Obedience

I’ve always been aware of the importance of obedience but when you are younger you are more susceptible to the rationalization that you can “have it both ways.”  This morning I was reading in M. Catherine Thomas’ new book, Light in the Wilderness, and the idea of obedience to God’s laws crystallized before my mind’s eye.  Of course, I’ve seen this before and thought of it many times over the years but my warring youth-self is more subdued now and many of the intrigues of the world don’t matter anymore.  I’ve always had a desire to be obedient.  I have never had a rebellious temperament.  I have always had an innate love of God’s laws, but the world holds out its lures, distractions and appeals to youth.  I was certainly aware in my youth that there was a higher way to live and I tried to live in that way but there is a cultural saturation that is hard to escape when you are younger (and older!).  More and more I understand by experience and the vision is crystallizing how God’s commandments are so important.  They are the fastest path for personal growth.  They keep us out of the mire.  We can attain further light and knowledge through obedience with exactness (which means we must also study so we know what to obey).  Heavenly Father has outlined laws of maximum physical and spiritual health and well-being.  Our flesh can be such a drag to our progress.  Our flesh can keep us stagnant.  If we really can throw off the natural man and decided to do it the Lord’s way we will have so much more joy in life and we will spend much less time in the mire.  I do believe though that through the goodness of God and with the Savior’s ability to make all thing right that we are taught while we are in the mire.  It’s the alternative school – we can grow through obedience or learn by experience.   A presenter at ED week last summer (can’t remember his name and don’t want to go look up my notes) proposed that hell was simply Heavenly Father’s continued school for those who didn’t get it while here upon the earth.  Same idea.  

If we can just obey! 

Retire and rise early that your mind and body will be invigorated!  (Why do I insist on being a night person?)

Follow the Word of Wisdom for FREEDOM from addictions, physical health and to receive great treasures of hidden knowledge!  What’s our problem here? 

            Forgive others for greater emotional health.

            Feed your spirit daily otherwise how can it be healthy?

            Don’t partake of junk food spiritually or physically.

Do not waste the days of your probation – after all you only have one life.  Why would you spend a third of it staring at a small (or large) box for whatever reason. 

             Love is a happier solution than hate.

All of this is so obvious yet we continue in our various forms of disobedience.  We are told over and over where to find happiness yet obedience is such a struggle for us.  I am grateful, so grateful that we have this time of suspended judgment to learn from our own mistakes and disobedience.  It’s just that the faster we learn the more we will understand eternal things and the heavenly make-up.  I think if we can do more of that here, when we leave this life we can hit the ground running in the next.  We won’t have to spend so much time rectifying our outlook or inaction in eternal matters.