Today's Favorite Verse: Job 17:9

Today's Favorite Verse: Job 17:9

"The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger."

I thought of this story given in general conference and the mention of a toy punching bag and how it kept bouncing back up, because it was standing up on the inside and was all in. Before that story is a little explanation of this verse. As we grow in the gospel and become all in, we will become stronger and stronger for what lays ahead.

"As we continually repent and rely upon the Lord, we gain strength as we come full circle in possessing the humility and faith of a little child, enriched with the wisdom borne from a life of experience. Job proclaimed, “The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.” It was Tennyson who wrote, “My strength is as the strength of ten, because my heart is pure.” The Lord has counseled, “Stand ye in holy places, and be not moved.”

Our son Justin passed away at age 19 after fighting a lifelong disease. In a sacrament meeting talk he gave not long before he left us, he shared a story that must have resonated with him about a father and his young son who went into a toy store where there was an inflatable punching bag in the shape of a man. The boy punched the inflatable man, who tipped over and immediately bounced back after every punch. The father asked his young son why the man kept bouncing back up. The boy thought for a minute and then said, “I don’t know. I guess it’s because he’s standing up on the inside.” In order to be “all in,” we need to “stand up inside,” “come what may.” 

We stand up inside when we wait patiently upon the Lord to remove or give us strength to endure our thorns in the flesh. Such thorns may be disease, disability, mental illness, death of a loved one, and so many other issues.

We stand up inside when we lift up the hands that hang down. We stand up inside when we defend the truth against a wicked and secular world that is becoming increasingly more uncomfortable with light, calling evil good and good evil and “condemning the righteous because of their righteousness.”

Standing up inside in spite of difficulties is possible because of a clear conscience, the strengthening and comforting assurance from the Holy Ghost, and an eternal perspective which surpasses mortal understanding. In our premortal life we shouted for joy at the opportunity to experience mortality. We were “all in” as we excitedly made the decision to be valiant defenders of our Heavenly Father’s plan. It is time to stand up and defend His plan again!"

(Elder Gary B. Sabin, "Stand Up Inside and Be All In", Apr 2017 General Conference)

Day 2612