It’s no secret with international wars currently ongoing, natural disasters looming, and shootings devasting communities that the world seems to be congested with overwhelming division, confusion, and trials. BYU-Idaho’s communication strategy coordinator and this week’s devotional speaker Ben Yates addresses these issues and offers a way to navigate through life with an eternal perspective in his devotional talk. He mentions that we have not been abandoned to deal with life’s problems.
“Thankfully, the Lord has not left us to navigate mortality alone without direction and tools” Yates said. “He has blessed each of us with the light of Christ to help us recognize right from wrong. He has blessed us with the gift of the Holy Ghost, who gives us additional guidance, direction, peace, hope, and testimony. And he has blessed us with the words of prophets, both past and living.”
Yates believes that Satan’s ability to distract us from what is important in this world has a lot to do with why the world seem to be suffering with separation between nations and other horrific events. In an BYU-Idaho radio interview he said these diversions makes it effortless to distance from the Holy Ghost
“It becomes so much easier to forget what it feels like to have the Spirit and to be close to the Gospel. And those distractions, a lot of them we choose them ourselves. We choose what we spend our time on and what we do. And a lot of it is focused on, I think, entertainment. We like to be entertained. I know I do. But it's a conscious effort that we have to make to keep our focus.”
Yates mentioned that Heavenly Father has provided us with tools to help in our efforts to stay focused on the important tasks and goals we must complete in this life.
“I think, the scriptures and the power of prayer, are huge ones to stay on the path and to keep our focus. Our leaders always encourage us to read our scriptures, to say our prayers. It seems like primary answers, but when it comes down to it, that really is what can keep most of us on track.”
Yates is a firm believer that if we can just for a few minutes bring ourselves back to what really matters when facing rough times, then we can put everything into an eternal perspective, and get through anything that we're facing. He hopes that those who hear his address will receive the assistance they need to help them get through their trials they are facing and stay focused on recognizing Satan's tactics that keep us disconnected with the Lord.