When we came to earth, the hosts of heaven drew the veil between our eternal home and our new mortal home. Without the knowledge we had once attained of our Heavenly Parents and Savior, we would be able to grow and progress as we feel our way after God and learn to discern His voice. So much of life is based on faith and belief in what we are not permitted to see with natural eyes. That blessing can come once we are completely prepared like previous prophets who had the privilege of seeing the Lord face to face. Until then, we need to keep believing, keep reaching upward, and nurturing our testimonies.
With this earthly experience always before us, it is easy to be caught up in all that the world has to offer. There is so much beauty and refinement but the many influences that draw us away from God damage our spiritual standing before the Lord. President Thomas S. Monson reminded us, “We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”1 If we focus only on what we are doing while we live on this planet, we will miss the grand and glorious promises and blessings of spiritual growth.
The Lord taught us about the importance of remembering our eternal natures in Doctrine and Covenants 29:34-35. “Wherefore, verily I say unto you that all things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal; neither any man, nor the children of men; neither Adam, your father, whom I created. Behold, I gave unto him that he should be an agent unto himself; and I gave unto him commandment, but no temporal commandment gave I unto him, for my commandments are spiritual; they are not natural nor temporal, neither carnal nor sensual.”
Everything that the Lord has given us has been to bring us back into the presence of our Father. Understanding that everything we choose to bring into our lives either draws us toward or takes us away from our God should help us fight the spiritual battles of our day. We can pray and fast for the blessing of discernment or a greater portion of the spirit to recognize how our choices affect whether we are winning or losing those battles.
Hollywood seems to be the modern face of Babylon. There is no reverence for God. Sacred things have become lewd and are flaunted all over the media. The battle that started in heaven when the great serpent made war with Christ has not ended, it has only changed locations. This time, however, we must use faith to fight these battles for our souls. The adversary who once worked in secret is openly fighting against Christ and His principles.
President Nelson asked us to make our homes places of safety and to never stop preparing ourselves. 2 We cannot afford to let down our guard. In these last of the latter days, we will see great opposition that looks like trends, fads, offenses, distress, etc. that are attacks on our moral agency. The adversary persuades us gently and draws us away from Christ little by little. Know that these threats have everything to do with the plan of salvation in action throughout eternity and much less to do with time only. Can we hold out true and faithful? Can we avoid the traps that the adversary has set? Yes, we can. We do that by evaluating every philosophy, every idea, every activity that we participate in. Does it bring light and truth? Does it foster a desire to serve others? Does it bring peace? Is it accompanied by the presence of the Spirit of Christ?
As we strive to truly evaluate what we are spending our time on, we will be alert and aware to the adversary’s attempts to pull us away from the truths which we cherish. We will be able to see clearly as we make decisions to protect ourselves and our families.
- https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/prophets-and-apostles/unto-all-the-world/become-a-light-for-all-to-see?lang=eng
- “Embrace the Future with Faith”, President Russell M. Nelson, October 2020 General Conference, Women’s Session