I’d be lying if I said I didn’t let Satan into my head just the other day. This past week I was really sick that left me lying in bed for a few days. ‘Rest’ is not a word I love, in fact, I don’t like it at all, I like keeping busy, I work better that way. Yet here I was with too much time to be half conscious with an idle mind. And an idle mind is a very dangerous mind- it’s like a flashing vacancy sign for the adversary to stop by and overstay.
I was laying there and I glanced at my Instagram and saw that I hadn’t posted in 6 days, probably the longest I have ever went without posting (because what can I post while I’m laying in bed sick doing the all too familiar dance with the adversary, me in my t-shirt I’ve had on for 3 days now?), and I thought, “eh, no one even notices I haven’t posted, how easy it would be to just quietly slip away. Sneak off of social media and quietly live my life with my husband and daughter, have it just be us, and not have our personal lives on display for whomever to read about and judge.”
Seems appealing. I don’t love social media, anyways. In fact, I’m the worst at it. I don’t read blogs, I don’t scroll through feeds, I’m always out of the loop and usually leave the house without my phone, or leave it in the car when we go out to do things. Why am I even on it? Why bother?
I spent the entire week of me roaming around the house in the same t-shirt and sweat pants with some sort of decision that I had already quit and I was done with this all. I had given up and it seemed fine to me then.
I kept thinking back to a conversation I had with my husband a few months ago, something in the world had just changed and every one had to post about it online. Everyone was posting their viewpoints and harsh words and worldly articles and my husband had just turned to me, sick of his feed filled with garbage, and said, “I’m deactivating my Facebook, I’m done with this and what it offers.” I thought, I could probably do that too, not like I read anything on it anyways.
As I was praying the other day a thought I’ve always had returned to me in regards to sharing the gospel, “If I don’t, who will?”
My purpose from the very start was to share the gospel in every way I could. The thought of people not knowing how to use the gospel in their every day, and the thought of people feeling alone in their feelings or trials, left a pit in my stomach. I do what I do out of passion. I do what I do because I know the electrifying feeling of allowing the gospel to change and direct every bit of our selves. I do what I do online because I promised God I’d help. Because the gospel is real and it saves people. It saved me.
I know there are crazy things happening in the world and even crazier things happening online. I know how easy it is to get discouraged and to do that all too familiar dance with the adversary. How easy it is to doubt the effect of our efforts and want to even keep trying again. But, if you don’t, who will?
If we don’t, what would happen? What could come from us giving up? What could that mean for the sake of everyone else? If we let whatever it is stop us, where could it be found for others? Where would glimpses of hope and the spirit be amongst the sad and the hurtful and negative things both online and off in the world?
We must be the light for others no matter how unqualified we think we are, or how dark the world may seem. If we think Heavenly Father will do anything to stop us from helping His children and spread His spirit and gospel, we’re wrong. Of course He will!
Pray for guidance, inspiration and courage, it will come. We cannot let giving up ever be an option. Because what we do matters. What you do makes a difference. It does not go unnoticed. Because ‘sharing goodness’ isn’t just a hashtag, it’s a movement. A movement and a reality to help brighten, strengthen, and save. Because if we don’t, who will?
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