3 Ways That Conference Taught Me to Find Balance in an Unsteady World
General conference helped me figure out how to balance the demands of life.
You might have heard of the collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Washington State, USA, in 1940. A steady, though not-too-strong, wind set the bridge vibrating, and because of oscillation and resonance, the bridge collapsed.
A lot of us have probably felt like this bridge at times; because of steady opposition, our lives can feel off-balance and on the verge of collapse. Like one more little push might be enough to break us.
In preparation for general conference, I thought a lot about what I could change in my life to find more balance in all my responsibilities, but especially in the gospel. I wanted to build my faith to be unshakable.
I was blessed with loads of answers and inspiration, and I wanted to share three lessons from conference that have helped me find more balance in my life.
1. Prioritize the Best Things
Sister Bonnie H. Cordon, Young Women General President, explained that Satan often distracts us with “good and better causes which, in times of need, may blind and bind us away from the best cause.”1 In the last couple of years, I have taken on many good things at the same time. But I’ve come to recognize my limits and realize that I have to say no even to good causes. President Russell M. Nelson counseled us to “set our own priorities and [to] determine how we use our energy, time, and means,”2 which will ultimately affect our perception of good, better, and best.
2. Make Time for the Lord Every Day
We need to take a break every day from the noise of the world and have some quiet time with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ so They can help us refocus as we seek for restitution and to repent daily. As Elder Clark G. Gilbert of the Seventy counseled, we must “systematically [involve] the Lord in [our] development.”3 I love the way he phrased that! We will not achieve the desired results if we just sporadically try a little.
Since before my mission, I have tried to reserve some time during the day to seek answers to questions I have about the gospel and my life. I have felt that God really does take an interest in how I lead my life and that He will guide me as I approach Him. Just recently I received new revelation from Him about how to update my priorities, and that has again greatly shifted my perspective and my focus. It has given me a strong testimony of what President Nelson said—that we “counter the lure of the world by making time for the Lord … each and every day.”4
3. Be Consistent in Spiritual Habits
I have been playing the violin and viola for quite a few years, and I’ve learned that it takes a lot of time and patience to train your fingers to do the right thing at the right time. Can you see what practicing an instrument and the Tacoma Narrows Bridge have in common? One similarity is consistency. It takes consistent and persistent effort to learn a skill, just as it took a consistent force against the bridge for it to vibrate and collapse.
The difference between those examples is that one force is constructive while the other was destructive. It is our choice whether we heed “the steady beat of Babylon’s band”5 or beat the drums of the Lord’s battalion—which means that we can either let the unsteady world warp our perception of truth and tempt us to indulge in destructive habits or immerse ourselves in the words of Christ and build firm, righteous habits.
Being Steadfast in an Unsteady World
Have you ever been on a ship long enough to get vertigo—the feeling that everything is moving though you stand on solid ground? An unsteady world can have this exact effect on us spiritually. So we must hold on to the rod and “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ” (2 Nephi 31:20). Then He will give us a feeling of security and balance.
I believe that our efforts to be steadfast in an unsteady world will result in miraculous stories like Esther’s or David’s (see Esther 5:2; 1 Samuel 17:45). They trusted in the Lord and stood their ground against wickedness. And we can do the same against our trials and challenges today. Like Esther and David, we can be firm and steadfast in standing for righteousness in an ever-struggling world.