Life circumstances change constantly. Sometimes we get caught in an unexpected flow, but we can make that a good thing.
Photo by Jon Tyson
In a devotional given at Brigham Young University, Sister Janet G. Lee told a poignant story about her daughter’s kindergarten registration. When Sister Lee and her daughter Stephanie arrived at registration, the teacher asked Stephanie to choose her favorite color of crayon from a box and use it to write her name. Stephanie knew how to write her name, but in that moment, she simply stood and stared, not saying anything. The teacher concluded that Stephanie did not know how to write her name and stated that she would have to learn it in the fall. A baffled Sister Lee and Stephanie went home.
When asked why she did not write her name, Stephanie said that there wasn’t a pink crayon in the box. How could she choose her favorite color?
How often in life do we find ourselves struggling to swim upstream because our first choice isn’t available? Sister Lee teaches that having to go with our second choice may actually be beneficial. In her devotional, “Knowing When to Persevere and When to Change Direction,” she says, “Always having our first choice might mean giving up unknown benefits.” For example, a healthy change in direction can provide opportunities we never thought possible, such as riding the current downstream. Had Stephanie simply picked a different crayon, she wouldn’t have had to learn how to write her name again in school. It would have saved her and her teacher time and energy.
The benefits of overcoming obstacles far outweigh the disadvantages if we focus on doing what the Lord asks of us: trust in the Savior, listen to spiritual promptings, and keep the commandments. By doing these things, we will receive blessings, and we can rest easy in our changing circumstances, knowing that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are on our side.
Discover more stories of changing directions in Sister Lee’s devotional, “Knowing When to Persevere and When to Change Direction.”
Source: BYU Speeches
—Scout McMillan, Latter-day Saint Insights
FEATURE IMAGE BY KRISTIN BROWN
Find more insights
Read “Choosing Your Own Path” by Jenna Ahern to learn more about how to take control of your life.
Take a look at “How to Value Change Instead of Fearing It” by Kenzie Holbrook to better understand what change can mean to you.
This is so refreshing to hear! As I get ready to graduate college and keep getting rejected from jobs I’m applying to, it’s nice to know that good opportunities are just behind the rejections!