I'm trying to be like Jesus

This week I watched the movie Ephraim’s Rescue for the first time. As we watched it with our investigator I learned some very valuable lessons. I was struck by an exchange near the end when a women tells Ephraim, “You must be a holy man.” His humble response is something like, “I have too many flaws to even count.” Her question to him is then, “Then how do you accomplish so much good?”

His answer is what truly stuck with me, “I try.”

Does trying count in the eyes of God?

We all have grown up with quoting the famous “Do or do not, there is no try.” Although I can appreciate the sentiment trying to be portrayed in this scenario, I believe that our loving and forgiving Heavenly Father recognizes that we will not always be able to accomplish all that is placed before us 

but He asks us to try.

I’m trying to be like Jesus, I’m following in His ways

I’m trying to love as He did, in all that I do and say.

“I do not believe in a God who would set up rules and commandments only to wait for us to fail so He could punish us. I believe in a Heavenly Father who is loving and caring and who rejoices in our every effort to stand tall and walk toward Him. Even when we stumble, He urges us not to be discouraged—never to give up or flee our allotted field of service—but to take courage, find our faith, and keep trying.”

“My dear brothers and sisters, don’t get discouraged if you stumble at times. Don’t feel downcast or despair if you don’t feel worthy to be a disciple of Christ at all times. The first step to walking in righteousness is simply to try. We must try to believe. Try to learn of God: read the scriptures; study the words of His latter-day prophets; choose to listen to the Father, and do the things He asks of us. Try and keep on trying until that which seems difficult becomes possible—and that which seems only possible becomes habit and a real part of you.” –Uchdorf

I know that as we follow this council to try, our efforts will be blessed and through Christ we will be able to accomplish all things. He knows what each of us are capable of becoming and

He will help us to get there if we will try.

What desirest thou?

All of us have heard the scripture, “For I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts.” (D&C 137:9 ) For much of my life I have found comfort in knowing that even though my actions are flawed and I often fall short, God will look upon my heart and recognize that I meant to do what was right. I’m sure that many of us have come to that same conclusion, and it is true. As we stand before our Eternal Judge He will look not only upon our actions but our hearts also. It was only recently that I realized that maybe my desires are not as easy of a cop out as I once thought. They too are riddled with pride, selfishness, greed and envy and they too need to be educated and refined.

 

Elder Anderson said “In order to serve as a substitute for action, desire cannot be superficial, impulsive, or temporary. It must be heartfelt, through and through. To be efficacious for blessings, the desires of our hearts must be so genuine that they can be called godly.”

I began to ask myself some honest questions. What are my hearts desires? Some were honorable and genuine, like a desire to return to live with my Father in Heaven as an eternal family.

Other desires were a lot less appropriate.

Elder Oaks said, “Have you ever found yourself doing something you thought was right, but doing it because you “had” to? Did you ever keep a commandment of God with an attitude of resentment or self-righteousness, or even because you expected some immediate personal benefit? I suppose most of us have had this experience. Remember your feelings on such occasions? Do you think such feelings will be ignored by a Father in Heaven who gave us the willpower we call agency? Don’t such feelings tell us something about the desires of our hearts?”

I came to the realization that like it or not, reality requires that I acknowledge my responsibility for my desires. What do I really desire, God’s plans for me or Satan’s?

It is up to us. This is life’s greatest and most persistent challenge. When people are described as “having lost their desire for sin,” it is they, and they only, who deliberately decided to lose those wrong desires by being willing to “give away all [their] sins” in order to know God (Alma 22:18).

President McKay said, “The greatest battles of life are fought … within the silent chambers of the soul.”

So how do we educate our desires? Where do we begin? Elder Oaks counseled to start with our feelings. “The desires of our hearts are deep-seated and fundamental. But our feelings are closer to the surface and easier for us to identify and influence… In order to have righteous desires, we have to control our thoughts and achieve appropriate feelings.”

It is up to us. God will guide, but He will not force.

Righteous desires need to be relentless, said President Brigham Young, “The men and women, who desire to obtain seats in the celestial kingdom, will find that they must battle every day.”

Fortunately for us, our loving Lord will work with us, “even if we can do no more than desire to believe,” providing we will “let this desire work in us” (Alma 32:27.)

I know there is real power in desire. I testify that if we will seek to build our righteous desires, heaven will not abandon us and our Heavenly Father will give us answers to our prayers. The love of God is most desirable (1 Nephi 8:12) and if we let Him, I know that true happiness comes when we align our desires with His. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.