Casual Shepherd

In the Saturday Afternoon Session of the April 2018 General Conference, Elder Taniela B. Wakolo of the Seventy gave a talk titled "Saving Ordinances Will Bring Us Marvelous Light" in which he shared the following passage:

The many distractions and temptations of life are like “ravening wolves” (Matthew 7:15). It is the true shepherd who will prepare, protect, and warn the sheep and the flock when these wolves are approaching (see John 10:11–12). As undershepherds who seek to emulate the perfect life of the Good Shepherd, aren’t we shepherds of our own soul as well as of others? With the counsel of prophets, seers, and revelators, whom we just sustained, and with the power and gift of the Holy Ghost, we can see the wolves coming if we are watchful and prepared. In contrast, when we are casual shepherds of our own soul and others’ souls, casualties are likely. Casualness leads to casualties. I invite each of us to be a faithful shepherd.

This paragraph struck a chord with me. More than one, in fact. I, far too often, fall prey to the "distractions and temptations of life," largely because I am one of the "casual shepherds" Elder Wakolo warned us not to be. I sometimes let my heart and mind wander too far afield, when what I should do is guide my thoughts and desires toward God.

This, of course, takes constant effort, which is why I regularly fail to do it. I am far too casual in my governance over my heart and soul. Were I a mere steward of those things, I wouldn't be surprised or unfairly treated if that stewardship were revoked.

But I am more than a steward. I am the owner, guardian, and master of my soul, and it is ultimately my responsibility to protect my soul from spiritual harm. I need to take that responsibility more seriously. I often pray for God to help me resist temptation, but perhaps I ought to adjust my wording slightly. Perhaps, instead of asking for God's help, I should ask for enough strength to resist temptation on my own.

The difference is slight. In fact, it's so slight, I almost put "on my own" in quotation marks. Whether I ask for help or strength, the blessing mostly amounts to the same thing. God often helps people by granting them the strength to help themselves. Receiving extra strength is just one of the many ways to receive help.

However, while slight, the difference is significant because asking for help indicates a certain amount of reliance on God, while asking for strength puts the responsibility back on my shoulders. God may grant me the strength to resist temptation, but then it still falls to me to actually do so.

Additionally, the boon of strength may be granted more gradually and more permanently. If I ask for help, God may help me many times, but I doubt that He will continue to help me in that way for all eternity. He likely expects me to learn how to do this on my own. Thus, He might, over time, help me develop the inner strength to resist temptation on my own, without the constant need of additional assistance.

But however God helps me guard my soul, I need to make sure that I'm doing my part. I am my own soul's last line of defense, and I am the one who stands the most to lose if I don't guard it well, so I can't afford to let my guard down. I am the shepherd who must keep the "ravening wolves" from consuming my soul, and while that is a duty I currently share with God, that won't be true forever. I have to learn how to defend my soul on my own. This is a great responsibility, perhaps too great for me to currently bear alone, but even as I seek God's help with this responsibility, I can't afford to treat it casually.