There are No Consequences

A couple months ago I sat outside in the backyard with my son while my husband worked in the yard.  He started digging up part of the backyard where we are going to plant a garden and I joined him with the rake.  I briefly thought that I should probably wear some work gloves so I wouldn't get blisters on my hands but decided against it.  I didn't want to take the time to find them and would rather just get some of the work done.  I would probably be fine.  Later when I was done I realized that my hands were sore.  I could have saved myself some pain had I just took a minute to grab some gloves!

Aren't we like that sometimes?  Somewhere in the back of our minds we know that there will be negative consequences to some choices we make but we convince ourselves otherwise and choose to ignore it and make our choice anyway.  We think it doesn't apply to us or that we will be just fine.  Pushing family away and not making them important will result in weakened relationships.  Pushing God away and not making Him important will result in a weakened relationship and will place you further away from the Spirit who gently guides us on the correct path and helps us feel peace.  Etc, etc.  Sometimes in our weakness we choose to ignore the consequences of our choices, but the truth and fact is that those consequences will still come.  No matter what I want to happen (not have blistered hands), I will still have sore or blistered hands after working in the yard without gloves.  I will still suffer spiritually if I choose not to pray regularly or live by the teachings of the prophets.

"And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell." (2 Nephi 28:21)

The adversary slinks into the weak areas of our chain link and whispers lies to us.  Somehow he sometimes gets us to think that the consequences don't apply to us, that we can choose whatever we want and we will be just fine.

There are consequences!  There are consequences to every choice we make.  Sometimes they come quickly, sometimes later.  Consequences can be bad, and they can also be good.  As we align our choices with the right goals, the consequences that will inevitably come will not be disappointing but can have the positive effect in our lives that we are hoping for.  Listen carefully and the Spirit will lead you to what is good.

"Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven" (Matthew 5:12)

"For ye shall have great joy and be exceedingly glad, for great shall be your reward in heaven" (3 Nephi 12:12)

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"Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

"And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit"

(2 Nephi 2:27-28)