Don't Get Faked Out
What is failure? In the sense of the gospel when do we fail? I submit, it is when we stop progressing.
And really I believe there are only two reasons that we stop progressing. First, when we give up, and
second when we get distracted.
And really I believe there are only two reasons that we stop progressing. First, when we give up, and
second when we get distracted.
When we give up we stop believing in ourselves, and ultimately we stop believing in God. One might
say, I believe in God, I just don’t think I can do this. This person does not understand what God tells
us though: “How oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens.” (3 Nephi 10:5)
“Fear not, I am with thee, be not dismayed, I am thy God and will still give the aid, I’ll strengthen,
help thee, and cause thee to stand, upheld by my righteous omnipotent hand.”(How Firm a foundation,
LDS Hymns). “The Lord shall fight for you.”(Exodus 14:14)
say, I believe in God, I just don’t think I can do this. This person does not understand what God tells
us though: “How oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens.” (3 Nephi 10:5)
“Fear not, I am with thee, be not dismayed, I am thy God and will still give the aid, I’ll strengthen,
help thee, and cause thee to stand, upheld by my righteous omnipotent hand.”(How Firm a foundation,
LDS Hymns). “The Lord shall fight for you.”(Exodus 14:14)
Often this takes the form of not forgiving ourselves. When we do this we forget what God has
told us: “as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me.” (Mosiah 26:30)
Lets take that at face value, period. If not, we are spurning the greatest act of love and sacrifice ever
performed in the history of the universe. No matter where we are, or what we’ve done, don’t forget
that fact or turn our back on it. He is always beckoning for us to come back, and he is always there to
help strengthen us to return.
told us: “as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me.” (Mosiah 26:30)
Lets take that at face value, period. If not, we are spurning the greatest act of love and sacrifice ever
performed in the history of the universe. No matter where we are, or what we’ve done, don’t forget
that fact or turn our back on it. He is always beckoning for us to come back, and he is always there to
help strengthen us to return.
The second reason, and the one I’d like to focus on, is getting distracted. Both issues are equally as
prevalent, but the second one is so insidious because often people don’t even realize that it’s
happening. “And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All
is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateththeir souls, and leadeth
them away carefully down to hell.” (2 Nephi 28:21) The first of the 10 commandments is
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me,”(Exodus 20:3) the second is to not worship graven
images, or idols. When asked what the great commandment in the law was, Christ responded
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”
prevalent, but the second one is so insidious because often people don’t even realize that it’s
happening. “And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All
is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateththeir souls, and leadeth
them away carefully down to hell.” (2 Nephi 28:21) The first of the 10 commandments is
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me,”(Exodus 20:3) the second is to not worship graven
images, or idols. When asked what the great commandment in the law was, Christ responded
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”
In today’s day age idols do not take the form of standing stones or golden calves, but there are so
many things that are screaming for our attention and our time. There are so many things, that if we
aren’t careful, will quickly become the center of our lives, stealing our time, talents and efforts.
many things that are screaming for our attention and our time. There are so many things, that if we
aren’t careful, will quickly become the center of our lives, stealing our time, talents and efforts.
Distraction can take many forms: Work, school, sports, dance, music, all of these things can distract
us. When we put other things as a priority before God, we are breaking the most fundamental
commandment. This can be tricky, because it is not a black and white decision. It’s not like stealing,
or lying, where we can know definitively that we’ve done something wrong. You either stole something
or you didn’t. Did you steal something yesterday? No, I didn’t. Simple, you either did or didn’t. Okay,
it can be tricky sometimes too, if you want to overcomplicate things, property rights, copyright,
parking spaces.. but there are many commandments which we can easily monitor how we’re doing.
This first and great commandment is at the root of everything you do though, it’s a mindset, it’s our
attitude toward life, it’s our motivation, it gets at our very being. Why did you did you do what you do?
What was your motivation? Did I do it to make myself look better? Am I trying to accumulate power?
Is God at the center of my life? What’s driving me?
us. When we put other things as a priority before God, we are breaking the most fundamental
commandment. This can be tricky, because it is not a black and white decision. It’s not like stealing,
or lying, where we can know definitively that we’ve done something wrong. You either stole something
or you didn’t. Did you steal something yesterday? No, I didn’t. Simple, you either did or didn’t. Okay,
it can be tricky sometimes too, if you want to overcomplicate things, property rights, copyright,
parking spaces.. but there are many commandments which we can easily monitor how we’re doing.
This first and great commandment is at the root of everything you do though, it’s a mindset, it’s our
attitude toward life, it’s our motivation, it gets at our very being. Why did you did you do what you do?
What was your motivation? Did I do it to make myself look better? Am I trying to accumulate power?
Is God at the center of my life? What’s driving me?
The other thing that’s tricky about this is that it can change many times in a day. One moment we
are filled with righteous desires and motivation, a few hours later the natural man is really digging in
and the most important thing is to look good in front of that girl, or making that extra buck. Mundane
things can be done for the right reasons, and noble causes can be done for the wrong ones.
are filled with righteous desires and motivation, a few hours later the natural man is really digging in
and the most important thing is to look good in front of that girl, or making that extra buck. Mundane
things can be done for the right reasons, and noble causes can be done for the wrong ones.
I’m digressing a bit. The point that I really want to drive home is that anything we do can drive us
away from God, if we aren’t doing things for the right reasons, and there are many things in life that
can cause us to move away from him. Work, school, sports… If these become the center of our life,
we are missing the point and becoming distracted. They can all be very fulfilling, but ultimately nothing
else will give us the fullness of joy that the gospel can bring.
away from God, if we aren’t doing things for the right reasons, and there are many things in life that
can cause us to move away from him. Work, school, sports… If these become the center of our life,
we are missing the point and becoming distracted. They can all be very fulfilling, but ultimately nothing
else will give us the fullness of joy that the gospel can bring.
We may feel that the becoming that super star athlete, or famous entrepreneur, or even that
brilliant parent will give us the satisfaction and fulfillment we all desire, and they can all be very
fulfilling things, but if that is our ultimate end, we are falling short of the glory God has designed for
us to attain.
brilliant parent will give us the satisfaction and fulfillment we all desire, and they can all be very
fulfilling things, but if that is our ultimate end, we are falling short of the glory God has designed for
us to attain.
Sometimes we unconsciously place these thing before God, and other times we consciously choose
to make other things the priority. More often than not we aren’t willfully rebelling, we are lulled away
into a false reality; a belief that something, that is really not, is the most important and desirable prize
in the world. And really, we may not even believe that, but often times we act like it. Often times we
act like it until we really believe it. We get faked out. We get so focused in on one desire, that we
lose sight of what is really important. We lose sight of what is real.
to make other things the priority. More often than not we aren’t willfully rebelling, we are lulled away
into a false reality; a belief that something, that is really not, is the most important and desirable prize
in the world. And really, we may not even believe that, but often times we act like it. Often times we
act like it until we really believe it. We get faked out. We get so focused in on one desire, that we
lose sight of what is really important. We lose sight of what is real.
To me the example that hits closest to home is sports. I grew up in a society where sports were life.
People dedicated their lives to the mastery of a sport. There were a whole range of sports that could
be chosen, volleyball, basketball, swimming, baseball, golf, but one trumped them all… Football.
Many pursued their chosen sport with hopes of one day receiving a scholarship, that was the goal,
to one day have their school paid for because of their prowess in their chosen field. Hours every day
would be spent practicing, and sculpting one’s body to reach that aim. Many people’s entire life style,
from what they ate, to when they got up in the morning revolved around advancing themselves in
said sport. And if you weren’t preparing yourself, you’d be watching someone else compete.
People dedicated their lives to the mastery of a sport. There were a whole range of sports that could
be chosen, volleyball, basketball, swimming, baseball, golf, but one trumped them all… Football.
Many pursued their chosen sport with hopes of one day receiving a scholarship, that was the goal,
to one day have their school paid for because of their prowess in their chosen field. Hours every day
would be spent practicing, and sculpting one’s body to reach that aim. Many people’s entire life style,
from what they ate, to when they got up in the morning revolved around advancing themselves in
said sport. And if you weren’t preparing yourself, you’d be watching someone else compete.
Eventually, when one wasn’t practicing, working out, watching, eating, or preparing in some other
way, they’d be thinking about the sport. Their entire life would revolve around said sport. I don’t
think this was a conscious choice, but little by little over time life became football, or volleyball,
or dance, or cheer.. There are many things that can take this place holder - work, school, dating,
a goal, or even a child.
way, they’d be thinking about the sport. Their entire life would revolve around said sport. I don’t
think this was a conscious choice, but little by little over time life became football, or volleyball,
or dance, or cheer.. There are many things that can take this place holder - work, school, dating,
a goal, or even a child.
Eventually, if the center of our life isn’t Jesus Christ, we will be off balance. Even a calling, or the
church can cause us to be off balance when done for the wrong reasons. Are we fulfilling our
calling to look good in the eyes of others? Are we striving for power? If so, we will eventually be
disappointed. “But if it be not built upon my gospel, and is built upon the works of men, or upon
the works of the devil, verily I say unto you they have joy in their works for a season, and by and
by the end cometh, and they are hewn down and cast into the fire, from whence there is no return.”
(3 Nephi 27:11)
church can cause us to be off balance when done for the wrong reasons. Are we fulfilling our
calling to look good in the eyes of others? Are we striving for power? If so, we will eventually be
disappointed. “But if it be not built upon my gospel, and is built upon the works of men, or upon
the works of the devil, verily I say unto you they have joy in their works for a season, and by and
by the end cometh, and they are hewn down and cast into the fire, from whence there is no return.”
(3 Nephi 27:11)
The real point that I am trying to make, and what dwells within my soul, is that if we pursue something
that is not centered in Christ, ultimately we will be disappointed. We will get to the end and find that
the fruit that we have been cultivating is bitter, even that it wasteth away. “Jesus answered and said
unto her, whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water
that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water
springing up into everlasting life.” The only real thing in life is the gospel of Jesus Christ, eventually
we'll find out that everything else is fake. Other pursuits are a mirage, fleeting pleasures that will
eventually result in emptiness.
that is not centered in Christ, ultimately we will be disappointed. We will get to the end and find that
the fruit that we have been cultivating is bitter, even that it wasteth away. “Jesus answered and said
unto her, whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water
that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water
springing up into everlasting life.” The only real thing in life is the gospel of Jesus Christ, eventually
we'll find out that everything else is fake. Other pursuits are a mirage, fleeting pleasures that will
eventually result in emptiness.
I testify that the fruit of the gospel is sweeter than anything else we can taste. Any other pursuit is
fleeting, and will eventually fail. It is upon His rock that we must build.
fleeting, and will eventually fail. It is upon His rock that we must build.
Comments
Post a Comment