 |
| Source A consistent, righteous life produces an inner power and strength that can be permanently resistant to the eroding influence of sin and transgression. |
When faith is properly understood and used, it has
dramatically far-reaching effects. Such faith can transform an individual’s
life from maudlin, common everyday activities to a symphony of joy and
happiness. The exercise of faith is vital to Father in Heaven’s plan of
happiness. But true faith, faith unto salvation, is centered on the Lord Jesus
Christ, faith in His doctrines and teachings, faith in the prophetic guidance
of the Lord’s anointed, faith in the capacity to discover hidden characteristics
and traits that can transform life. Truly, faith in the Savior is a principle
of action and power.
Faith is a foundation building block of creation. I am
confident that the Savior Jesus Christ uses faith in His capacity to act under
the direction of Father in Heaven. The Master used it to create the most remote
galaxies as well as to compose quarks, the smallest elements of matter we know
of today. Yet, I have faith that there are yet smaller building blocks in the
wonder of creation.
Faith in the future is demonstrated by a couple sealed in
the temple. They understand that by obedience to the teachings of Jesus Christ
and the plan of happiness of our Father in Heaven, they can have a joyous life
together. They recognize that when the challenges intended to be growth
opportunities come, they will find ways, as prompted by the Holy Ghost, to
overcome them in ways that are productive and character building.
Faith and character are intimately related. Faith in the
power of obedience to the commandments of God will forge strength of character
available to you in times of urgent need. Such character is not developed in
moments of great challenge or temptation. That is when it is intended to be
used. Your exercise of faith in true principles builds character; fortified
character expands your capacity to exercise more faith. As a result, your
capacity and confidence to conquer the trials of life is enhanced. The more
your character is fortified, the more enabled you are to benefit from
exercising the power of faith. You will discover how faith and character
interact to strengthen one another. Character is woven patiently from threads
of applied principle, doctrine, and obedience.
President Hugh B. Brown said: “Wherever in life great
spiritual values await man’s appropriation, only faith can appropriate them.
Man cannot live without faith, because in life’s adventure the central problem
is character-building—which is not a product of logic, but of faith in ideals
and sacrificial devotion to them” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1969, 105). We
exercise faith by doing. Joseph Smith said that “faith [is] the principle of action
and of power” (Lectures on Faith [1985], 72).
We become what we want to be by consistently being what we
want to become each day. Righteous character is a precious manifestation of
what you are becoming. Righteous character is more valuable than any material
object you own, any knowledge you have gained through study, or any goals you
have attained no matter how well lauded by mankind. In the next life your
righteous character will be evaluated to assess how well you used the privilege
of mortality.
Neither Satan nor any other power can destroy or undermine
your growing character. Only you could do that through disobedience. A sterling
character is converted into worthless ashes when eroded by deceit or
transgression.
Strong moral character results from consistent correct
choices in the trials and testing of life. Such choices are made with trust in
things that are believed and when acted upon are confirmed.
What are some of the empowering principles upon which faith
is based?
• Trust in God and in His willingness to provide help when
needed, no matter how challenging the circumstance.
• Obedience to His commandments and a life that demonstrates
that He can trust you.
• Sensitivity to the quiet promptings of the Holy Spirit.
• Courageous implementation of that prompting.
• Patience and understanding when God lets you struggle to
grow and when answers come a piece at a time over an extended period.
“Faith is things which are hoped for and not seen;
wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until
after the trial of your faith” (Ether 12:6). Thus, every time you try your
faith—that is, act in worthiness on an impression—you will receive the
confirming evidence of the Spirit. As you walk to the boundary of your
understanding into the twilight of uncertainty, exercising faith, you will be
led to find solutions you would not obtain otherwise. With even your strongest
faith, God will not always reward you immediately according to your desires.
Rather, God will respond with what in His eternal plan is best for you, when it
will yield the greatest advantage. Be thankful that sometimes God lets you
struggle for a long time before that answer comes. That causes your faith to
increase and your character to grow.
The bedrock of character is integrity. Worthy character will
strengthen your capacity to recognize the direction of the Spirit and to be
obedient to it. Your consistent exercise of faith builds strong character. A
secure foundation for your growing character is laid by making Jesus Christ and
His teachings the center of your life.
Your happiness on earth as well as your eternal salvation
require many correct decisions, none of which is difficult to make. Together
those decisions forge a character resistant to the eroding influences of sin
and transgression. Noble character is like a treasured porcelain made of select
raw materials, formed with faith, carefully crafted by consistent righteous
acts, and fired in the furnace of uplifting experience. It is an object of
great beauty and priceless worth. Yet it can be damaged in a moment through
transgression, requiring painful, prolonged effort to be rebuilt. When
protected by self-control, righteous character will endure for eternity.
Material things do not of themselves produce happiness and
satisfaction and the joy of attainment on earth. Nor do they lead us to
exaltation. It is nobility of character, that fabric of inner strength and
conviction woven from countless righteous decisions, that gives life its
direction. A consistent, righteous life produces an inner power and strength
that can be permanently resistant to the eroding influence of sin and
transgression. Your faith in Jesus Christ and obedience to His commandments
will strengthen your character. Your character is a measure of what you are
becoming. It is the evidence of how well you are using your time on earth in
this period of mortal probation.
An axiom we all understand is that you get what you pay for.
That is true for spiritual matters as well. You get what you pay for in
obedience, in faith in Jesus Christ, in diligent application of the truths you
learn. What you get is the molding of character, the growth in capacity, and
the successful completion of your mortal purpose to be proven and to have joy.
You cannot be passive in life, or in time the natural man
will undermine your efforts to live worthily. You become what you do and what
you think about. Lack of character leads one under pressure to satisfy appetite
or seek personal gain. You cannot successfully bolster a weak character with
the cloak of pretense.
In time one who makes decisions based upon circumstance is
virtually assured to commit serious transgressions. There is no iron rod of
truth to keep that person in the right way. He or she will continually be faced
with many subtle temptations to make deviations from the commandments. Those
choices are justified by arguing that they are not that bad, that they are more
socially acceptable and provide a broader base of friends. A clever individual
without foundation principles can at times acquire, temporarily, impressive
accomplishments. Yet that attainment is like a sand castle. When the test of
character comes, it crumbles, often taking others with it. Despite how
carefully a transgressor seeks to keep the violation of commandments hidden, in
time they nearly always become publicly known. Satan himself sees to that. He
and his minions are determined to cause the greatest possible harm to each of
Father in Heaven’s children. One serious act of disobedience or violation of
trust invariably raises questions of whether or not there are others. The faith
and confidence of others in that individual’s character is undermined.
This mortal life is a proving ground. How well you meet its
challenges determines how strong your character will be. Your faith in Jesus
Christ and His teachings fortifies your character.
I have personally verified that concepts like faith, prayer,
love, and humility hold no great significance and produce no miracles until
they become a living part of us through our own experience, aided by the sweet
prompting of the Holy Spirit. In early life I found that I could learn gospel
teachings intellectually and, through the power of reason and analysis,
recognize that they were of significant value. But their enormous power and
ability to stretch me beyond the limits of my imagination and capacity did not
become reality until patient, consistent practice allowed the Holy Spirit to
distill and expand their meaning in my heart. I found that while I was
sincerely serving others, God forged my personal character. He engendered a
growing capacity to recognize the direction of the Spirit. The genius of the
gospel plan is that by doing those things the Lord counsels us to do, we are
given every understanding and every capacity necessary to provide peace and
rich fulfillment in this life. Likewise, we gain the preparation necessary for
eternal happiness in the presence of the Lord.
A testimony is fortified by spiritual impressions that
confirm the validity of a teaching, of a righteous act. Often such guidance is
accompanied by powerful emotions that bring tears to the eyes and make it difficult
to speak. But a testimony is not emotion. It is the very essence of character
woven from threads born of countless correct decisions. These choices are made
with trusting faith in things that are believed and, at least initially, are
not seen. A strong testimony gives peace, comfort, and assurance. It generates
the conviction that as the teachings of the Savior are consistently obeyed,
life will be beautiful, the future will be secure, and there will be capacity
to overcome the challenges that cross our path. A testimony grows from
understanding truth distilled from prayer and the pondering of scriptural
doctrine. It is nurtured by living those truths with faith anchored in the
secure confidence that the promised results will be obtained.
Your testimony will be made strong through willing obedience
to the law of tithing and by giving fast offerings, and the Lord will bless you
richly for it. As your testimony is fortified, Satan will try harder to tempt
you. Resist his efforts. You will become stronger and his influence on you
weaker.
Satan’s increasing influence in the world is allowed to
provide an atmosphere in which to prove ourselves. While he causes havoc today,
Satan’s final destiny was fixed by Jesus Christ through His Atonement and the
Resurrection. The devil will not triumph. Even now he must operate within the
bounds set by the Lord. He cannot take away any blessing that has been earned.
He cannot alter character that has been woven from righteous decisions. He has
no power to destroy the eternal bonds forged in a holy temple between a
husband, wife, and children. He cannot quench true faith. He cannot take away
your testimony. Yes, these things can be lost by succumbing to his temptations.
But he has no power in and of himself to destroy them.
To summarize:
• God uses your faith to mold your character.
• Character is the manifestation of what you are becoming.
• Strong character results from consistent correct choices.
• The bedrock of character is integrity.
• The more your character is fortified, the more enabled you
are to exercise the power of faith.
Humility is that quality that permits us to be taught from
on high through the Spirit or to be taught from sources whose origin was
inspiration from the Lord, such as the scriptures and the comments of the
prophets. Humility is the precious fertile soil of righteous character. In it
the seeds of personal growth germinate. When cultivated through the exercise of
faith, pruned by repentance, and fortified by obedience and good works, such
seeds produce the cherished fruit of spiritual direction. Divine inspiration
and power then result—inspiration to know the will of the Lord, power to
provide the ability to accomplish that inspired will.
May I share four principles which have brought the deepest
feelings of peace and happiness into my own life? The Lord has established
these cornerstones in His eternal plan, and each one is essential. All work
together in harmony and reinforce one another. When they are applied with
diligence and consistency, they produce strength of character, increasing
ability to convert the challenges of life into stepping-stones of happiness now
and forever. They are:
• Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His program to acquire
the power to achieve.
• Repentance to rectify the consequences of mistakes of
omission or commission.
• Obedience to the commandments of the Lord to provide
strength and direction in our lives.
• Selfless service to enrich the lives of others.
If you have determined to live righteously, don’t become
discouraged. Life may seem difficult now, but hold on tightly to that iron rod
of truth. You are making better progress than you realize. Your struggles are
defining character, discipline, and confidence in the promises of your Father
in Heaven and the Savior as you consistently obey Their commandments. May the
Holy Ghost prompt you to always make decisions that fortify your character and
yield much joy and happiness. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment