Circle Up

 



One of Satan’s favorite tools is discouragement.  


And it is super effective.  


If we can look around and feel like there is no

hope and no point in trying; that the world is too far gone so why bother, than he doesn’t have to worry about us doing good.


In Alma 35 we find Alma discovering that the people have returned to wickedness and sin.  


Verse 15: 

“Now Alma, being grieved for the iniquity of his people, yea for the wars, and the bloodsheds, and the contentions which were among them; and having been to declare the word, or sent to declare the word, among all the people in every city; and seeing that the hearts of the people began to wax hard, and that they began to be offended because of the strictness of the word, his heart was exceedingly sorrowful”


Contention. Violence.  “The gospel is too strict, too hard”.  “I don’t care.”  Hard hearts.  Offended.


Sounds a lot like today, doesn’t it?


So what does he do?


Verse 16: “Therefore, he caused that his sons should be gathered together, that he might give unto them every one his charge, separately, concerning the things pertaining unto righteousness.”


He gathered his children and taught them what they should do in righteousness.


He shared the Gospel and their duties.


He focused on what he COULD do and those in his charge.


That is a habit and response I want to build.  


When I see what isn’t going well, I am going to

teach those in my charge (my students, my children, my friends, MYSELF!!) a gospel truth and act on it.  


Worry more about what you CAN teach in your own circle than about the things you CAN’T control outside of it.

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