Living in a Promised Land

By Ragan Balzer, Wellness Life Coach
www.seeingextraintheordinary.com
@seeingextraintheordinary

The past couple years have been hard, right? If you are like me, you may have found yourself being lazy, complacent, and neglectful of your commitment to building a personal relationship with Heavenly Father. As a result, you may have found yourself struggling, feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, full of anxiety, feeling depressed, and completely open and vulnerable to the influence of the adversary, Satan.

Sadly, Satan loves to create a mind that is in a constant state of chaos, unrest, fear, worry, and doubting the promises we are given by our Father in Heaven. Unfortunately, when we harbor such thoughts, we draw further away from the Spirit of God.

We are promised that we, as a covenant people, will get to live in a promised land – a choice land which He has specifically chosen for us. When we look at the chaos and noise around us, it can feel like we are living in anything BUT a choice land and we may feel like we are wandering alone in a wilderness of darkness. So, what if our “promised land” isn’t so much a physical location, but a state of being – a peace of mind – a rested and contented soul who is living in peace and harmony? And what if we can achieve our “promised land” right here, right now in these trying times?

In a 2019 conference talk, Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles argues that we are at “war with Satan for the souls of men.” Sisters, we are at war with Satan for OUR OWN souls and he will gleefully attack the core foundation of our souls and will do so in our minds. He knows our weaknesses, he knows our fears, he knows our doubts and once he weasels himself into a tiny nook or cranny of our minds, the floodgates open and the results can be incredibly destructive and catastrophic to our wellbeing, to our spiritual strength, and our overall peace and happiness. Make no mistake, he’s constantly lurking in every corner waiting patiently for us to let our guard down, waiting for a time when our resiliency is being tested, when our emotions are depleted and when we are too weak or too tired to ask for help. He revels in joy when our lives are in upheaval, when we question our faith, when our minds are trapped in unhealthy thinking patterns, and when we are walking in circles of darkness, doubt, and confusion. He wants us to feel abandoned, alone and will purposely discourage us from seeking peace and comfort from Heavenly Father. He delights when we turn our backs on what we know and believe. When we allow him into our minds by entertaining these thoughts, we’ll be led to a very dark and dreary wilderness of despair, and we’ll be deprived of experiencing the blessings the Lord has in store for us.

Elder Rasband teaches that “we must build a fortress of spirituality and protection for our very souls, a fortress that will not be penetrated by the evil one…He will sneak into our minds and hearts when we let our guards down, face disappointment, lose hope or are overcome with fear and despair. Satan entices us with flattery, a promise of ease, comfort, or temporary high when we are feeling low. He justifies pride, unkindness, dishonesty, discontent”.”  This is when the Spirit leaves us and ultimately, we’ll feel empty, desolate, lonely, and hopeless. 2 Nephi 28:21 reads, “and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell”…..in other words, we’ll be left in a state of confusion, feeling overwhelmed, and wandering in circles alone in the wilderness of darkness and not living in a promised land.

So, what can we do to fortify our minds and protect our souls in troubled times? I offer you these three simple suggestions:

1.   Pray – When your mind is heavy and clouded or Satan is placing dark and destructive thoughts of confusion and chaos in your minds, simply pray. Ask Heavenly Father to rest your thoughts, calm your soul, and give you peace and comfort. Recall to mind our sacrament hymn, that goes in part: When your heart is filled with anger, when sore trials come upon you, did you think to pray? Oh, how praying rests the weary. So, when life gets dark and dreary, don’t forget to pray.
2.   Spend time in the scriptures. I once made the mistake of putting my scriptures in a drawer to get them out of the way while “tidying up”, this seemingly innocent act, opened the floodgates to Satan’s destructive influence. Keep your scriptures out, in a prominent location where you see them, and are reminded to open them regularly. We are continually counseled that daily scripture study is imperative to our spiritual health and wellbeing. We are further promised that by immersing ourselves in the scriptures, particularly the Book of Mormon, we will find greater power to avoid deception and will find the power to stay in our promised land.  
3.   Have Hope and Trust in the Lord –Proverbs 3:5-6, reads: Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths…This means directing our path out of darkness and into our promised land. Trusting in the Lord requires patience and endurance to outlast the challenges we face. It means not throwing in the towel or giving up. It means having hope as small as a mustard seed and believing that all things work to the benefit of those who love the Lord, even when we don’t see or feel it. It means believing that the burdens which we face will be lightened and that the Lord will strengthen us. It means believing that He will guide us to a promised land of peace, joy and contentment.

President Nelson has taught us “in the coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting and constant influence of the Holy Ghost”. Our spiritual, mental, and emotional health are in jeopardy and are constantly susceptible to the evils of our adversary. It’s imperative that we continue to nourish our spiritual health. This is not the time to take a passive position to its cultivation. We need to consistently make it a priority, be steadfast and purposeful with our desire to strengthen our relationship with Him. He will see our effort and will bless us. He asks for progress, not perfection. One small simple act can completely change the trajectory of our entire wellbeing. Trust in God, the God who will bring us out of the wilderness and into a promised land. 

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