Give diligent heed to words of eternal life

For obvious reasons I decided to study and write about diligence.  There are many excuses I could use to convince you of my inability to post each week but they are garbage.  The fact is this, having a gospel centered blog, is hard and sometimes doing hard things is, well…hard.  But as my amazing husband has told me before, “Sometimes you’ve got to do things you don’t want to do.”  So here I am, in all my humility, writing about my weaknesses.  I get lazy, overwhelmed, selfish, and entitled but every now and again the Spirit humbles me and reminds me what the true purpose is while being on the earth.  All of the superfluous things I stress over aren’t really worth my time.  I want to start now to become more diligent in the important things.  “Diligence is persisting in doing something in spite of opposition" (Olson).

I find myself setting really great goals that are achievable and realistic but after a week or so the excitement and consistency of them begin to fade.  Other times I mess up one day on the goal (like an exercise or scripture reading goal) and I act like I have failed in all things so I drop the goal altogether because “I can’t do it” or “It’s too hard”.  Why do I do this?  No one has ever told me that I had to be perfect everyday; the Lord hasn’t even told me that I would be perfect every day.  This expectation I have set for myself is not true and not helpful.  I will always fall short by myself.

The good news is that I can be perfect through the Savior.  With His help I can pick myself up and try again.  I can diligently seek His help in forgiving, repenting, searching, trying, serving, caring, loving, and keeping His commandments.  He promises that we will find joy and satisfaction in our righteous efforts.  “He who is diligent in keeping the commandments will be blessed unto eternal life” (D&C 18:8). 

Some of you, like me, may find yourselves feeling like you constantly fall short. I promise you that when you make a better effort to be diligent in the gospel, no matter where you are with your testimony, you will begin to recognize the blessings God gives to you, especially the gift of becoming closer to Him.  Start with something small - not small in its significance by any means - like prayer.  A morning conversation with your Heavenly Father can begin a monumental change in your day.  As your prayers become more like a craving than a goal you can begin to add scripture study, going to church, serving, and any other thing you can think of to help you become closer to Christ.  There will be many things that will distract you or cause you to forget but never give up; never stop trying to seek His help and do what's right.  

"Persisting in doing what is right—in spite of opposition—is required of the Lord’s covenant people. However, the Lord promises great blessings to those who are diligent in prayer, in keeping the commandments, in heeding revelation, in searching the scriptures, and in laboring in His work” (Olson).  

Be diligent.  He is waiting with open arms for you.

Further study on diligence:

1. Preach My Gospel states, “Diligence is steady, consistent, earnest, and energetic effort in doing the Lord’s work”. 
2. Lds.org states something similar, “Consistent, valiant effort, especially in serving the Lord and obeying his word”. 
3. Scriptures:
1. God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him: Heb. 11:6;
2. Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue: 2 Pet. 1:5;
3. They had searched the scriptures diligently: Alma 17:2;
4. Let us labor diligently: Moro. 9:6;
5. Be anxiously engaged in a good cause: D&C 58:27;
6. Neither be idle but labor with your might: D&C 75:3;
4. “Islands of Faith: A Story of Diligence” By Adam C. Olson  https://www.lds.org/ensign/2011/07/islands-of-faith-a-story-of-diligence?lang=eng&query=diligence

5. Preach My Gospel – Diligence  https://www.lds.org/manual/preach-my-gospel-a-guide-to-missionary-service/how-do-i-develop-christlike-attributes?lang=eng