I've been reading and hearing a lot lately (and have learned my whole life) that if you've done your very best, then Jesus Christ will make up the difference. But how do you know if you've really done all that you can—your very best?When I was 16 I took a ballet class at the University of Utah—my dad would drive me to the class, stay and watch. It was an adult class and I was the youngest one in it; and probably the best. I felt like I worked in that class—I paid attention, did the exercises right, consciously worked at all the things I knew I should be doing; I thought I was doing my best.
There was a young man in the class (probably in his mid-20's) who was fairly good-looking, and whom I thought was a good dancer. I may have even had a little crush on him—but mostly because a guy in a ballet class is a rarity, and his being there automatically made him cool in my eyes. (Actually there was another man in that class—he was at least 60 and I didn't have a crush on him.) Well one day, instead of dancing, the younger guy just watched the class; maybe he was sick or something. I was a little nervous that this cute, good-dancer guy would be watching my class. Something interesting happened: Even though I didn't really feel like I was working harder, my teacher commented over and over about how well I was doing that night. She even told me not to overdo it and wear myself out; she wondered out loud why I was doing so much better—-was it because my dad was watching the class? I thought that was kind of funny; my dad always watched the class. And I didn't feel like I was doing more than I had any other night (although I realized it after the class, when I could feel a little more burn and tremor in my muscles than usual).
Now, I had thought that I was doing my very best all along, every time I went to class. But I guess on that night I gave just a little extra push—some more polish to my performance—and I outdid myself. So while I was doing very well before, on that night I really did do my very best.
So my question is this: How can you ever know if you are really doing your absolute, very best? Can you always push just a little more? How do you know that you've really done all you can do, and so now it's OK to say, "Fill in the rest, please?"
3 comments:
I've thought a lot about your post and question this week. I had a lot of time to think about it. You gave me something else to think about on my morning runs than the running itself!
This is what came to me:
1. In answer to the first part of your question: How can you ever know if you are really doing your absolute, very best? Can you always push just a little more?
We are imperfect. So, no, I don't think we can give our absolute very best all.the.time. We do what we can at each moment in time. Sometimes, we slack off and we know it. Sometimes we really think we are pushing hard and we wonder if it was enough. No matter what you do, you likely could have done more in some way. But, most of the time, I think we DO what we are capable of at that moment.
2. Since we are imperfect, it would be impossible for us to be THE BEST all the time. So, I think we are the very best we are capable of when it counts. The times we go out of our way to help a friend or a stranger. The times we stay up late helping a child with homework they put off till the last minute. The times we sacrifice comfort or even necessity for ourselves for someone else.
3. I think of God and Jesus as our trainers. We are imperfect and "out of shape". Each day, through our faith, we train. Each day we get stronger and give more of our best to God and the people we touch every day. Every time we do better, it's like building up another muscle.
In answer to the 2nd part of your question: How do you know that you've really done all you can do, and so now it's OK to say, "Fill in the rest, please?"
I don't think you ever know if you've really done all you can. (I remember Oskar Schindler sobbing at the end of the film "Schindler's List" that he could have done so much more). All we can know is that we trained every day. As we train, we get stronger and more confident. With that confidence comes the blessing through our faith that we have been obedient and faithful students to God.
We don't ask Him to fill in the rest. He decides if we have followed His training well enough to deserve the rest.
For me I fill like I do my best when I don't have any regrets or disappointments (usually should ofs and could ofs) in my behavior at the end of the day. I'm not a very perfect person, but I do think that we all have the occasional perfect day where we feel like we've done nothing wrong. For instance: kept your patience with your kids and husband, kept all the commandments, and did other things asked of us. Those days we should strive for, but probably won't enjoy very often. :)
I have a few different thoughts about all this. First, do we excel at something we really enjoy, or do we just feel good about what we are really good at? Which comes first, or are the two naturally connected?
But my next thought: Loralee, your not talking about personal excellence, are you? You need help, and you feel like you can't ask God for help unless you've demonstrated you've done "all you can do." A farmer could kneel in his field all summer and just pray for a harvest in fall. Or he could plow, sow, weed, dig, sweat, and call all the work he does his own--and probably get a decent harvest. Or, he could pray for help, and work hard all summer, and maybe because he believes he will recieve divine help, he puts in his "best" work ever, and reaps an exceptional harvest. Yes, faith without works is dead, but check out Mark 11:23-24. I would never consider moving a mountain with a shovel--or a backhoe. But I believe Jesus: he wasn't kidding. If you need a mountain moved, believe it will move.
But I think there's even more to it than that. How many times have we read those touching Christmas stories--about the family that was struggling financially, about how the kids weren't going to have any Christmas presents, or any shoes, or even any supper? Maybe the father worked hard on his farm all year, and even prayed for help, but trajedy hit. Have you ever heard about how someone stepped out of their own comfort, and thought of another--and that someone may have been the poorest around--but because he or she showed real love--love of another, above themselves, Christ's love, true charity--then that person, and the benefactors all rose--soared--above the pain, and felt some of the greatest joy we can attain in this life? Could the joy exist without the pain? Would we retell these stories if they hadn't first been in sorrow? Could anyone really step up if they had never been down?
Good people suffer, and they know where to turn for peace. And they know how to love their neighbor, under all circumstances. And that is truly us at our best.
I think we can all ask God for anything at any time. This morning, my 5 year old daughter prayed for "Mom and Dad to have enough money so we can go to Disneyland and get a new house." I believe her prayer is heard--and answered.
And Loralee, if I hear MY daughter's prayer, then I know your Heavenly Father hears yours.
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