Building a Good Life Principle By Principle

In a few short weeks, osprey will begin to add to their nest: a sure sign of spring. When a pair initially builds their nest, it is relatively small, less than 3 feet in diameter and about 6 inches deep. Because they add on to it every spring, their nest can eventually be more than 10 feet deep and 6 feet in diameter, certainly big enough for a human to sit in. 

It is this yearly renewal of improving what they already have that has always intrigued me.

Every year, stick by stick, they gather, add, and increase their central place. They don’t end up with a huge nest all at once. It is throughout their adult lives that they continue to build and strengthen and improve.

Sometimes we get impatient with ourselves and the current conditions of our life. We can even see in our mind the desired end result of our striving. We forget that building a good life takes time… and LOTS of effort.

Yet the Lord has promised that as we receive counsel from Him, not only will we learn wisdom, but He will give us MORE. We will receive line upon line and precept upon precept. Revelation upon revelation and knowledge upon knowledge.

Nothing comes all at once. I don’t think we could absorb it all if it did. Once we learn something new, not only does it require an acceptance from us, but it takes time to implement that into the fabric of our everyday living. Habits and routine take time to change. The Lord understands that perfectly and will give us the next truth as soon as we are ready and willing to receive it.

With His powerful and unlimited help, we can build strong and faithful lives, “stick by stick”, as we learn to trust and listen to the Master Builder.