"Behold, verily I say unto you, that the heart of my servant James Covel was right before me, for he covenanted with me that he would obey my word.
And he received the word with gladness, but straightway Satan tempted him; and the fear of persecution and the cares of the world caused him to reject the word."
Doctrine and Covenants 40:1-2
This seems like something that happens not just to James Covel. We often approach God and feel his spirit and know that he is there. We feel his love and understand the answers to our prayers. And yet, as we are asked in Alma 5:26, "can ye feel so now?" For whatever reason, including fear and the cares of the world as mentioned, we shrink back from that happiness that God offers and walk away.
The last verse in this section says that God will do with James "as seemeth [him] good" (verse 3). I have no idea what happened with him in later life, but I sure hope that he had a chance to repent and he took it, because God doesn't want a poor outcome for our lives any more than we do... and because we probably all have done this same thing to one extent or another, and we need second chances (and many more than that as well sometimes).
Today, let's learn the lesson of James, and let's stick with God. Let's keep our covenants, hear his word, and embrace the chance to repent and change. If we're scared or distracted, then let's feel that and let it go, remembering that life with God is always, always better than life without.
And he received the word with gladness, but straightway Satan tempted him; and the fear of persecution and the cares of the world caused him to reject the word."
Doctrine and Covenants 40:1-2
This seems like something that happens not just to James Covel. We often approach God and feel his spirit and know that he is there. We feel his love and understand the answers to our prayers. And yet, as we are asked in Alma 5:26, "can ye feel so now?" For whatever reason, including fear and the cares of the world as mentioned, we shrink back from that happiness that God offers and walk away.
The last verse in this section says that God will do with James "as seemeth [him] good" (verse 3). I have no idea what happened with him in later life, but I sure hope that he had a chance to repent and he took it, because God doesn't want a poor outcome for our lives any more than we do... and because we probably all have done this same thing to one extent or another, and we need second chances (and many more than that as well sometimes).
Today, let's learn the lesson of James, and let's stick with God. Let's keep our covenants, hear his word, and embrace the chance to repent and change. If we're scared or distracted, then let's feel that and let it go, remembering that life with God is always, always better than life without.
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