Estimated Reading Time 6 Minutes
Hello Friends, and happy Monday! My name is Emily Romrell. Welcome to The Vibrant Life. This is Episode 2: Be Not Weary in Well Doing. On this episode, I’ll be discussing the origins of this saying, how it became my personal mantra, and how it has become a true source of strength and help for me to keep fighting the good fight.
Do you have a favorite movie line? My family loves to watch movies and sometimes we can have whole conversations made up from movie quotes. After Batman Begins came out in 2005 my brother, Dallin, couldn’t go a whole day without saying, “Stay calm, you’ve been poisoned.” And my sister, Kimberly, and I have watched Steel Magnolias so many times that the phrase, “You know I love ya more than my luggage.” has become sort of a secret code between us.
Why is it do you think, that quotes from our favorite movies or books affect us so much? Words are powerful. They stay with us. And when words hit us in the right combination and at the right time, they become part of the story we tell ourselves, to remind us who we are.
To help me remember to tell myself the right kind of story, I have a huge collection of my favorite quotes in a digital picture frame above my desk. I love to be inspired from the great thoughts of other people. Some are from famous actors or writers, some are from wise people I know personally, and some are scriptures that are special to me. Today I want to share the story of one of the most meaningful thoughts I’ve come across.
I don’t even remember how long ago it was, but I was a teenager and I was in bed after a really hard day. I decided to pull out my scriptures and read a little. For the first few minutes, I remember my eyes were kind of glazing over the pages and I wasn’t really paying attention. But then I read this verse:
Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
I remember thinking that weary was the perfect word to describe how I was feeling at that moment. Then I felt a little rebellious thinking, What do you mean don’t be weary. I feel how I feel. And I got a mad. I went on a rant in my head thinking, Wait a minute, aren’t you supposed to be an all knowing God? Aren’t you supposed to see my heart and know how I feel? Do you know what I’ve been going through?
But I was only looking at the beginning of the verse. I went back and read it again. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
I realized that the verse was asking for a collective effort. My Heavenly Father was comforting me and telling me not to give up. We were in it together.
I went back and read again for the third time. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
My mind drifted to some of the good things I was doing in school and at home. I was trying hard to do what was right, but I was also pretty self centered. All I was thinking about were the problems on my own shoulders. I knew there was a lot more I could do to help and serve those around me.
The third time I read that scripture I felt the promise shining through that if I would strive to “do well” that eventually I would reap the rewards of my labors. I just had to hold on and faint not. I fall short in many ways, but since that time I’ve tried very hard to always consider those around me. I often think about the activities I’m involved in and whether they fall into that category of “well doing”. It’s magical. When you focus on others and on filling your time with meaningful things. Life really isn’t so wearying after all.
As you can guess, after that experience I fell in in love with the saying “Be Not Weary in Well Doing.” I looked for other instances of it in the scriptures and found them:
2 Thessalonians 3:13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
and in Doctrine and Covenants 64:33 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.
I love the D&C reference so much too. A major theme in the scriptures is that out of small and simple things comes that which is great. Well Doing doesn’t take big or extraordinary efforts. There are lots of little ways to implement it into everyday life.
Some things I try to do include smiling at people and trying to really listen to them in conversations. Look for small acts of kindness you can perform throughout the day. Always give your best effort at work or other projects you’re involved in. Make sure the people in your life know how much you love and care about them. Develop your skills and talents and share them with others. Continually strive to learn new things and stay interested in the world.
Does that list sound familiar? Being involved with “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.
I found a fabulous poem by Steven Haase that I think helps to showcase this 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 I’d like to encourage you to think about what it means to you to “Be Not Weary in Well Doing.” Think of your own little phrase or credo if that ’s more meaningful to you. I’ve found that having these mini mission statements in my life has mad a huge difference in how I live day to day. I am a much happier person when as I try to fill my days with worthwhile purposes.
