In last week's devotional address, Brian Merrill taught us that "God’s plan involves making something of you, something glorious and divine, indeed something like Him, and that eventually requires not only your full cooperation but also your full participation." [1]
It is your full participation that I would like to focus on today. In his first epistle to the Corinthians, Paul asked, "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all . . . ?” then with encouragement added, “So run, that ye may obtain.” [2]
To the Colossians he declared, "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.” [3] Merriam-Webster defines “heartily” as "with all sincerity: wholeheartedly: with zest or gusto.” [4] To act heartily brings energy to the soul and livens the senses. It lifts the spirit and increases purpose and happiness.
This week’s discussion board question was, “What does it mean to you to run heartily, as to the Lord?”
I was touched and impressed by your reponses. Diana Corbett shared: “I think of how my toddler runs to greet me when I return home. He is so happy to see me and throws his arms around me and hugs me. He genuinely loves me and shows that through his actions. . . . If I want to [run heartily] to the Lord, I will do things for Him that express my devotion and love.”
Michelle Knight shared: “To me [it] means that I am ‘all in’ in the gospel of Jesus Christ, that I will defend Him and stand as a witness of Him at all times—in what I say, how I dress, what I do, and how I treat others. . . . I want to be enthusiastic about living the gospel and not hide my light.” Thank you to everyone who shared.
Let us now consider the race that Paul refers to. Each of us was given the opportunity in the pre-existence to enter him- or herself as a participant in perhaps the most important and exciting race of eternity. This was to be a race that would never, ever be forgotten, and the reward for finishing was beyond our fondest dreams. We all signed up for the race with great anticipation and high expectations. We could hardly wait to prove that we would make good choices, be wise, and run hard. We likely pictured ourselves putting forth a valiant effort and finishing strong!
Elder David A. Bednar spoke about the race of life in a recent conference address:
One of the great challenges each of us faces every day is to not allow the concerns of this world to so dominate our time and energy that we neglect the eternal things that matter most. We can too easily be diverted from remembering and focusing upon essential spiritual priorities because of our many responsibilities and busy schedules. Sometimes we try to run so fast that we may forget where we are going and why we are running. [5]
Elder Bednar goes on to share a warning from President Lorenzo Snow: “We are too apt to forget the great object of life, the motive of our Heavenly Father in sending us here . . . and hence, instead of rising above the little transitory things . . . we too often allow ourselves to come down to the level of the world without availing ourselves of the divine help which God has instituted.” [6]
As we remember where we are going, why we are running, and who we are following, we will want to run heartily!
To help me stay focused on spiritual goals, I link them to a physical goal like climbing a mountain. This has helped me stay focused on both spiritual and physical improvement.
The main physical goal I’ve had over the past few years has been to run in a mountain race near Colorado Springs. It is called the Pikes Peak Ascent and is a 13.32-mile race up the Pikes Peak mountain trail. The elevation gain is 7,815 feet and the finish is at approximately 14,050 feet, with the average grade being 11 percent. I love this race and have competed in it 13 of the past 16 years. I give credit to Jim Lamph, who encouraged me repeatedly to try it, and to Shane Cole for running it with me.
The first year I didn’t know what to expect, so I trained hard, running on dirt roads around Rexburg and on treadmills at a steep incline for hours each week. My focus was to be able to finish the race and to put my whole heart into it. It seemed to be on my mind every day as I made decisions on the best way to train and how to be healthy. My eating habits improved as did my sleep patterns. I trained the best way I knew how up until the week of the race. When we finally arrived in Manitou Springs and I looked up at the mountain from the starting line, it was hard to fathom that the next morning we would be running up the trail, all the way to the summit. This picture shows the starting line with me and Shane getting ready to run. Five minutes before the gun start, they had a performer sing “America the Beautiful,” and as I listened I imagined the view from the top that had inspired Katharine Lee to pen the words to the song. About four hours later I finished the race and took in the fabulous view. I was thrilled and happy and completely satisfied with my best efforts, even though I had walked some of the steeper parts and was far behind the overall winner.
Now, 16 years and 13 races later I am amazed at the results that came from having a simple goal to run Pikes Peak and by focusing on it every day. The Pikes Peak race has no eternal significance, but it provides an analogy as to what we can accomplish in the race of life if we keep our focus on the Lord and put Him first.
To run in a race is to put forth a diligent effort toward an end goal. In the race of life our ultimate goal is eternal life, and can only be obtained by coming unto Christ. To run heartily, as to the Lord, is to make a sincere effort to keep the first and great commandment, which is, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." [7] To love Him, we must learn of Him, follow Him, and try to be like Him. In His final general conference address, Elder Robert D. Hales said, “Genuine discipleship is a state of being. . . . Disciples live so that the characteristics of Christ are woven into the fiber of their beings.” [8]
As we exercise faith in the Savior, “a mighty change [takes place] in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.” [9] As we experience this change we will go about “doing good” [10] as He did.
Mormon taught that “every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God.” [11]
Good music is an example of something that can nudge us gently to action. I grew up singing songs that inspired me to be good, and I still listen to them today. Here is a children’s song my mother wrote, called “It’s Fun,” performed by my nieces and nephews. As we listen to two verses of the song, think about how being obedient brings joy as children that can continue into adulthood.
I like helpin’ my dad
Best pal I ever had
I do the things I should
It’s fun, fun to be good
I like sharing a treat
Then it’s more fun to eat
I do the things I should
It’s fun, fun to be good [12]
It is fun to be good—it brings happiness into our lives. David O. McKay said, "Happiness consists not of having, but of being; not of possessing, but of enjoying. It is a warm glow of the heart at peace with itself. A martyr at the stake may have happiness that a king on his throne might envy. Man is the creator of his own happiness. It is the aroma of life, lived in harmony with high ideals. For what a man has he may be dependent upon others; what he is rests with him alone." [13]
As a teenager, I was a slacker. I didn’t like commitment and my focus was on having fun. I did poorly in school and paid little attention in church. My low ideals stood out like my long hair. That was my status in life when my Young Men’s leader, John Galbraith, began to encourage us young men to be our “best self.” His enthusiasm for life, as well as his success stories, caught my attention and I began thinking seriously about where I was going with my life. Later, during my senior year, a teacher basically called me out for being a slacker. I decided then and there that I needed to change. That decision quickly evolved into a commitment to be true to myself and to God. At that time, I did not know the Church was true but became determined to find out. Over the next 18 months I read the Book of Mormon, pondered, and prayed sincerely about it. I did my best to exercise faith and eventually received an undeniable confirmation from the Spirit that it is true. I felt like I had begun running in the race of life!
One day, during this time, I was tilling a field with a tractor on the family farm and had a profound experience with thoughts. While driving I had let my thoughts drift off to meaningless and worldly things and soon found myself in a depressed mood. I didn’t like the feeling and made a conscious effort to fight off the negative thoughts and replace them with good and uplifting ones. It turned out to be a mental battle for me, but eventually, as good replaced bad, my mood improved and I found myself feeling happy. I was so struck by this powerful experience, that later that same day, I came up with this poem titled “Thoughts.”
Thoughts are kind of special things;
They can make me laugh or cry or sing.
There are two effects, either good or bad:
One makes me happy; the other makes me sad.
I must be careful that the thought
Will make me happy and if not,
I’ll erase and replace it with the right.
For if I do, I will win the fight.
I can win!—Yes, I can, to myself I must say,
Then I’ll be happy every day. [14]
Thoughts make us who we are. In his book As a Man Thinketh, James Allen said, “A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts.” [15]
This helps us understand why we are taught to “let virtue garnish [our] thoughts unceasingly.” [16] Virtuous thoughts help us to run heartily, as to the Lord.
On my mission, I began memorizing inspiring thoughts, poems, and scriptures to help motivate me to become more like Jesus. I used time on buses, street cars, bikes, and tracting to recite them over and over again. After my mission, while doing things like pulling weeds in a field with my younger brothers and sisters, I would try to get them excited about memorizing good thoughts, so we would recite poems repeatedly as we went up and down the field pulling the weeds.
Memorizing is a form of meditation that can lead to a deeper understanding of the subject matter and instill a greater resolve to act on what we have learned. Memorizing thoughts and scriptures has helped me to keep my focus on good things that are inspired of God.
Allow me to share a couple of examples. Here is a favorite poem that reminds me to do things even when I don’t feel like it. The title is “Just Folks” by Edgar A. Guest, but I call it “A Good Feeling.”
Whenever I’ve dreaded what ought to be done
And thought up excuses my duty to shun,
I’ve found when I’ve gone, though I wanted to stay,
I’ve always felt better when coming away.
The paths that are pleasant are easy to tread
It’s always the difficult journey I dread
But whenever I’ve done what I wished to delay,
I’ve always felt better at close of the day.
I fancy we’re all an excuse making lot.
Time bids us to do what we’d much rather not;
But I know when I’ve made myself do what I should,
There’s a glow in the heart and that feeling is good. [17]
Have you had an experience like this? I remember as a student at BYU, one night, when the spring runoff was high and the city was concerned about flooding, I got a call late in the evening asking if I would volunteer to help sandbag Main Street. I was already exhausted from a long day of studying and did not feel like going. But knowing it was the right thing to do, I said to myself, “If everyone was just like me, what kind of world would this world be?” I decided to go and was afterwards rewarded with that good feeling.
Often days don’t go the way that we would like them to. This poem by Kalidasa helped me realize that God created days for a purpose, and that good things can come by taking life one day at a time.
Look to this day!
for it is life, the very life of life.
In its brief course
Lie all the verities and realities of our existence;
The bliss of growth;
The glory of action;
The splendor of beauty;
For yesterday is but a dream,
And tomorrow is only a vision;
But today, well lived, makes every yesterday
a dream of happiness,
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore to this day.
Such is the salutation to the dawn. [18]
We can make the most of each day by focusing on good things and by choosing righteous thoughts and actions. We will feel a deeper sense of gratitude to God and an increased desire to follow Alma’s counsel: "Cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever." [19]
Here is another family song that I still listen to or sing often. I feel, when I listen to it, that I’m close to heaven, even though it may be far away. Pay attention to your feelings, as to the Lord, while you listen to the words.
Although it seems that heaven is far away,
I feel God near to me each day.
When I am faced with trials,
Then I’m fine.
He gives me peace and He is kind.
I know He lives; I feel it when I pray,
And He will help me ‘til that endless day.
Oh, give me faith and help me to endure
That I may someday come home clean and pure. [20]
The Christmas season is upon us with its music, shopping, gifts, trees, and tinsel , but my hope is that we will all remember the true meaning of Christmas and set our focus on the Christ child who is the “light of the world.” [21]
Now, in closing, I would like each of you to think of how you are living your life while having the light of Christ to guide you. Perhaps this poem will inspire you as it did me when I first heard it in a devotional [22] at Ricks College in January 1978. It is called “The Torchbearer.”
The God of the great endeavor
gave me a torch to bear.
I lifted it high above me
in the dark and murky air.
Straightway with loud hosannas
the crowd acclaimed its light,
And followed me as I carried my torch
through the dark and starless night.
Til mad with peoples’ praises
and drunken with vanity,
I forgot it was the torch that drew them
and fancied they followed me.
But my arm grew weary
upholding the shining load,
And my tired feet went stumbling
over the hilly road.
I fell with the torch beneath me,
in a moment the flame was out.
But lo, from the throng a stripling
sprang forth with a mighty shout,
Caught up the torch as it smouldered
and lifted it high again,
Til fanned by the winds of heaven
it fired the souls of men.
As I lay in the darkness,
the feet of the trampling crowd,
Passed over and far beyond me,
their praises proclaimed aloud.
And I learned in the deepening shadow
this glorious verity,
‘Tis the torch the people follow,
who ere the bearer be. [23]
May each of us choose to bear up the torch that we have been given, and to run heartily, as to the Lord Jesus Christ, that we may be filled with purpose and joy as we run the race of life, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
[1] Brian Merrill, “Thy Will Be Done,” BYU-Idaho devotional, Dec. 3, 2019.
[2] 1 Corinthians 9:24.
[3] Colossians 3:23.
[4] Merriam-Webster Dictionary, “heartily.”
[5] David A. Bednar, “Exceeding Great and Precious Promises," Ensign, Nov. 2017.
[6]Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow , 101–2.
[7] Matthew 22:37.
[8] Robert D. Hales, “Becoming a Disciple of Our Lord Jesus Christ,” Ensign, May 2017.
[9] Mosiah 5:2.
[10] Acts 10:38.
[11] Moroni 7:13.
[12] Dorothy Ashcraft, “It’s Fun,” Ashcraft Family Singers, Nov. 1999.
[13] David O. McKay, Pathways to Happiness, 1957, 104.
[14] Brent Ashcraft, “Thoughts.”
[15] James Allen, As a Man Thinketh, 11.
[16] Doctrine and Covenants 121:45.
[17] Edgar A. Guest, "Just Folks."
[18] Kalidasa, "Salutation to The Dawn."
[19] Alma 37:36.
[20] Dorothy Ashcraft, "I Know He Lives," Ashcraft Family Singers, Nov. 1999.
[21] John 8:12.
[22] See Robert B. Arnold, “Missionary Work,” Ricks College devotional, Jan. 24, 1978.
[23] Anonymous, "The Torchbearer."