photo by Daniel Leone
The temptation to get comfortable is one of the most dangerous threats to members of the Church.
Christ taught the Pharisees that the greatest commandment is “thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:37). We won’t be able to fulfill this commandment, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland warns, if we get trapped in a comfort zone in our lives.
In Elder Holland’s talk “The First Great Commandment,” from the October 2012 general conference, he explains that after Christ was crucified, Peter probably said something like the following to the other apostles: “I don’t know more to tell you than to return to your former life, rejoicing.” Although their time with Christ was miraculous, once he was gone, the apostles returned to the things that were most comfortable to them.
Later, as the apostles were fishing, Christ appeared on the shore and asked Peter, “Lovest thou me?” (John 21:15–17). Peter assured Christ that the answer was yes, causing Christ to ask, in Elder Holland’s words, “Then Peter, why are you here? . . . I need someone who loves me, truly, truly loves me, and loves what our Father in Heaven has commissioned me to do.” Peter needed to leave his comfort zone of fishing to continue performing Christ’s work.
After recounting this story, Elder Holland declares: “We have a life of devoted discipleship to give in demonstrating our love of the Lord. We can’t quit and we can’t go back.” We can’t get comfortable when there is still work to be done. The first and greatest commandment is to love the Lord, and to keep that commandment we can’t allow ourselves to stay within our comfort zone. One day when we stand before Christ and testify of our love for him, “He may remind us that the crowning characteristic of love is always loyalty.” Though we may be tempted to fall back into old habits, we should remember that the Lord needs true disciples, who continue to move forward and toward him.
Read the rest of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s talk, “The First Great Commandment,” for more insight on demonstrating our love for Heavenly Father.
Source: LDS General Conference
—Jodie Jensen, Mormon Insights contributor
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Find more insights
Learn more about the importance of a testimony of Christ by reading Sister Bonny L. Oscarson’s talk “Do I Believe?”
Watch or read Elder Neil L. Anderson’s talk “Never Leave Him” for tips on remaining true to Christ.