Estimated Reading Time 8 Minutes
Hey You! Welcome back to The Vibrant Life Podcast. I’m Emily Romrell and I’m psyched to share some of my thoughts with you today. I appreciate your patience with me as new podcasts have been sporadic lately. Life is a whirlwind my friends, but life is also so good. Every time I do a new episode here, I feel so grateful for the opportunities that I have and the wonderful support that I receive. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen here once and a while.
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Today I want to share something that is especially dear to my heart. If you’ve been with me for a while, you’ll know that I love mottos or sayings that inspire me to live to the fullest. Obviously “Live a Vibrant Life” is a major mission statement. Another one that is pretty much tied in importance to me personally is “Be Not Weary In Well Doing” and this is the message I want to offer to you.
The saying “Be Not Weary In Well Doing” is actually a scripture reference. In this podcast, I don’t necessarily focus on religious/spiritual things, and I don’t avoid them either. I just let the lessons and concepts I share come naturally. Spirituality is a big part of my life so you’re going to get scriptures from me sometimes. But if you don’t think of yourself as religious, I hope you will keep an open mind here. Because this idea to be not weary in well doing has changed my life in a big way.
In the New Testament, Paul uses this phrase in 2 Thessalonians 3, and in Galations 6:9-10 we read:
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
And as members of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints, we have a book of scripture called The Doctrine and Covenants. In Section 64:32-34 we read:
But all things must come to pass in their time.
Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.
Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days.
I love these scriptures so much.
In my own journey, I have had some weary days. I struggle with depression and anxiety and I’ve dealt with those demons for a long time. More recently I have been dealing with fibromyalgia and chronic pain. And the more I deal with my own challenges the more compassion I have for others. I know everyone seriously struggles sometimes in their own ways. I only mention that because I think it’s ok to be weary sometimes. In fact, in this life, I think it’s unavoidable. The key I think is to do our best not to stay there for too long.
These scriptures give me hope. First in Galatians, Paul teaches us that everything happens in its due season. We will reap our reward if we faint not, and he’s talking about faint in the older meaning of not losing courage. And he explains that in the midst of our trials we also have the opportunity to do good to others which is a major key to staying positive in tough situations.
In The Doctrine and Covenants, we learn that all of us have a purpose. We are laying the foundation of our great work, and that great work is our life. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great. I love that because my crazy mind loves to get overwhelmed. Sometimes I feel like I should be doing all these big things and I might not be making a big difference like I want to. But this is a reminder that the little things are what count, and the little things combine to build bigger things. And FYI, the scriptures mention the importance of small things at least twenty-seven times. I looked it up, haha.
And just while I’m working through all of the references here, I want to talk about a tender mercy in my life. The saying, “Be Not Weary In Well Doing” has become a sort of code or key phrase between me and Heavenly Father. It will often pop up when I am struggling and need a reminder that I am doing better than I sometimes think. Another wonderful thing about my church is that we have a General Conference every six months. Leaders from our church share uplifting messages and guidance to help us in modern times. And I’m not kidding you when I tell you the saying, “Be Not Weary In Well Doing” almost always pops up. It’s like a personal bingo moment for me. I just did another search and there are four pages of search results of talks that mention this phrase in General Conference. So I think this concept is a pretty big deal.
I already mentioned briefly that we all feel weary from time to time, and that’s okay. We can’t control many of the difficult things we go through, and the struggle is part of the process in this life. But here’s the truth my friends, we do control how we respond to our circumstances and we can choose to face our challenges with optimism and hope. We can choose to be cheerful even in the midst of very hard things. And the key to doing this is in well doing.
So what is well doing? I think you can look at it in multiple ways. It’s the practice of doing good things. And my friends, there are so many good things we can do in this world. I’m going to only focus on a couple here. But first, let’s take a moment and I want you to think about how you are currently spending your time. Are you filling your days with good things? Don’t be too critical of yourself because that’s not helpful. You are probably not giving yourself enough credit for the good you do. But are you being deliberate in how you spend your time or are you running on an automatic mode? That’s something to consider.
I want to talk about doing good things for yourself. Self-care is critical and I am learning more and more that I can’t give to others as much as I would like if my own energy and health aren’t a priority first. So part of well-doing is simply taking care of yourself. Are you eating healthy? Are you getting enough rest? Do you make an effort to move and get exercise? These are the things everyone knows they should be doing but that often take a back seat in our lives. But we have to take care of ourselves. It’s so important and as someone who has been struggling with chronic pain, I can tell you good health is a gift. So give that gift to yourself and then you can share even more with the people you love.
Also, do good things that make you happy. What are you passionate about? Make time for your hobbies and talents that bring you joy. It doesn’t matter if it’s playing a musical instrument or baking, building things, or doing sports. The options are endless. But I know that often when we are feeling weary, it’s because we aren’t doing the things we love. This is so important. And when you share what you love with others that joy is multiplied exponentially.
That brings us to well-doing in the lives of others. Service is so key to making the most of life. When you take time to focus on the people you love rather than only on yourself, weariness can fade in magical ways. I think that is why we all have our different talents, right? We are supposed to share them. Some of the most impactful talents are the quiet understated ones. These talents are things like being a good listener, making sure others feel included, and even remembering others in our prayers. Again, the options are endless. But I want you to know that you make a difference in your own special way and it’s important for you to realize that. And it’s important to make loving others a priority in our lives.
To “Be Not Weary In Well Doing” is just another way to say “Live the Vibrant Life.” The main thing is to make a proactive effort to be the kind of person we all have the potential to be. And I want you to believe me when I tell you that your potential is astounding. You have the ability to do so much good, and you make the world a better place just by being you. And again, please don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s important to work to become better but give yourself some credit for where you are right now as well.
There is a tremendous poem by Steven Haase that I think helps to showcase our potential. It’s entitled:
How to Make a Difference: A Poem
The universe did not second guess you, my friend.
For billions of years life has labored for you.
Now you’re here. Alive. How amazing is this?
You are life itself–evolution in motion.
Your human ability to think and to wonder
To plan, and to dream… all are miracles themselves.
Creation, it wants to move forward, right now
And you are the best circumstances it has.
When you hold your thoughts back, feeling not good enough,
You deprive all of us of your greatness.
When you hesitate to act out of fear of failure,
You deny your own divinity.
You are more than just you (though that’s what you are, too),
You are dust become mobile, consciousness with will,
You have freedom of choice.
There is nothing impossible when you simply start.
So don’t hesitate, question, or doubt your own skills.
Just set pen to paper, or instrument to lips,
Put your hand on the wheel, and start changing the world!
And you’ll notice the times that you truly feel free
Are the moments you go beyond familiar and “safe.”
Just peek past the boundary set up in your mind.
Have at that blank page and create with your being.
Give it everything, hold nothing back.
Tap into a vein, and smile as you see
That we all have that vein, you just opened yours first.
The trick of being human is to be the first one.
To risk being silly, and to fall on your face.
But if you get up, and keep stepping forward,
The future will open, it’s yours to create!
And why not? Who’s to say that you’re not good enough?
Even if you’re just starting, keep taking those steps.
Move forward, move forward, move forward again.
And when you slow down, just reach out and offer
Your hand of goodwill to those you can help,
And help them be more, do more, and thrive.
The shortcut to happiness is to make others smile.
Like a boomerang of love, it comes right back at you.
So smile (right now, just do it) and see,
That the secret to happiness is already in you.
Just be still, listen closely, and let it arise,
The freedom that bubbles up from deep inside.
Life is all in, and you can be too.
Know you’re a light, be on fire, and blaze.
The world is in need of your vision of more:
More kindness, creativity, courage, and love.
So step out and be the one who sets a new path.
Make a dent in the universe, prove what can be.
The power is in you, it’s in all of us.
If you believe it and do it, you’ve already won.
So the challenge this time my friends is to take a look at where you are and how you are facing life. Are you making the effort to choose cheerfulness despite your struggles? I know that can be difficult but you can do it. Are you spending your time on good things? Are you living a life of well-doing? That’s what it’s all about.
Thanks for listening and have a terrific week. Live the Vibrant Life!
