Why should you submit to God?
God’s blessings come through seeking his purpose.2 The Lord’s purpose is the transcendent commandment, binding together one’s conscience, one’s understanding of his law, and the examples he has given3 under a desire uniquely focused on him.4
The more you serve God, the more you will come to know him. It is impossible to serve God without submitting to him.5 It is through diligent service to God that we become his friends,6 and eventually, his sons. The closer we become to God, the more he will reveal to us about ourselves, others, himself, and the rest of creation. Every increment of knowledge empowers us to serve him more effectively, as all power comes through faith in God.
God’s power is found in his purpose. Those who adopt the purpose of the Lord will encounter the power of the Lord7 to the extent that they accurately seek, understand, and execute his will.8
The more accurate your understanding of God’s will9 and the more fully you submit to it,10 the more of his blessings you will encounter. God’s blessings are not arbitrary, and they don't come from an arbitrary set of actions. The blessings that God enjoys are the natural consequence of how he is. The blessings he enjoys come from his character, and we receive them to the extent that we become like him.11 The more like Jesus we become, the more we will inherit every good thing that Jesus possesses.
The more we seek and submit to God’s will in all things, the closer we draw to him.12 He promises that the faithful will abide in and with him, entailing a host of blessings ranging from his literal presence to the qualities that attend it (peace,13 power, understanding,14 joy). Those who adopt the Lord’s purpose will join him in progressing towards the greatest outcomes. Anyone doing anything different will necessarily experience something lesser—often significantly so.
The gospel of Jesus Christ provides the path to find, adopt, obtain, and fulfill the optimal purpose. God, knowing all things, has already discovered and adopted the purpose that optimizes for the greatest eternal outcomes. There is no other way than the Lord’s way. There is no alternative path with the same or better outcomes.
The Lord’s purpose is the only one that endures eternally. It is a unique solution to the puzzle of eternal meaning. Christ is the triumph over the tragedy of life. Unconditional preference for the Lord’s desires in your life will establish you on a sure foundation625 strong enough to weather the unwelcome and inevitable disappointments that will overwhelm any lesser aim in life.626 Only in the purpose of Jesus can you find meaning that overcomes the torment of life.
Footnotes
- 1. For behold, God hath said a man being evil cannot do that which is good; for if he offereth a gift, or prayeth unto God, except he shall do it with real intent it profiteth him nothing. (Moroni 7:6) ↩
- 2. Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured. (Proverbs 27:18) ↩
- 3. The Lord's examples include all of creation, but certainly his life and teachings, as well as the teachings of his servants. ↩
- 4. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. (Psalm 119:1-3) ↩
- 5. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:21-23) ↩
- 6. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. (John 15:15) ↩
- 7. 4-5 He who makes the righteous king’s purpose his own will encounters the blessings of a king, no matter his station. Power is found in the words, actions, and nature of a righteous king.... (Ecclesiastes 8, Author’s Reflection) ↩
- 8. Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments. And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will. Behold, thou art Nephi, and I am God. Behold, I declare it unto thee in the presence of mine angels, that ye shall have power over this people, and shall smite the earth with famine, and with pestilence, and destruction, according to the wickedness of this people. Behold, I give unto you power, that whatsoever ye shall seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven; and thus shall ye have power among this people. (Helaman 10:4-7) ↩
- 9. ...Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. (John 16:23) ↩
- 10. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. (Luke 12:37) ↩
- 11. The father in the parable of the Prodigal Son told his faithful son: “Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.” (Luke 15:31) ↩
- 12. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. (John 12:26) Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen. (Moroni 7:48) ↩
- 13. We know that God arranges all things to work in synergy for the benefit of those who love him, which are those who align themselves to his purpose by following his example in all things. (Romans 8:28, Author’s Reflection) ↩
- 14. They that put their trust in him shall understand the truth: and such as be faithful in love shall abide with him: for grace and mercy is to his saints, and he hath care for his elect. (Wisdom of Solomon 3:9) ↩