The Nephites exhibit a trait common to so many of us from time to time in our daily lives: we forget the goodness of God and fail to honor our covenants with full devotion. In this we offend God most grievously (see D&C 59:21). Whenever we are sufficient in all things—prosperity, peace, apparent well-being, and being at ease—we tend to forget the Giver of all things. Never let it be said that we are guilty of so great a spiritual crime. When in the midst of the blessings of heaven, that is when we should be the most grateful.
We are mercurial beings at the best—up and down; exercising faith and then being full of doubt; peaceful at times yet easily provoked; praising others and then sometimes showing a tendency to gossip; having standards, yet vacillating in the practice of them; doing our duty and then forgetting due to a failure to plan and prioritize our life; being strict in obedience to the commandments and then ignoring those we set aside, supposing we know of ourselves; being strong in living the gospel—until peer pressure makes us succumb; and the list goes on (see also Helaman 12:4–6).
We are figuratively less than the dust of the earth because we are so disobedient, while the dust moves according to the will of God (see Helaman 12:7–8; Abraham 4:9–12, 18, 21). Why are we so unsteady? Why do we forget God? Why do we fail to put our trust in God? Nephi spoke of “the sins which do so easily beset me” (2 Nephi 4:18). Why is this the case for us as well? Surely this becomes the test of life—to prove ourselves and to show whether or not we can keep the commandments (see Abraham 3:25). It seems at the very time we are prospering we tend to forget God due to “the easiness of the way” (Alma 37:46) and our great prosperity.
The only way to remember and do the will of God, staying on the strait and narrow way, is by hearkening to the word of God, lest we must be chastened and humbled by other means. The key is staying in a humble state, where we not only recognize our relationship to God but are totally dependent upon Him for all things, even our very breath ( see Mosiah 2:21). We should yearn to please God (see Hebrews 11:6) and put our trust in Him (see 2 Nephi 4:19, 34; Mosiah 7:19; 23:22; Alma 61:13; Helaman 12:1). The words of Elder Dallin H. Oaks help us in this challenge. He said:
How, then, do we prevent our strengths from becoming our downfall? The quality we must cultivate is humility. Humility is the great protector. Humility is the antidote against pride. Humility is the catalyst for all learning, especially spiritual things. Through the prophet Moroni, the Lord gave us this great insight into the role of humility: “I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them” (Ether 12:27). (“Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall,” Ensign, Oct. 1994, 11).
President Spencer W. Kimball taught:
How does one get humble? To me, one must constantly be reminded of his dependence. On whom dependent? On the Lord. How remind oneself? By real, constant, worshipful, grateful prayer… .
Humility is teachableness—an ability to realize that all virtues and abilities are not concentrated in oneself… .
Humility is gracious, quiet, serene—not pompous, spectacular, nor histrionic. It is subdued, kindly, and understanding—not crude, blatant, loud, or ugly… . It never struts nor swaggers. Its faithful, quiet works will be the badge of its own accomplishments. It never sets itself in the center of the stage, leaving all others in supporting roles. Humility is never accusing nor contentious. It is not boastful.
When one becomes conscious of his great humility, he has already lost it. When one begins boasting of his humility, it has already become pride—the antithesis of humility.
Humility is repentant and seeks not to justify its follies. It is forgiving others in the realization that there may be errors of the same kind or worse chalked up against itself… .
It is not self-abasement—the hiding in the corner, the devaluation of everything one does or thinks or says; but it is the doing of one’s best in every case and leaving of one’s acts, expressions, and accomplishments to largely speak for themselves. (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1982], 232–233)