Sufficient Unto the Day is the Evil Thereof

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by Pete Codella (bio)

Image via worshipgifs

I read an excellent article recently on Hands Free Mama titled The Important Thing About Yelling. As a parent, I could certainly relate to the author's comment about being in the 'midst of [a] highly distracted life.' I shared a similar perspective in my recent MMM post How to Teach Kids Values, or at least I think I had a similar intent.

After I read the Hands Free Mama article, which I highly recommend by the way, this scripture came very clearly to mind:

"Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." -Matthew 6:34

This is a scripture that frequently comes to mind when I feel overwhelmed by all that I'm supposed to do, not to mention the things that would be nice to do. If I just take things one day at a time, it'll all work out.

Interestingly, during April's General Conference I frequently found myself thinking:

That sounds great. I wish I were better at that. But I'm not going to feel guilty because that's not the focus of my life right now. Maybe at some point in the future I'll be better at that, but I'm just fine acknowledging that that's not right now.

Here's my question though: Am I rationalizing not meeting my full potential because I feel stressed, overwhelmed and generally unequal to my current roles and responsibilities?

Maybe the wall I've built to prevent others from making me feel guilty about not doing something I could be doing isn't a good thing.

We certainly live in a day and time when distractions abound, when information bombards us at every turn and we struggle to find peaceful, contemplative moments in which to meditate and feel the Spirit.

I suppose in some way, we are able to accomplish all that's most important to us. But I wonder where we draw the line between being too crazy stressed-out busy and meeting the measure of our potential?

I will say that since completing my masters program (I recently received an MBA through the University of Utah's Executive MBA program), I have purposefully stayed off the computer at night after dinner. No work. No homework. No social networking (for the most part).

And I've certainly enjoyed down time with the family and becoming reacquainted with the kitchen, cooking, dishes, laundry, etc. I'm feeling more like an equal partner rather than a loafer in my marriage.

Of course, it's all a matter of perspective. My wife will probably say I have a ways to go before I measure up to our equal partnership, but at least I'm working on and not ignoring it.

Any thoughts MMM readers?