The next right thing

I’ve spent the last year (pretty much exactly now) trying to avoid writing a spiritual thought about a song from the movie, “Frozen 2”.

Because that seems kinda weird. And also a little cliche.

But Moroni’s life and his own commentary reveal that he was going through pretty much exactly what brave Anna was experiencing in her dark cave.

Can you imagine not knowing what was going to happen to you next?

After having lived a life of general predictability, being thrown into a situation where you have absolutely no idea what tomorrow might bring?

Moroni had been honest ever since his father died.

He didn’t think he was going to live very long.

So he hurried and wrote down his father’s last teachings.

But then… he was still alive.

So he looked at the Jaredite records again, and had a prompting that he should abridge those.

Halfway through, he said goodbye again.

But after still being alive, he kept going until those records were complete.

And then he was still alive.

As unpleasant as it might seem, Moroni was actually expecting to be killed, time after time.

And so when his plans changed and he was left with unexpectedly large amounts of free time, what did he do?

He did the next right thing.

He didn’t spend his days wasting away, thinking that his death would come eventually.

And he didn’t wait to see the whole big picture before jumping in.

He just took a step. And then another step. And then another, not being able to see the next step until he had taken the one right in front of him.

I’ve had plenty of times where my life has turned upside down. Searching for a job that wasn’t coming, leaving a job that I loved, or even having some summer plans completely change.

On a much, much smaller and less dramatic scale, I have often needed to remind myself of this same lesson.

I can’t see the whole plan. I can’t know the purpose for every action.

But I think I can figure out what the very next right thing is, and take that step. And that keeps me moving forward, through the darkness of uncertainty.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black