Best vs. Potential

We (speaking on the large collective scale) often denigrate ourselves in the moment because we do not accomplish everything we hope to do, in the way we planned, to the standard we desired. We wonder "Did I do my best?" "What is my best?" I realized the other day that what we are holding ourselves up against is not truly our best in that moment but rather we are comparing our efforts in the moment to our eternal potential, and inevitably as we do this we are discouraged.

The solution is simple: keep things in perspective. As we all know simple does not equal easy but this really is the answer. When we ask ourselves "Did I live up to my full potential today?" the answer will most likely and persistently be no. But if we ask "Did I do my best to live up to my potential today?" hopefully the answer is yes more often than not. The key is the focus of the question. The first question has a very board focus and the second a very narrow focus. If we follow the principle of line upon line learning and growing we will not ask ourselves (in essence) 'did I reach perfection today?' we will focus on today's line, on today's actions, words and thoughts and ask 'did I do my best to reach toward perfection today?'

We are here to reach for perfection, but we cannot be discouraged when we do not arrive before the end of a day. The Savior hasn't asked for perfection in a day, He's asked for our best efforts, and then He makes up the difference. When we judge ourselves sub-par because we didn't perform to our full potential on a given day, we judge ourselves unrighteously, and we do not allow the Savior to help us grow and fulfill His commandment in Matt 11:28-30 28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

I trust in the Lord (Proverbs 3:5-6) that my best is good enough for one day and that I will best myself (my natural man) with the Saviors help, into the celestial kingdom...one best day at a time.