Over the past few years--much of which time I've been absent from posting here--I've been learning and relearning some core truths and principles. I've been learning about myself, my nature, my character, my thinking, my... well, just about everything.
This learning has been taking place within a context of repentance. And when I say "repentance" I refer to both righting wrongs and also pursuing greater knowledge, of more truths and making an effort to increasingly align my beliefs, words, and actions with those truths.
My efforts can rightly be described in the words of the Book of Abraham:
And, finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; having been myself a follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God, ... (Abraham 1:2)
This is not a coincidence. Since I had heard Dr. Hugh Nibley's observation some years back that this is a declaration of the Gospel of Repentance, I had reflected on that over and over through the years. I heartily agree with that description and have worked to incorporate that viewpoint into my own efforts at repentance.
In the process I've found that much of my effort to change behaviors earlier in my life met with frustration and failure at least in large part because I was focusing on the behaviors, themselves. More often than not, the motivations for wanting to change many of those behaviors were external to me as well. The result was often failure because the desired changes were not rooted in nor aligned with my identified desires. And I've found this is a key, "for I know that [God] granteth unto men according to their desire, whether it be unto death or unto life; yea, I know that he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable, according to their wills, whether they be unto salvation or unto destruction." (Alma 29:4)
As I look back, now, on the path I've traveled in recent years, there are too many lessons to fully catalog in any setting. But for the purposes of this post, I will say that I've learned that the Lord is absolutely involved in the process for each individual. For a minimal amount of effort in seeking, He places answers for us to find--leading us along a path from truth to truth, "line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have." (2 Nephi 28:30).
Study of scriptures is key and a single perusal is not even remotely sufficient. A constant, repetitive and iterative process of reading and studying is required. Again, however, relatively minimal efforts yield tremendous results as the picture of what is true begins to form. Importantly, as well, a clearer picture of my own true, innermost desires have begun to form and clarify over this time. And it is here that the lasting change I seek is found.
As perspectives and desires become more informed and formed, many of the behaviors I spent so much time trying to change as a matter of conforming to the expectations of those I loved and valued so much simply faded away from my life. President Benson's assurances so long ago have been literally realized in my own life thus far:
"When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives. Our love of the Lord will govern the claims for our affection, the demands on our time, the interests we pursue, and the order of our priorities." (Ezra Taft Benson, General Conference, April, 1988.)
Now, as I've moved into my new career I've been bombarded with advice and counsel from various quarters as to how to pursue my work, set my goals, etc. I've been exposed over the years--and intensely more recently--to the motivational coaches, etc. that I used to sneer at and disregard. But my present situation has given me pause and a reason to re-evaluate the value of such things on several fronts.
I've considered the principles of assessing "them by their fruits," realizing the importance of mindset because "as a man thinketh, so is he." (Matthew 7:16; Proverbs 23:7) But I have likewise been increasingly concerned about being led astray by worldly philosophies, the pride that can attach to a pursuit of worldly wealth and priorities, etc. And, being aware that my time in mortality is greatly reduced, I don't feel I want to waste time re-tracing steps to find my way back after such wanderings.
So, as I've listened--and re-listened--to the teachings of these men and women I've found myself gauging their words by what I've learned of the scriptures and principles of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. Now, I'm not proclaiming myself an expert or perfect in this regard, but I am better-armed than I was a few years ago. Significantly, what I've learned and experienced has left me with greater willingness to test myself in this territory and explore what "success" truly means to me both temporally and spiritually.
And, of course, I've spent some time assessing the counsel I've been receiving against the standard of truth found in the scriptures and the Gospel.
As a result, I've felt a desire to note some of the thoughts that come to mind as I hear various things from the likes of Zig Ziglar, Jim Rohn, Tony Robbins, and others, as they come to me. My hope in so doing is that perhaps I can both steel myself against the influences of the adversary as well as perhaps mark a path for others facing similar challenges and thereby be of some support to them.
I haven't decided if I'll make regular posts about it here, of simply start another book to that end. But I'm excited to see a compounding of those thoughts and ideas when I'm done.
As I write this, I am convinced there is significant value in the work of the men I mentioned above (Robbins, Rohn, etc.) precisely because they have made such a thorough study of human behaviors and motivations, etc. There is danger on any road we travel in mortality to be sure. And I would never (hopefully) seek to justify anyone in wickedness or pride resulting from mortal "success" or "climbing that ladder." I approach this with a rather clear understanding that the Lord looketh on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7) and in that view, He cannot be deceived. When we attempt to justify unrighteous pursuits of worldly gain and pride, we only deceive ourselves.
But I am also convinced that mortal life can be pursued in honor and righteousness and sometimes that includes the accumulation of worldly wealth. There are laws in heaven and on earth to govern it all and I am actively pursuing an understanding of those laws of heaven that apply above all else. Only with that perspective can one, I think, successfully navigate these waters and learn the eternal principles that are taught through the experiences that occur along the various paths we travel in mortality, including those that lead to the accumulation and/or loss of earthly wealth.
I can already feel myself being drawn into that longer discussion, which was not my plan when I started writing this. So, I'll end. But I'll post more as I develop my thoughts.
Comments
Post a Comment