The Equation on How to be Blessed and Happy

Days in Recovery:
3898 days ago

Today has started off well.

I got up early, went to play ball at the church, had a good time there, and then came back, cleaned up, and worked on two steps in Step 3: Fasting & Prayer and Humbling yourself before God.

I feel good about the direction things are going today.

I’m really aware that all I have control over is how I act today.

I realize that it’s important that I focus on my relationship with Heavenly Father before anything else.

Last night B and I had a good talk about service. She told me that one of her worries is that, in the past, when I would help her out, I had a tendency to use that as a weapon to justify my actions. I related to that concern because I sub-consciously did do that.

It came to my mind that there are two different types of service: selfless service – the kind of service the Savior practiced during His life and ministry, and selfish service – the kind Satan wanted to provide by saving us all and then wanting all the credit, recognition, and praise.

Mosiah 2:17 is talking about the selfless service, “…when ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God.”

I like what King Benjamin goes on to say in verse 21:

I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.

I also like what he says in verse 22:

And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.

What I like about that scripture is how simple the gospel of Jesus Christ really is. “If you love me, keep my commandments.”

And finally, in verse 41:

And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it. (bold added for emphasis)

It’s a pretty simple equation: If you want to be blessed and happy, then keep the commandments of God.

I’m grateful for the time I’ve dedicated this morning to work a couple action steps in Step 3 and then write about how I feel.

I know that if I think too far in the future, I begin to get worried that I won’t be able to maintain my recovery. However, I’m also aware that today is the only day I have to worry about. Today is the day I’m willing to submit my will to God, to put my trust in Him, to yield my heart to Him.

If I do this today, then I will be successful and can consider myself “blessed and happy”.

I love my family and want to do what’s right.

Hasta manana!