Discipleship: Following in the Savior's Footsteps

We talk so often about the sweet blessings of discipleship it sometimes seems easy to ignore the cost. In fact depending on how you look at it, the cost of not following the Savior is much higher than that of becoming a disciple. While this is true, it doesn’t mean discipleship is an easy path. It only means that the end result is definitely worth the cost. Often, this cost is more immediate and greater than many feel willing to pay. Even among His disciples, there will be many who try to “short-change” the Savior, never realizing that they’re only cheating themselves not Him.

What does the disciple pay for the Savior’s promised blessings? I think it’s different for each of us and some may actually think the price is negotiable. Different it may be, but the information on the price tag asks the same thing of everyone. He asks for our all. He asks us to turn over all that we are so that He can mold those things into something much more beautiful than any value we might have placed on the original price.

In the words of James E. Faust:

“Our true claim as disciples comes when we can say with certainty that His ways have become our ways.” James E. Faust, “Discipleship,” Ensign, Nov 2006, 20–23

Part of our purpose in life is to be tried and tested. Not just in a few things, but in all things that are necessary for our eternal salvation. He, and we, need to know the measure of our faith and patience for the things of the Lord. He tests not only our faith in the moment, but also over time. Can we still say, “Thy will be done” when that answer is not forthcoming on our own timetable?

The goal of the disciple is to become as close to Christ’s perfect example as our imperfect lives will allow. Following the Savior’s example requires us to embrace the mission of our own lives, overcome the world and finish the work we have been given to do. Even as Christ did, we need to learn to let our will be “swallowed up in the will of the Father”. We need to learn to embrace the process of change and refinement. While we have been granted the wonderful gift of agency, the best gift we can give back to the Lord in gratitude is the will of our hearts. We can offer that agency back to the Lord with humble sincerity in order to find out what choices He would have us make. That is the time we will truly find out about His love and our own divine potential. The more we are willing to “give up” of ourselves, the more room there is for the Savior in our lives.

“The more we know of Jesus, the more we will love Him. The more we know of Jesus, the more we will trust Him. The more we know of Jesus, the more we will want to be like Him and to be with Him by becoming the manner of men and women that He wishes us to be (see 3 Ne. 27:27), while living now “after the manner of happiness” (2 Ne. 5:27). Neal A. Maxwell, “‘Plow in Hope’,” Ensign, May 2001, 59

Walking as a disciple of Christ is a lifelong journey and because the journey can be rough there will be those who will chose to leave His path. Fortunately, whether we turn away completely, or simply stumble on the path, the Savior’s atonement is always there as a way back. Because of Christ’s sacrifice, we can live for and with Him. Discipleship requires a full commitment to the Lord’s way, where ever it may take us, for the duration of our lives. This is the price we pay for His welcoming arms and words of comfort, love and pride at that end of life. That is the price we pay for His guiding and steadying hand every day until then. It’s definitely worth the price.

When Christ was preparing to leave His disciples for the final time, He promised them a special gift. This gift, the Holy Ghost, was described by Christ as a Comforter, as foundation of peace, a Teacher, a source of truth and a Testifier, a way for Christ to be with His disciples even when He was removed from their physical presence. It was, in my opinion, the most beautiful gift He could give them.

16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. . .
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 14:16-27

The Holy Ghost’s role within the Godhead is to offer a direct connection with our spirits. Our spirits remember and rejoice in truths and recognize our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. The spirit within us that remembers and recognizes these things is the very center and core of who we are. We are literal children of a loving Heavenly Father who sent the purest of His children as a Savior for all of us. When our spirit recognizes this, it changes who we are, it awakens our true nature and potential for goodness, it allows us to be disciples of Jesus Christ.

When Christ promised this gift to those who would follow Him, He was promising to keep that line of contact and communication open to us. He was promising that as long as we were living His commandments, we would have access to His loving guidance through the Holy Ghost. The faith we gain because of our connection with the Holy Ghost allows us to take His love into our hearts and trust in it. We can not cast our every care upon someone who we don’t intimately know and trust to comfort and bless us with what we need most. We can not trust in an atoning sacrifice that can relieve us our all our imperfections if we do not know we are loved to such an extent. We can not heed or follow His voice if we do not know what those tender whisperings feel like.

Keep the commandments and live worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost. He is the best friend and companion that Christ can offer His disciples when we need to feel His love and guidance.

Do you remember the story of Jacob’s ladder?

11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.
12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
Genesis 28:11-12

Aside from the sleeping on a rock, there is a small message for me hidden in Jacob’s dream. Overall, the Lord’s message is of covenants and promises, but for me there is also an understanding of who I am as a person. Like Jacob, I’ve made covenants with the Lord that will lead me on a path toward heaven. It’s not always the easiest thing to do, the world can be a very hard place and I can be very weak willed at some moments. My human nature makes me imperfect, but the Lord promises me that as long as I stay on the ladder, I’m still headed toward Him. It’s something within my reach, within my capabilities, and it’s personal. It’s a progression and a promise.

The great promise to me is that what Jacob saw was a ladder, not a giant leap, not a rocket, a one-way sign. It was a ladder with angels ascending and descending, each on their own path. No matter where they were, headed up or down, they were all angels. They were all disciples of Jesus Christ doing His will and serving God. I am one of those angels, one of those disciples. Where I belong on that ladder is up to me and my Heavenly Father http://www.mormonwiki.com/Heavenly_Father , where my neighbor belongs is their personal journey. We all have a place, sometimes we’re up, sometimes we’re down. The important part is that we’re still holding on.

“An old proverb states that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Sometimes we make the process more complicated than we need to. We will never make a journey of a thousand miles by fretting about how long it will take or how hard it will be. We make the journey by taking each day step by step and then repeating it again and again until we reach our destination.
The same principle applies to how you and I can climb to higher spirituality.
Our Heavenly Father knows that we must begin our climb from where we are. ‘When you climb up a ladder,’ the Prophet Joseph Smith taught, ‘you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the gospel—you must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation. But it will be a great while after you have passed through the veil before you will have learned them.’
Our Heavenly Father loves each one of us and understands that this process of climbing higher takes preparation, time, and commitment. He understands that we will make mistakes at times, that we will stumble, that we will become discouraged and perhaps even wish to give up and say to ourselves it is not worth the struggle.
We know it is worth the effort, for the prize, which is eternal life, is “the greatest of all the gifts of God.” D&C 14:7
And to qualify, we must take one step after another and keep going to gain the spiritual heights we aspire to reach.
An eternal principle is revealed in holy writ: “It is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize.” Mosiah 4:27
We don’t have to be fast; we simply have to be steady and move in the right direction. We have to do the best we can, one step after another.”
Joseph B. Wirthlin, “One Step after Another,” Liahona, Jan 2002, 27–30

When God made covenants with Jacob in that dream, He gave Jacob everything he needed to succeed in His promises. God showed him the ladder, the path and the purpose, then gave him the promises of eternity. He does the same for each of us as we dedicate our lives to Him and make our own covenants. I love the promise this covenant contains.

15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
Genesis 28:15

Jacob’s ladder gives me hope because it shows me everyone’s path is not the same. It shows me that we each have a purpose to serve as disciples of Jesus Christ. It shows me that as long as I hang on to the ladder and keep asking the Lord to guide my path, up or down, He’ll be with me.

A few nights ago I attended my son’s school program. Though it was focused around nursery rhyme stories, the main message was one I needed to hear: If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Yes, it is an old adage, but it’s also one that I hadn’t thought about for a while. If I had to sum up the Plan of Salvation into one sentence, it would be found in the scriptures.

2 Nephi 2:25— Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

Though this life is a testing period for us, it is also meant to bring us happiness now and joy in the eternities if we choose to follow Jesus Christ. We are God’s children, we carry the light of Christ within us, we can be happy. We all have a great capacity for joy within our hearts if we will follow the recipe that the Lord has given us. But, where are the instructions? The recipe is in the scriptures.

If you opened your scriptures at any given point, how far would you have to look to find a reference to happiness or joy? Odds are, not very far. Heavenly Father is very serious about our happiness. We are His children, what parent doesn’t bend over backwards to give their child happiness, peace, safety and love in this life? Our Heavenly Father is no different. Let’s examine some of the instructions He gives us that hold the promise of joy.

Our faith should be centered on Jesus Christ the source of living waters, from whom all blessings flow.

Isaiah 12:3— Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

Observe the Sabbath as a time to reconnect with Heavenly Father and replenish our spirits.

Psalms 118:24— This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Develop the talents and blessings that the Lord has given you.

Matthew 25:21— His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Seek for the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

Galations 5:22— But the fruit of the Spirit is clove, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Observe the gospel of Jesus Christ within your home, and instill a testimony of Him in your children.

3 John 1:4— I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

Endure your trials well, use them to learn and grow closer to God.

2 Nephi 9:18— But, behold, the righteous, the saints of the Holy One of Israel, they who have believed in the Holy One of Israel, they who have endured the crosses of the world, and despised the shame of it, they shall inherit the kingdom of God, which was prepared for them from the foundation of the world, and their joy shall be full forever.

Keep the commandments.

Mosiah 2:41— And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

Repent of your faults and sins. Actively work to bring your life in line with the example of Jesus Christ.

Mosiah 4:20— And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a remission of your sins. And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy.

Be willing to forsake the things of the world in favor of the things of the Savior.

Alma 22:15— And it came to pass that after Aaron had expounded these things unto him, the king said: What shall I do that I may have this eternal life of which thou hast spoken? Yea, what shall I do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day? Behold, said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy.

Share your testimony of the gospel and the blessing God has given you with others.

Alma 29:9— I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.

Doctrine and Covenants 18:15-16— And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!

And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!

Work for the things you need and those things you desire in righteousness.

Psalms 128:2— For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.

Value knowledge and seek out learning of all types.

Proverbs 3:13— Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

Love and serve your neighbor.

Proverbs 14:21— He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.

As you can see, there is guidance for a happier life for almost any situation we may find ourselves in. So, when life seems to be full of lemons. Go to the Lord’s scriptures for instructions on how to turn you low points into blessings of joy.

When the Savior began preparing His disciples to understand the divinity of His mission, He gave them a promise.

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27

What is the Lord’s peace? How does He give it to us, and more importantly how do we receive it so that it becomes a part of us? How can we find that peace when the world is storming around us, threatening every fiber of our being?

The blessing of the Lord’s peace is that it can be present even at the worst of times if we continue to put our faith in Jesus Christ. His peace is the gift of the Holy Ghost. It is this gift that He refers to in the verse before His promise of peace in John 14:27.

“But the comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John 14:26

The Holy Ghost is called by many names in the scriptures. To me, Comforter says it all. Comfort and peace are at the center of the very nature of the Holy Ghost. No matter what role He is filling it brings peace to the recipient. For instance, knowledge and learning based in the teaching of Jesus Christ is a source of peace. It is the role and mission of the Holy Ghost to lead us toward Christ and to testify of the Savior’s divinity to those who seek Him.

I often think of the hymn, “Master, the Tempest is Raging”. when my life seems to be spiraling out of control.

1. Master, the tempest is raging!
The billows are tossing high!
The sky is o’ershadowed with blackness.
No shelter or help is nigh.
Carest thou not that we perish?
How canst thou lie asleep
When each moment so madly is threat’ning
A grave in the angry deep?

[Chorus]
The winds and the waves shall obey thy will:
Peace, be still.
Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea
Or demons or men or whatever it be,
No waters can swallow the ship where lies
The Master of ocean and earth and skies.
They all shall sweetly obey thy will:
Peace, be still; peace, be still.
They all shall sweetly obey thy will:
Peace, peace, be still.

2. Master, with anguish of spirit
I bow in my grief today.
The depths of my sad heart are troubled.
Oh, waken and save, I pray!
Torrents of sin and of anguish
Sweep o’er my sinking soul,
And I perish! I perish! dear Master.
Oh, hasten and take control!

3. Master, the terror is over.
The elements sweetly rest.
Earth’s sun in the calm lake is mirrored,
And heaven’s within my breast.
Linger, O blessed Redeemer!
Leave me alone no more,
And with joy I shall make the blest harbor
And rest on the blissful shore.

This hymn tells the story found in Matthew 8:23-27

“And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!”

There is another hymn with a simple melody that also finds itself stuck in my brain quite frequently. Whenever I catch myself humming it, I open my mind to the words and remember the gentle comforts of Christ’s gospel. It will always bring peace.

1. How gentle God’s commands!
How kind his precepts are!
Come, cast your burdens on the Lord
And trust his constant care.

2. Beneath his watchful eye,
His Saints securely dwell;
That hand which bears all nature up
Shall guard his children well.

3. Why should this anxious load
Press down your weary mind?
Haste to your Heav’nly Father’s throne
And sweet refreshment find.

4. His goodness stands approved,
Unchanged from day to day;
I’ll drop my burden at his feet
And bear a song away.

“How Gentle God’s Commands,” Hymns #125

Christ gives each of us with the same promise He gave to the disciples who walked and talked with Him. He will not leave us comfortless; He offers each of us His peace if we invite the Spirit to be with us. As we mold our lives to the example of Jesus Christ we encourage the Holy Ghost to be our companion, to teach us, to guide us, and to calm the wind and the waves as we need Him to by placing our trust.

This is Jesus Christ’s promise of peace:
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you:”
“Even the winds and the sea obey [me]”
“That hand which bears all nature up, shall guard his children well.”
“Peace, be still. Peace, be still.”

We are coming to the end of Paul’s message on charity. We’ve pondered his direction and tried to find ways to develop more charity within our lives. Now comes what is probably the most important message Paul could leave us with. Charity: “Believes all things, hopes all things”. Charity is the pure love of Christ. Of course, the largest element of developing this type of love in ourselves would center on our ability to have faith and hope in Jesus Christ.

Faith is a belief, a hope in things that aren’t completely known or understood. It’s trusting our hearts and instincts more than the logic of the world. It often starts as something small, a small prickling on the back of your neck when you hear someone mention their belief in God. Perhaps it’s a lingering warmth or happiness after an inspiring piece of music. Maybe it’s just a gentle nudging inside of you that wants to do good, to be better, to reach for something higher. When its faith, it always leads you back to Jesus Christ.

Not everyone has the same measure of faith, just as not everyone is the same height or intelligence. It’s another piece of our unique natures. For some this faith is only in small things: a belief that living a good life will be rewarded with more good living. In others their faith is enough to move mountains. But in every case it’s a yearning for what is good and wholesome in the world around us and a recognition that such things come from the hand of God.

Hope is the part of our nature that looks toward the future. It is the desire for peace and blessings that we long for as we try to do what is right. It’s believing not only in Christ, but in what He can do for us: His saving grace, that allows us to come back in to the presence of a loving Heavenly Father. It’s the hope of forgiveness when we realize we’ve strayed off the path we should have kept to.

Charity is the ability to take these precious parts of ourselves and share them with those around us. It is seeing and accepting the faith of others, wherever that faith may lead them. It is hoping the best for someone who has wronged us, just as we hope to be forgiven when we wrong God. It is reaching out to one who may not have given heed to the initial sparks of faith within themselves. It is loving as the Savior would love, because of His love for us.

In the last few phrases of Paul’s insight on charity, he seems to give a summary of the points he has covered, subtly combining them into a bigger picture. These are the last pieces of advice he gives on the journey of developing charity. He tells us to take things to the next level.

Thus, the scriptures say charity: “beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, [and] endureth all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:7

For today’s thought I’ll address “beareth all things” and “endureth all things”.

Every one of us faces trials and challenges every day. Some may be very minor, some may feel as if they are draining the life force right out of us, leaving little time or energy for anything other than the problem at hand. In every case, the love of our Heavenly Father follows us. He has given us a precious gift of agency- the ability to choose our own path. He lets us walk that path and encounter what ever we may. In some cases, He might have preferred us to choose differently. In some cases, He may have tried to share this knowledge with us. In every case, His love is unwavering, and that love restrains Him as He lets us learn in our own way and time frame.

What is He really asking of us when the scriptures say we must bear and endure all things?

I think of the Savior, His faithful and quiet willingness to go forward with the Father’s will even when He knew the pain it would bring Him personally.

I think of Job who refused to turn away from God when all of His friends thought he had been forsaken.

I think of Joseph Smith willingly returning when he knew it would mean his capture and death, because he knew that was what the Lord needed him to do.

I think of a woman I know who is battling another round of cancer a year after losing her husband of 49 years. I think of her smile and grateful heart for every new day.

I think of a father I know who patiently takes extra time with the child who needs him most.

I think of a million examples of everyday people doing their best to live good lives. To me, that is the essence of charity. It’s going outside of ourselves and facing every new challenge as the Savior would. It’s bearing and enduring all the things this world can throw at us until we are back in Heavenly Father’s presence.

It’s patience and perspective.

“As much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day.” Alma 38:5

Mankind has a continual quest for knowledge and truth. It marks our progression as a society. It creates progress as we move forward with new insight into old problems. Everyone seeks knowledge of some kind: whether it is the ultimate spaghetti and meatball recipe or the secrets of metaphysics.

Perhaps some of the most important answers we all need to find, the most basic truths, are spiritual in nature. We all yearn to know where we came from, what our purpose is here in this life, and where we go when we leave this world. We are all born with a spirit, a light of Christ, which hints at wonderful things if we come to know God and work to become like His son, Jesus Christ. Charity rejoices in these truths.

It rejoices in the knowledge that each of us is loved in a personal and eternal way by a Heavenly Father who gave His Son so that we could overcome sin and death and return to Him again.

D&C 84:45-47 “For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

And the Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world; and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit.

And every one that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit cometh unto God, even the Father.”

Truth is light and goodness, it fills us with the Spirit. It gives us purpose and hope in a world that can sometimes be very dark. The knowledge we gain as we seek out Jesus Christ guides our actions toward goodness, it leads us to more light.

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are encouraged to seek out these truths for ourselves. One of the most quoted scriptures from the Book of Mormon is found in

Moroni 10:4-5 “And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.”

It’s a powerful promise of truth from the best source of light I know of.

Elder Robert S. Wood states that there are four stages to any person’s search for truth.

(1) An urgent search for the truth.
(2) A willingness to obey the truth we discover.
(3) A disposition to bear witness to the truth in all places and at all times, and
(4) A motivation to serve others in truth.

A search for truth requires a hunger and thirst for answers, and a willingness to follow through with what is found out. We seek out learning and knowledge in the scriptures, our prayers, our worship, our personal relationship with God. The testimony we gain fills us with joy and a conviction for goodness. As indicated in the scriptures:

D&C 11:13 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy;"

John 8:32 "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

This freedom comes from finding the answers that can lay the course of our lives. It opens up possibilities beyond what we can see for ourselves. It gives us a higher reason for our choices and a conviction to be the best person we can be.

It requires us to live up to our roll as disciples of Christ, being His witness and serving others with the knowledge we have gained.

Do you have a temper? When does it flair? For me, it is most likely to happen when I'm tired, stressed, and already emotionally taxed. I'm normally very easy going, but yes there are times when I'm easily provoked. Sadly, it is usually those that I love most that are hurt the most by my bursts of temper. The effects of one hour of yelling can last for days. I’m not only finding a source for my anger, but as I direct it I end up feeling mad at myself for getting mad at them. But, in my state of anger it feeds off of itself rather than turning to repentance. I lash out more, pathetically trying to justify myself, to place blame anywhere but where it belongs- on me.

Perhaps the hardest part of it all comes when the anger finally simmers away and I can vividly see the damage I have caused. The hardest part is saying “I’m sorry” and trying to figure out how to make it right again.

Most of us have moments when we feel frustrated, impatient, hurt, irritated or contentious. It’s usually just the little things, the little day to day irritations that trickle into our spirit and find root in our hearts to grow into something bigger. The trick is being aware of those tiny moments and turning away from them, rather than leaning into the pain of the moment and letting those negative emotions overtake us and grow.

Giving place for anger can open the door to tremendous amounts of pain and violence. It offends the Spirit, forcing Him to leave our presence. It can leave lasting scars of many kinds. There is no place for the kinds of abuse that can result from anger among the disciples of Christ. By learning to overcome anger and contention we restrict its ability to infect those around us. We are one step closer to become like the Savior, for “charity is not easily provoked.”

The Savior was the ultimate example of turning away from anger, even in the face of very hurtful situations. We read that “they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men.” (1 Ne. 19:9) His response to those who crucified him was simply “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) What an amazing legacy of love and patience to live up to.

The Savior said that the spirit of anger and contention “is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another. Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away.” (3 Ne. 11:29-30)

It is our task to rid our lives and hearts of the anger within us. Sometimes it’s just a matter of being more aware, more careful with our moods and stress levels. For others, anger and contention have a more permanent place in our hearts. Perhaps it may take a more concentrated effort. The first steps might be searching the scriptures and the examples around us for ways we can conquer our problem. The second might be inviting the Lord to be part of our resolution, asking for His constant help and guidance through prayer and fasting may be advisable.

If we can come off conqueror against this poisonous enemy of anger and violence we will find ourselves one step closer to a heart filled with charity and joy