While living in a world full of materialistic and increasing secular interests, how can we maintain our spiritual health?
With the advent of social media and the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, more of us are emphasizing our emotional and physical health. However, when I scroll through social media, I find almost nothing that points to improving and maintaining our spiritual health.
I believe that guidance can be found in Elder Dallin H. Oaks’s conference talk “Good, Better, Best,” where he encourages us to think about a choice’s impact on us. He says, “As we consider various choices, we should remember that it is not enough that something is good. Other choices are better, and still others are best. Even though a particular choice is more costly, its far greater value may make it the best choice of all.”
Photo by Fabrizio Conti
Elder Oaks also relates the story from the New Testament of Mary and Martha’s reactions to Jesus Christ visiting them. Jesus Christ praises Mary for listening to his word, even when it was expected of her to help her sister serve guests. In contrast, Martha’s concern about preparing the house for Christ’s visit, although good, can be seen as detrimental to her spiritual health. Martha’s concern for keeping a clean house overshadowed the more “needful” thing—listening to Christ’s teachings.
Although we probably won’t be in the exact same circumstances as Mary and Martha, we also face many choices between good, better, and best. Sometimes we need to work on a Sunday, or read only a few verses of scripture due to scheduling demands. But if we prioritize the need to maintain a good spiritual connection with Jesus Christ, we will be able to make the best choices to preserve our spiritual health. We can prioritize a spiritually uplifting environment by scheduling time to reconnect with our spiritual health, ensuring that we do not lose sight of our most important mission on earth: returning to our Heavenly Father’s presence as a refined son or daughter of God.
Read more in Elder Dallin H. Oaks’ talk “Good, Better, Best” to see what else Elder Oaks has to say about making the best choice.
Source: General Conference
—Hannah L. Hubbard, Latter-Day Saint Insights
FEATURE IMAGE BY LDS MEDIA LIBRARY
Find more insights
Read how to organize time to prioritize spiritual health in “How to Prioritize and Accomplish What Matters Most” by Oakli Van Meter.
Read more about how to progress in your spiritual journey in “Health from Home” written by Lorin Hurley.