I had the opportunity to give a talk in my ward on New Year's Day. That was an awesome experience. Really. The topic was, want to guess? Resolutions. From my previous posts...it might be obvious that I struggle in the application of the principles learned from preparing my talk. But, there were a couple of points that I came across that I absolutely loved and wanted to share.
Resolutions, goals and covenants are not so very different from each other. They are all commitments and they all require action on our part. Preach My Gospel has some amazing quotes on goals: “I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don’t set goals in our life and learn how to master the techniques of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reached but a small part of our full potential. When one learns to master the principles of setting a goal, he will then be able to make a great difference in the results he attains in this life” (Elder Ballard, quoted in PMG, pg. 146).
“Goals reflect the desires of our hearts and our vision of what we can accomplish…Goal setting and planning are acts of faith” (PMG, pg. 146).
Goals are awesome! And so are covenants! But making them, though it is an act of faith, is the easy part. It's keeping them that is the hard part (especially keeping them longer than January 31st....unless you're cool like me and don't even bother making them at all! Please, no comments on my obvious lack of faith.)
As I started thinking about keeping our covenants and being 'covenant-keepers', I naturally thought about The Savior and His Atonement. In the Council in Heaven, The Savior entered into a covenant with our Heavenly Father to come to earth and complete The Atonement in our behalf (see Moses 4). And we have His testimony about fulfilling that covenant: "For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—"
And here is perhaps my favorite verse in all canonized scripture: "Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men" (D&C 19:16-19).
I am forever grateful that The Savior was a 'covenant-keeper'!
Resolutions, goals and covenants are not so very different from each other. They are all commitments and they all require action on our part. Preach My Gospel has some amazing quotes on goals: “I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don’t set goals in our life and learn how to master the techniques of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reached but a small part of our full potential. When one learns to master the principles of setting a goal, he will then be able to make a great difference in the results he attains in this life” (Elder Ballard, quoted in PMG, pg. 146).
“Goals reflect the desires of our hearts and our vision of what we can accomplish…Goal setting and planning are acts of faith” (PMG, pg. 146).
Goals are awesome! And so are covenants! But making them, though it is an act of faith, is the easy part. It's keeping them that is the hard part (especially keeping them longer than January 31st....unless you're cool like me and don't even bother making them at all! Please, no comments on my obvious lack of faith.)
As I started thinking about keeping our covenants and being 'covenant-keepers', I naturally thought about The Savior and His Atonement. In the Council in Heaven, The Savior entered into a covenant with our Heavenly Father to come to earth and complete The Atonement in our behalf (see Moses 4). And we have His testimony about fulfilling that covenant: "For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—"
And here is perhaps my favorite verse in all canonized scripture: "Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men" (D&C 19:16-19).
I am forever grateful that The Savior was a 'covenant-keeper'!
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