Digital Only: Young Adults
The Danger of Small Deviations
Spiritual carelessness can slowly steer us away from the covenant path.
One late night I was going home by bus. I was tired, but the bus driver was attentive and awake. Then I noticed how treacherous some of the roads were. There was no shoulder, just the opposite lane on one side and a huge cliff on the other. Any deviation from the road could cause either a serious accident with oncoming traffic or a tragic plummet off the cliff.
I noticed that the driver never went out of the highway lines—never once veering to the potential harm of either side. I started to think about how much our lives are like this situation.
Temptations can, at times, surround us from all sides as we travel through life on the covenant path and move toward our eternal destination. And just as the bus driver needed to stay in his lane to get us safely to our destination, we need to stay in the lines of the gospel that protect us from spiritual tragedy on our journey.
Sister Rebecca L. Craven, former Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency, taught: “We … are on a track, a covenant path we committed to when we were baptized as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Although we may encounter occasional obstacles along the way, this path will keep us moving toward our prized eternal destiny if we stay firmly on it.”1
The Risk of Becoming Casual or Careless
Some mistakenly believe that small deviations from the covenant path are not a big deal and don’t lead to significant consequences. However, this is not true. This mindset is exactly what Satan wants us to believe—that stepping across the lines and into the path of oncoming danger (even just once) won’t harm us.
However, as President Dieter F. Uchtdorf warned when he was the Second Counselor in the First Presidency, “Through years of serving the Lord and in countless interviews, I have learned that the difference between happiness and misery in individuals, in marriages, and families often comes down to an error of only a few degrees.”2
Of course, because of our Savior Jesus Christ, we can always turn to Him and repent and make a course correction when we make mistakes—because we are all imperfect. But striving to stand in holy places means that we value that gift of repentance and are learning from our mistakes. Because of the distractions and voices of the world, if we are not constantly inviting the Spirit into our lives, we are at risk of becoming casual or careless in our discipleship and making small deviations from the covenant path.
Sister Craven shared a perspective on this when she said:
“The world is laden with distractions that can deceive even the elect … If we are not careful in living our covenants with exactness, our careless efforts may eventually lead us into forbidden paths or to join with those who have already entered the great and spacious building. …
“… We can rationalize all we want, but the fact is, there is not a right way to do the wrong thing!”3
Staying with Christ
My bus driver knew that diverting from his lane could have harmful outcomes, and because of that, he would not deviate from his path. Having a similar mindset about worldly temptations and distractions can help us to avoid situations that could put ourselves or others in spiritual jeopardy.
In the Old Testament, the people of Israel were committed to doing whatever the Lord commanded after being saved from Pharaoh’s armies (see Exodus 24:3, 7). Unfortunately, after Moses went to the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments, the Israelites quickly forgot the Lord and began worshipping the golden calf they had made (see Exodus 32:7–8).
Just like the people of Israel, veering off the covenant path can happen quickly if we aren’t careful. It’s important to ask ourselves how committed we are to doing what Jesus Christ has asked. Maybe this includes considering if we are making time for Him and Heavenly Father every day. Or reviewing what habits or distractions we can let go of. Checking in with ourselves and how committed and willing we are to stay on the covenant path can help us stand firm.
Sometimes, like Nephi, we do not always understand the why behind all Heavenly Father asks us to do (see 1 Nephi 11:17). However, we can trust that He loves us and wants us to stay on the covenant path so we can return to Him. He knows the end from the beginning, which means we can exercise and hold on to faith that He knows what is best for us, even when we are faced with temptations.
If we show Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ our commitment through following Their commandments and prophets, trusting Them, and inviting the Spirit into our lives each day, we can continue confidently and safely along the covenant path to our eternal destination.