D&C 66:10 Seek not to be cumbered.
From dictionary . com:
cum•bered, cum•ber•ing, cum•bers
1. To weigh down; burden: was cumbered with many duties.
2. To hamper or hinder, as by being in the way: was cumbered with a long poncho.
3. To litter; clutter up: Weeds cumbered the garden paths.
4. Archaic To bother; distress.
There are two ways to read this phrase – “Seek not” “to be cumbered,” or “Seek” “not to be cumbered.” The first time I read this, I understood it with the first break, and I wonder if I ever seek to be cumbered (cluttered up or hindered). It seems strange that I would do that. I think sometimes I fail to organize myself or take care of things that are cluttering up my life. For example, I keep my desk pretty messy and I’m not sure why. I feel better when I’m organized. I wonder too if I seek to be hindered in other ways. I know sharing the gospel is hard for me sometimes and I think I put up barriers or find reasons for why it is difficult to share the gospel, and then when I finally do it, it’s harder than it probably needed to be. It’s interesting that the Lord would command me to seek not to be cumbered.
The first definition above talks about being cumbered with many duties, and it seems like I have lots of duties, including church duties, and that that’s a good thing. Can I keep all of the “many duties” and just not allow them to “cumber” me by focusing on the purposes of the duties, taking care of the most important things first, and keeping the companionship of the Spirit? I think that overall the Lord is saying “Seek to get rid of the clutter in your life that takes up your time and distracts you from your real purpose.”
In my real scripture journal, I listed some of the "clutter" I need to change, but I'll spare you from that here.
