During some time in my life, I had the perspective that there was the possibility I may need to defy God’s plan for me to fulfill my dreams. As illogical as it sounds, I thought of being a sort of Jonah with the advantage of not being a prophet and, therefore, more chances of passing unnoticed.
However, during this week’s readings, some questions struck my mind and made me realize my mistake.
If I had access to a mentor who knows my potential perfectly, wouldn’t I take his advice? Or even better, if I have access to a mentor who knows my potential and the future and loves me as a perfect father. Would I reject his advice?
Also, didn’t God give me my ambitious personality or live situations that shaped it for a reason? Maybe that reason is to achieve greatness and riches.
Why wouldn’t God want you to be wealthy, successful, and happy?
The only reason that crosses my mind for God to stop you from achieving wealth is that you would use it to harm others. The only reason that crosses my mind for God to stop you from being “your definition of successful” is that you deserve better. And lastly, there is no reason for him to want you to be unhappy.
Based on this, we can say that it is not about who wants what or who gives what. Prosperity in all aspects of life is the simple result of the sort of person you are. Become the type of person with the skill set to amass wealth and use it for good causes. Become someone capable of excelling in all areas of their life and reaching complete happiness.
If you are this kind of person, why wouldn’t God approve you to hold more wealth and success?
Another benefit of knowing this is that you will stop waiting and start acting to improve yourself. Progressively, new opportunities will arrive. Some will come because God is giving you a little push, and others as a natural consequence of your conscious or unconscious actions.
Work on yourself, improve yourself, develop the right character traits, and all will fit in place. In other words, control what you can, and the rest will happen.
Some things you can control are your values, ethics, and principles.
The beginning of values: Integrity
What’s integrity?
Integrity is the foundational virtue upon which all other virtues are dependent. Integrity is a virtue that defines your relationship with God. Every true follower of God needs to possess it in increasing degrees.
Integrity is also a requisite for a leader. Someone without integrity can’t be trusted. Someone who can’t be trusted can’t be a leader
Integrity is more than honesty. It’s being true to yourself by knowing who you are and who you are becoming. It’s also being true to others by keeping your word and doing what you said you would do. And lastly, be true to God by practicing what you preach and keeping the covenants you made.
The seven to-do’s to develop integrity:
- Decide to be a trustworthy person. Aim to be someone whose motives, judgment, and honesty can be trusted in any environment or situation.
- Have faith and diligently seek the Lord’s help. Have faith that He can and will help you.
- Make covenants and keep them. It includes your covenants with God and with others. Evaluate if you are being truthful to all the covenants you made, including the ones you made with yourself.
- Stand up for what you believe. Relish every opportunity to stand for the truth or the right without being showy, loud, critical, or judgeful.
- Expect your integrity to be challenged. You only know what you believe in when your beliefs are tested. Every time you make a tough but righteous choice, you fortify your integrity.
- Don’t give up. Apply daily repentance and precise obedience. That will increase your integrity.
- Covenant or renew your covenant with your Heavenly Father to do what you came here to do. Doing what you agreed to do in the premortal life is the ultimate expression of your integrity. However, remember that you don’t need to complete your mission alone.
A challenge to develop integrity
For 30 days, ask yourself if you used integrity in everything you did today. Look for any weak spots you may have noticed. Be honest with yourself about past dishonesties. Evaluate if doing this made a difference in what you said, how you spent your time and money, what decisions you made, and what you repented of. Also, pay attention to how you feel about yourself and your life.