How have you learned to weary not in well doing?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Tired, but not weary!  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

This hymn didn’t make the cut for our current green 1985 hymn book, but it’s been in older versions.

In fact, the Tabernacle Choir has sung an arrangement of this hymn that is super fun— you should give it a listen.

But I love the message, and I’ve just got a simple thought for you today on this busy weekend.

First, take a minute to read through these inspiring lyrics:

If the way be full of trial, weary not!⁣

If it’s one of sore denial, weary not!⁣

If it now be one of weeping⁣

There will come a joyous greeting⁣

When the harvest we are reaping, weary not!⁣

If the way be one of sorrow, weary not!⁣

Happier will be the morrow, weary not!⁣

Here we suffer tribulation⁣

Here we must endure temptation⁣

But there’ll come a great salvation, weary not!⁣

If misfortune overtake us, weary not!⁣

Jesus never will forsake us, weary not!⁣

He will leave us never, never⁣

From his love there’s naught can sever⁣

Glory to the Lamb forever, weary not!⁣

Do not weary by the way!⁣

Whatever be thy lot. ⁣

There awaits a brighter day⁣

To all, to all who weary not!⁣

– William H. Flaville⁣

I bet we could all write our own verses to this song. ⁣

“I just really need a nap, weary not!”⁣

“My child keeps struggling, weary not!”⁣

“It’s a Monday morning, weary not!”⁣

“I have to interact with this person again, weary not!”⁣

Life is hard.

And we do our best to weary not.

Jesus never will forsake us.

Weary not!

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not”. (Galatians 6:9)

What would your custom verse be?

P.S. What an amazing General Conference weekend, right?!

The post Weary not!  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

It had been one of those really busy days.

And I wished that I could just take a day off the next day to watch Netflix and rejuvenate, because boy, did I need it.

But of course, I couldn’t do that.

Now, I’m pretty good at removing the fluff from my life. It’s definitely a strength of mine to be able to say “no” to things that I don’t need to be doing.

But my packed to-do list for the following day was still there.

I felt exhausted and prayed for strength to get through the following day.

And here’s an example of when the Lord used my scripture reading to answer my prayers and needs in an immediate way.

As I was reading my scriptures that night, I happened to read D&C 64:33.

Here, the Lord says:

“Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing”.

That phrase, that I’ve heard a million times before, hit me like lightning.

Doing good things and being a good person is literally the whole point of this life.

NOT to get my work out of the way so that I can watch Netflix as much as possible.

Yes, I need to make sure I’m not running faster than I have strength and that I’m sleeping well.

But then… I WANT to let the good things that I’m doing energize me instead of drain me.

And it may sound overly-simplistic, but that’s what I chose in that moment.

I simply CHOSE to let the good things that I’m doing ENERGIZE me instead of drain me.

And… it worked.

I know, I know, it sounds too easy. But I think the mind is a powerful thing.

Deciding to not complain about all the good things that I’m doing opened the door for gratitude and energy to come in to my life in an even greater capacity.

And I even gained some clarity on a few things in my life that I thought were the best, but were not necessary.

Piece by piece, I’ve started finding that joy even more.

I’ve stopped glorifying my “busy-ness” and my fatigue.

I’ve got a lot of really great, really important things on my plate.

And I’m gonna keep on going and finding the joy.

Because God wants me here on earth to DO good and BE good, AND have joy.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Weariness and joy first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.