Part of me has been doing the reverse my whole life and wants to justify that it can totally work the backwards way.
Haven’t I had experiences where I have been doing the commandments and experienced the love of God? Absolutely.
When I was 21 years old I decided to serve a mission for my church. I’ll be honest. That choice was out of duty and not desire. I felt God tell me I needed to serve a mission and so I obeyed. My biggest fear in serving was actually my ability to love the people. When I say I have struggled to love, I’m being very honest. Every returned missionary I had ever heard speak of their missionary experiences, spoke about how much they loved the people. I felt loving people was a requirement of being a good missionary, and yet I frantically thought to myself, “Goodness. I don’t even love people here at home. People often irritate and annoy me. How in the world am I going to change my heart and my personality?”
As such, it was a profound moment for me on my very first week in the Missionary Training Center, when Chieko Okasaki spoke to missionaries directly about love.
She told us, “Charity can work from the inside out and the outside in.”
“Charity can work from the inside out and the outside in.”
This became my personal mantra.
I didn’t believe I had any charity on my inside. So I put faith in the idea that I could work from the outside in. I could do the external things and the doing would manage to work its way into my heart.
It can work both ways. But I have learned that one way is faster than the other and far more sustainable and effective. It’s working from the order Jesus taught.
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.” -Mark 12:30
I believe he’s teaching us here how to work from the inside out. Heart, soul, mind, and strength line up exactly with the spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical parts of who we are. It’s literally working from the inside out. He puts this in order. Whenever God orders something, I have learned to pay attention.
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.” -Mark 12:30
Have you ever paused to wonder how in the world you actually do this? How do you love God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength? When you’re in a Law of Moses mindset, you hear this scripture and apply it to the doing. I will love God by doing all the things and put my whole heart, soul, mind, and strength into the doing.
Work from the inside out.
Focus on the being and the doing will be easier.
Focus on the being and the doing will be easier.
Focus on the being and the doing will be easier.
See it.
Say it.
Feel it.
Do it.
Become it.
Did you notice the order there? It’s working from inside out, friends.
You are a creator. Now go create something great.
