‘Hal, I don’t need people to like you. I need you to do my will.’

 

Power through Christlike Living

By Elder Robert C. Gay

Emeritus General Authority Seventy

From a commencement address, “Launch with Power through Christlike Living,” given at Southern Virginia University on April 28, 2023.

As sons and daughters of heavenly parents, we should ask ourselves, “What would God have me do?”...

To become more like Jesus, I invite you to take upon yourselves three foundational principles of Christlike living.

First, live your life by covenant, not convenience....you are likely to find that life will bring challenges that appear unusually difficult or even insurmountable. These can take many forms—from financial or workplace struggles to emotional or physical impairment to family division and collapse. To surmount these obstacles, you will need power from beyond yourself. The question you will need to answer is, Where do I find such power?

While speaking in a devotional to members in a country where its people were burdened with a struggle for jobs and food to eat, President Russell M. Nelson told them: “The Lord Himself has said, ‘My people must be tried in all things’ (Doctrine and Covenants 136:31). … Remain firm in your covenant path … and you will have the strength to face any challenges. … God will protect and care for you.” He later expounded, “The reward for keeping covenants with God is heavenly power.”

There is no individual who does not need power from on high, and such power comes most abundantly from an inward commitment to a life girded to God’s covenant path. Begin with that end in mind, and you will find hidden reservoirs of miracles and power available to you in your most trying hours.

Years ago, I worked as a senior managing partner at one of the world’s leading private equity firms when my wife and I were interviewed by a senior member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He called us to serve as mission leaders for the Church in Africa. We had many things going on in our life at that time. We were involved in some very challenging family dynamics. We were heavily engaged in large humanitarian efforts across the world while also managing a large and rapidly growing global investment business. As we sat there that day with this beloved Apostle and reflected on our personal situation, we both politely said that this was probably not the best time for us to serve a mission.

Without hesitation, this member of the Twelve turned to my wife and said, “Lynette, you are going to make a great missionary and companion to your husband.” He then turned to me and said, “You really don’t get it. The Lord is calling you to save your life. You are either going to live your life by covenant or convenience. There is never a convenient time to serve. This is a matter of faith. You either believe that the Lord will bless your life with the blessings you need, as you do His priorities, or you don’t.”

Those words changed my life. I left my company, went to Africa, and later found all that we had worried about was answered and resolved.

One of the great attacks upon your soul will be the temptation to choose only those parts of covenant living that are within your comfort zone. Yet you cannot choose which commandments to keep and which to omit if you are to have heaven’s full power in your life.

President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, once impressed upon me this very reality. We were discussing a certain policy that the Church had undertaken. It had led to much public criticism of Church leaders. He said to me: “I want people to like me, but when I say my prayers at night, I hear His voice say to me: ‘Hal, I don’t need people to like you. I need you to do my will.’” That is the great charge of covenant living—no matter the situation we find ourselves in, no matter how unpopular, we are to do God’s will. Only as we live our lives by covenant, with full purpose of heart, and not by convenience will we receive His richest blessings, His most enabling power.

Second, rise above indifference, adversity, and contention. Strive to make your life a beacon of light and truth that shines before others around you....

More than ever, in a society that is ever pressing to have us think of others in terms of race, gender, or even vaccination status, ours is a spiritual challenge of not turning away but of building pathways of unity versus contention, of loving our neighbor, of building bridges of community service and in defense of the family....

It has been said, “The unwounded bears no resemblance to the Savior.” Life is about doing good through trials of adversity and scars. As part of a divine plan, each of us is part of a world where good and evil coexist and where we are to deal with and work though opposition in all things (see 2 Nephi 2:11).

I believe adversity will always lead us to a twofold temptation: one will be to cast blame on others—to become a victim—and a second will be to let failure paralyze us into inaction.

Third, bear the burdens of one another....

God will always be at the helm when we minister to His sons and daughters in need....

people are always more important than meetings....

As you strive to live by covenant, not convenience, you will be made to impact all you touch for good. You will receive the needed courage and voice to set aside adversity, to honor and save life, to guard family, and to frame a better and peaceful tomorrow.

God is able to make much more of your life than you can alone. My prayer is that your desire will be to meet the challenge of your day and emerge the child of God you are, being one with Him throughout your life and becoming who God would have you become.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/2024/10/united-states-and-canada-section/03-power-through-christlike-living?lang=eng