Differentiating...

You know those stories that you hear where some guy gets drunk and starts talking about crazy stuff, some of which is nonsense, but some is quite profound?  Well, the same thing happens to me, but with trail mix instead of alcohol.

Caution: The following post may contain tangential comments that make perfect sense in my head, but may not be completely coherent to others.


Where is the line between black and white?
Who is right, what are they right about, and when are they right?
How does when know that they have "done their best" or "reached their potential"?

To me, one's potential isn't something you can reach.  Its like a limit in a mathematics problem, ever getting closer and closer to the value, but never touching it.  It is for that reason that I have a problem with "being my best".  I don't think it can be done.
Daunting? Yes.  Impossible? Arguably maybe.
Does that mean we shouldn't try?

The obvious but hard to realize answer is no.

On a side note, I hate obvious answers.  Everyone knows the answers, but rarely do we actually internalize their significance.

More side note.  I don't politics, but the upcoming election has caught my attention.  Politics is a losing battle. No one can ever be completely satisfied.  No one has the same needs, ideals, or opinions.  There isn't a perfect candidate, nor a perfect plan on how to run this country because too many people simply are not satisfied or are unyielding to ideals that aren't theirs, or aren't perfect for them.  If the world was absolutely perfect, I guarantee someone would find something to complain about.  My point?  I have none, I'm just rambling here.  Who is right?  What are they right about?  When are they right?  Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight, though dark, is a good example of those points.

Back to my main point, if I had one...

Work as if everything depended on you, pray as if everything depended on the Lord.

Forgive my misquoting, as I still do not remember who it was that first said that, but whoever it is I credit him.

I still struggle with the first part of that statement.  Mainly because I view it as a conditional "If - then" statement.  If I do absolutely everything that I can, then I can pray as if everything depended on God, and THEN I'll get help.....
Flawed logic?  Absolutely.
Obvious flawed logic?  Certainly.
Does my opinion of obvious statements still apply to this?  In my head, of course it does.  To those around me, of course not.

Point?  My life needs a reboot...If, at the very least, I should reverse my conditional statement.

First: Pray as if everything depended on the Lord.
Second: Then do as much as I can, for however long I can, in whatever realm I can, for whatever definition applies.
Result:  Stability. Peace.  Happiness. The joys of the Gospel of Christ, and not the futile works of man.