With all that we’ve been blessed with, technology, freedom and entertainment we may be tempted to let our lives be governed more and more by convenience and comfort. Recently I visited with a young man who decided after one semester in college that school just wasn’t for him. In fact neither was work. It hadn’t really dawned on me that there were other options besides education and work. So I asked him what his plans were, what he was doing with his life? His answer, hang out with friends, surf and live at home. Perfect, I thought. Convenient and comfortable.
Looking at life through the lenses of comfort and convenience leads to My-opia, a form of selfish shortsightedness, and eventually spiritual blindness. Sadly the long term effects of this type of shortsightedness, if left uncorrected, are rarely ever convenient or comfortable.
Fortunately, this impairment does not require actual surgical correction. But instead, merely a different prescription.
In September of 1846, when Nauvoo fell, the last of the saints were forced out of their homes. They took refuge along the banks of the Mississippi river in makeshift camps. Their situation was dire. They were destitute and winter would soon be upon them. When word reached Winter Quarters, Brigham Young immediately called the brethren together. He needed volunteers to return to the Mississippi River.
Can you imagine being summoned to that meeting? Can you imagine how Brigham Young must have felt as he looked into their faces? They had journeyed over 300 miles. For three months they had trekked with him under the most difficult of circumstances. They were exhausted, and nearly destitute themselves. And yet, with all this, still he needed them to leave their families and use their resources, however scant they were, to help those saints who were either too poor or too sick to make the journey before the harsh winter set in.
What could he say? What words could he use that would reach into their hearts and rouse their deepest sympathies? What feelings could be stirred that would cause these faithful members to willingly abandon the opportunity to rest from their labors, and sacrifice any hope of comfort or convenience, to volunteer to return the 300 miles they had just traversed?
If you stop and think about it, the things of most value like family, religious practices, education, employment, exercise and giving service to others are rarely the most convenient or most comfortable options at any given time. In fact the path of convenience rarely stretches our abilities, develops our talents, or enhances our spiritual sight.
Recently I started thinking about my daily routines. The things that I do every morning, almost without thinking. I showered in warm water, adjusted to the temperature I like. I got dressed and had numerous pants, shirts and shoes to choose from. I chose what was most comfortable and yet still within my normal business attire.
I got in my car where my seat, mirrors and steering wheel were all positioned for maximum comfort. I drove to work with the climate control set at 70, not too cold and not too hot.
At lunch time I chose from dozens of places to eat, but in the end my decision was based on which was faster and most convenient (it had a drive through so I didn’t have to get out of my car).
Can you see where I am going with this. Most of our daily decisions are based on what is most convenient and most comfortable. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good to be comfortable and there is often less stress when things are convenient. But the days turn into weeks, weeks into months and months into years. If we are not careful, before long not just the menial and trivial decisions, but also, and all too often, major life paths are chosen using these same criteria. “What’s in it for me? Will it be easy? Will it be convenient? Can I stay within my ‘comfort zone’?
Fatigue, a long week at the office, the mental, emotional and physical demands of the busy world we live in, can persuade us to believe that we deserve a break, the weekend off, or a retirement free of too much personal stretching.
Let me wrap this post up by returning you to the final days of Nauvoo. Try if you can to imagine that you were actually there. During the weeks and months leading up to the forced evacuation of your beautiful city, your comfortable homes and the deserved convenience that were the fruits of your hard work. During your final days there you labored tirelessly to complete the temple. Knowing full well that soon you would be forced to abandon it. Further imagine that you were among that advanced party of saints, which included Brigham Young. You’ve traveled nearly 300 miles under difficult conditions to Winter Quarters, Nebraska.
You’ve been summoned to a meeting by President Young, your prophet and trusted leader. As you gather there in your worn clothes, your feet still sore and blistered, Brigham Young stands before you and begins to speak.
After explaining the situation he reminds you of the covenant you made in the Nauvoo temple. It wasn’t that long ago, you made several covenants that day. You search your memories, your heart starts to race. What was the nature of that covenant? You remember now, as clear as if it had just happened. It was a promise, a commitment and spiritual contract with God, that no one who wanted to come, no matter how poor, would be left behind.
Brother Brigham then gave this stirring challenge,
“Now is the time for labor. Let the fire of the covenant which you made in the House of the Lord, burn in your hearts, like flame unquenchable, till you … have searched out every man … who [is able to leave], and impart the fire to his soul, till he shall rise up … and go straightway, and bring a load of the poor from Nauvoo ... This is a day of action.”
Within a few days, in spite of the near destitute conditions at Winter Quarters, many wagons were rolling eastward to rescue the Saints in the poor camps along the Mississippi River.
“As we look at the lives of these early Saints, we see that their covenants were the primary force in their lives. Their example and testimony were powerful enough to influence generation after generation of their children.”
Making and keeping sacred covenants with God can motivate us to go beyond the mark, to do more than what is ‘only human’. To reach down and do something great, to be better than we would otherwise be, and maybe even do the super human. There is great power in keeping covenants.
The path that leads back to God is a straight and narrow path. And the mile markers along the way are not events, but instead they are the covenants we make, honor, keep and renew regularly.
Faith and hope are essential companions for all who have chosen and still choose to walk the covenant path. It is not always an easy path, but it is one that will stretch, grow and shape our spiritual character.
How will your choices influence your children and grandchildren? What will your legacy be?
Sometimes we are tempted to let our lives be governed more by convenience than by covenant. It is not always convenient to live gospel standards and stand up for truth and testify of the Restoration. It usually is not convenient to share the gospel with others. It isn’t always convenient to respond to a calling in the Church, especially one that stretches our abilities. Opportunities to serve others in meaningful ways, as we have covenanted to do, rarely come at convenient times. But there is no spiritual power in living by convenience. The power comes as we keep our covenants.
How’s your vision? 20/20?
Take this quick and easy spiritual eye exam. On second thought, maybe it’s not so quick and easy. But rarely is anything of value quick or easy.
What are the covenants or promises that you’ve made to God, to your spouse and your children?
What is your daily spiritual diet? Will it be enough to keep your vision sharp? Or do you occasionally neglect it? Perhaps your daily routine could include 'Ponderizing'?
Seeing life’s opportunities and challenges through the corrective lenses of covenants will allow you to look forward with clarity so you can travel the covenant path, or as the prophets Nephi and Alma wrote, “a course through the more fertile parts of the wilderness (mortality), a straight course to eternal bliss, . . . a straight course to the promised land." — 1 Nephi 16:16; Alma 37:44
Focusing our spiritual vision on covenants will assuredly improve our up close, short term vision and even improve our ability to see the impact of today’s decisions on our posterity. Our long term vision will also improve as we are able to discern between things of little value and things of lasting value.
“Let the fire of the covenant which you made in the House of the Lord, burn in your hearts, like flame unquenchable.”
Renew your covenants regularly. The heat from yesterday’s fire won’t warm your home today.
“Keep stoking the fire.”