As I look back along life's path through a casual lens I observe the occasional change in my own attitudes and behaviors. Some changes have been for the better, and some for the worse. Some have lead me closer to God, others have lead away from him. But as I examine those pivotal moments of change through a magnifying glass, I observe that they were always brought about by my own choice and were always accompanied by a subtle shifting of my heart. As I magnify my lens one more time and began to analyze this shifting of my heart, what I found there has changed the way I think, live, and behave.
The observation and explanation for change is based on the words resist and yield. These dichotomous words (or their synonyms) appear frequently in the scriptures and have a unique and powerful relationship. They function much like a magnet, where negative will never attract negative, nor positive to positive, but positive and negative will always attract until the end of time. Likewise, righteousness cannot be resisted and yielded to at the same time, yet both forces work together at the same time. Someone striving toward righteousness will resist evil and yield to righteousness. Someone striving toward wickedness will yield to it while resisting righteousness. Joseph of Egypt resisted evil and yielded to the Holy Ghost; King David resisted the Holy Ghost and yielded to his passions. Jesus taught this principle in terms of obedience when he said "No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon" (Luke 16:13). So it is in this word relationship: you can't resist and yield the same thing at the same time.
As the power of resistance and yielding work within us they take their collective toll on our hearts, whether for good or for bad. Resisting good and yielding to evil leads to a closed and hardened heart. Resisting evil and yielding to good produces openness, softening, and healing.
King Benjamin's ministry referred to these two powers when he said: "the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ..."(see Mosiah 3:19) Therefore, the power of yielding to the Holy Spirit is employed while putting off, or resisting, the natural man. When exercised toward positive ends, the two characteristics comprise an interesting formula for achieving righteousness, or the sanctification spoken of.
As I apply King Benjamin's council to my life in retrospect, I notice at those moments when I shifted toward righteousness it came by yielding to some positive influence. At those same times it can also be seen that there was often a sort of resistance to some particular evil. Spiritual shifting is therefore brought about by yielding, and those points along the path in between movement are fueled by the power of resistance.
Book of Mormon Prophet, Jacob, described this moving condition of the heart using the metaphor of shaking. After being approached by the antichrist, Sherem, he said, "And he had hope to shake me from the faith, notwithstanding the many revelations and the many things which I had seen concerning these things; for I truly had seen angels, and they had ministered unto me. And also, I had heard the voice of the Lord speaking unto me in very word, from time to time; wherefore, I could not be shaken"( Jacob 7:5). Jacob's resistance to evil meant his spiritual position could not be moved.
When I was very young, I had a constant nature. As I aged and entered my teenage years, I became anything but constant. Then in more recent years I feel like I have achieved constancy once again. The Savior Jesus Christ is the most constant figure who has ever lived. The scriptures teach us that he progressed from grace to grace (see D&C 93:12; John 1:16).
Apart from him, the most constant people I know are elderly. Constancy, when combined with righteousness or when aligned with God's laws, results in truly angelic beings living among us - such as my Grandma Phyllis. When I am around her I feel like heaven is close and every time I leave her presence I find myself thinking what an angel she is. There is never any question as to how she would act in any situation; in short, she is constant.
My father had similar love and respect toward his grandmother, Ernestine. He often tells a story of a time when he suspected that, being the righteous woman he knew she was, she must surely have seen heaven, or knew something more than most mortals knew of the afterlife. One day he gathered up his courage and asked her if she had ever wondered what heaven was like, expecting her to reveal something of her grand revelations. She then took his hands in hers and looked him in the eyes. Her reply, though not the answer he was expecting, left an impact that causes him to swell with emotion to this day when he shares the experience: "I don't have to wonder, I'm living in it right now." I didn't know grandma Ernestine, but I know that such a response is an indication of a person who has put off the natural man (resisted evil), and yielded to the Holy Ghost, and become a saint through the atonement of Christ. Such people are not able to be shaken.
Another scriptural expression describes resistance as, firm, steadfast, and immovable" (See 1 Ne. 2:10; Alma 1:25; Mosiah 5:15; 3 Ne. 6:14). In this state of resistance to wickedness, yielding to evil is not possible, as constancy is the way of life. Put another way, firm and steadfast individuals live in a constant state of resistance to evil and are always yielding to righteousness.
Resistance is stability, yielding is movement. Both can be employed for righteousness or wickedness. When one is strong, the other is weak, and vice versa. When resistance is weakened, yielding can more readily be initiated and become what is often referred to as a make or break moment. Often times yielding to something reverses prior thinking and new resistance emerges; even resistance to the thing that was cherished and defended before. The effects of our resistance or yielding culminate into the collective spiritual direction we travel, and on which paths. Our destination will be one of two outcomes explained by Alma as "endless happiness to inherit the kingdom of God, or to endless misery to inherit the kingdom of the devil…" (See Alma 41:4). The qualities and relationships of resistance and yielding can be better understood by elaborating each characteristic deeper and individually.
RESISTANCE
Resistance by definition means to withstand the action or effect of (Oxford Dictionary). The Hebrew word for resist leaves no doubts about its origin. The English transliteration is, Sâá¹an, and means to attack, accuse, or to be an adversary. This word is almost exactly the same form as the word for the personage of the devil, which is expressed as in Sâá¹Ã¢n. (New Strong's Concordance). Both Hebrew words have their origin in Lucifer, the founder and author of resistance. Even resistance to wickedness, a righteous pursuit, would likely not have been necessary were it not for Lucifer's introduction of resistance into the plan of salvation. Lucifer's rebellion to the Father, Jesus Christ, and agency, earned him the title of The Adversary, which in common terminology means opponent, foe, or enemy. A common characteristic among foes, enemies, and adversaries is the spirit of resistance. Such words often accompany war. Where any war ever occurred, there was resistance on at least one side of the battle and possibly both. This includes the great spiritual premortal war, and any earthly war that has since occurred. The devil is the author of them all, as he is the author of resistance.
Resistance is one of the defining characteristics of states of opposition, such as the world we live in now. We know this because it was taught by Lehi to his son, when he said "For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my firstborn in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad" (See 2 Ne. 2: 11). Naturally then, no resistance exists in states that are opposite to states of opposition. A better word for this condition might be harmony, or perhaps unity? Such places and times exist in the scriptures, and act as instruction manuals on how to achieve such harmonious states.
Elder Nelson used another word for these harmonious conditions in his 1993 Conference address, Constancy amid Change. Speaking of Adam and Eve and the Garden he said, "In that state of innocence, they were not yet mortal. They could have had no children, were not subject to death, and could have lived in Eden's garden forever. Thus we might speak of the Creation in terms of a paradisiacal creation". Speaking about the earth in a future state, this word also appears in the tenth Article of Faith, which states in part, "and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory" (Articles of Faith #10, LDS Scriptures). Whatever the exact opposite condition of opposition is, among the words are paradise, unity, harmony, and Zion.
Though precious little is known of it, I suppose early in the premortal existence before the rebellion of Lucifer, harmony and unity existed without resistance. The Garden of Eden seems to have been an inherently harmonious and paradisiacal condition. The only evidence of opposition there was found in the tree of knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life. The city of Enoch certainly experienced unity, as its citizens were of one heart and one mind (see Moses 7:18). Their unity resulted in the translation of the entire city. The saints in the days of Paul, and the ancient inhabitants of the America's following the Savior's visitation both lived in such unity. Learning the common characteristics of the members of those harmonious conditions could be beneficial in modern times toward the end of creating peaceful existences in our lives today.
Wicked or righteous forms of resistance share the common element of strengthening. Strengthening, may be the best way to express it in the positive light, but when expressed in the negative context, resistance goes by the common Hebrew based expressions and idioms of being hard hearted and stiff-necked. There is a perfect and constant relationship between the amount of resistance applied in a particular endeavor and the results on the strength, or hardening that takes place in the heart.
This lesson is well observed in physical fitness where resistance is a vital component to strength training. Without resistance, there would be no strengthening. Lifting a moderate amount of weight does not produce the same muscle mass as lifting a challenging amount of weight. Furthermore, strength can also be achieved through repetition. This is true in the spiritual sense as well. As repeated resistance of righteousness continues, the spiritual muscles in that particular area become strengthened to the point of resisting righteousness with ease. Similarly, as resistance to a particular evil is continued through repetition and intensity, it becomes easier to repel that thing.
Scriptural passages referencing hard heartedness and stiff-neckedness frequently describe the gradual process of the hardening that takes place from resisting righteousness. These verses often use metaphoric language of cords or chains binding the hardened and spiritually resistant individual. These expressions are common in the Book of Mormon. One example comes from Alma's ministry. He spoke of those who "harden not their hearts and receive the greater portion of the word", while those who harden their hearts "receive the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning God's mysteries: and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led by his will down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by the chains of hell" (see Alma 12:25).
The New Testament has its examples of hardening as well. Just before Stephen was stoned he chastised the people as he compared them to the hardened Israelites in the day of Moses when he said "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye" (Acts 7:51).
I know similar people who resist righteousness and yield to sin, who not long ago were living in just the opposite framework. It has the tendency to seem illogical. Paul described this type of mindset as those who have their "understanding darkened, [are] alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in [them], because of the blindness of [their] heart[s]" (see Ephesians 4:18). The number of scriptures relating to blindness of mind, or blindness of heart is startling (see Deut. 28:28; Jarom 1:3; Isaiah 42:20; 2 Romans 11:25; Ephesians 4:18; 1 Ne. 7:8; 1 Ne. 12:17; 1 Ne. 13:27; 1 Ne. 14:7; 1 Ne. 15:24; 1 Ne. 17:30; 2 Ne. 9:32; 2 Ne. 27:29; Jacob 4:14; Jarom 1:3; Mosiah 3:5; Mosiah 11:29). Many of these refer to blindness as a condition purposefully imposed by the devil on his subjects, strongly suggesting that blindness of heart is a condition Lucifer lusts after in our lives. Surely once we arrive at such a state of resistance to righteousness, he can lead us to yield to any of his age old temptations, or his new ones for that matter.
Spiritual resistance of righteousness is dangerous because of its potential to deter us from the ultimate goal of living as a united family in God's presence. The spiritually darkened position of being wrapped up in chains in spiritual resistance was described by Paul as damnation. Warning the saints against resistance to priesthood leadership he counseled, "Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation" (Romans 13:2). Just as a dam stops or slows the progression of water in its natural course to its ultimate destination, so spiritual resistance to righteousness hinders the progression of our spirits on their journey back to God's presence.
Resistance to righteousness is particularly dangerous when such resistance follows periods of deep conviction and righteousness, and covenant making. It is heartbreaking any time someone loses faith, but it is more painful when someone who once embraced it along with covenant making, resists and renounces it. Alma recognized this condition in the priests of King Noah, as well as the Amalekites and Ammulonites who practiced the manmade religion of Nehor after practicing the true faith. He said, "after a people have been once enlightened by the Spirit of God, and have had a great knowledge of things pertaining to righteousness, and then have fallen away into sin and transgression, they become more hardened, and thus their state becomes worse than though they had never known these things." (see Alma 25).
To those who have made the oath and covenant of the priesthood, the Lord warned "But whoso breaketh this covenant after he hath received it, and altogether turneth therefrom, shall not have forgiveness of sins in this world nor in the world to come" (D&C 84:41). No wonder my heart breaks when loved ones forsake their faith. My consolation comes from trusting only the Lord can know their hearts, and that point of 'altogether turning therefrom'.
A slightly different context of resistance was mentioned in the New Testament. In his sermon on the mount, the Savior issued the command to resist not evil, and followed that command with the examples of walking two miles when compelled to go one; being smitten on the cheek; giving the cloak when sued at the law; and lending to someone wanting to borrow. Something about the Savior's doctrine to resist not evil sounds incomplete to my English hearing ears. However, the Greek understanding of the word evil from this passage has helped illuminate my understanding of the doctrine I believe he intended to express.
There are at least twelve Greek words related to the word evil, including various word forms, each with their own subtly differing contexts. The transliteration of the Greek word for evil in this verse is poneros, and means hurtful in effect or influence (New Strong's Concordance pg 73 Greek #4190). This word use is different from the more common form, kakos (New Strong's Concordance pg 45 Greek #2446), meaning to be intrinsically injurious, bad, harmful, or wicked, as opposed to the effects of such things in the former context. Therefore, the Savior's admonition to resist not evil is counsel to not resist unpleasant or hurtful effects of evil in our lives; His counsel does not advise tolerance for things that are intrinsically wicked. Perhaps he was suggesting that yielding to the unpleasant effects that come from evil leads to strengthening of the spirit.
YIELDING
The word yield has multiple meanings. Most forms of yielding in the scriptures are used in an agricultural connotation. One form is represented by the Hebrew word nâthan (naw-than'), which is used in a wide variety of applications, but primarily means to bring forth (New Strong's Concordance pg 97 Hebrew #5414). This would be the form used during the harvest season.
Another context is found in the right of way given in transportation systems. Those who do not have the right of way are required to yield to those that do. This context is often used in reference to yielding to God, for example, and implies that we should put his will before our own. This context in Hebrew fits the word yâd (yawd), which means the open one. It has an interesting connotation of power, and the hand (New Strong's Concordance pg 53 Hebrew #3027), or in English terms could have a very similar meaning to the common expression of having the upper hand. The power aspect then signifies the one with the right of way in the traffic example, or God having the right of way in the scriptural example.
As the resistance spoken of previously causes hardened and closed hearts, yielding then produces softened and opened hearts. Like a newly tilled garden, openness is a preparatory condition for receiving seeds that will hopefully yield fruit. The Savior's parable of the sower provides good insight into resistance, but also includes some of the contexts of yielding spoken of. He described four types of ground that a seed could fall upon, and the interaction of the seed with the ground. James E. Faust summarized the four ground conditions as following: “The seed that “fell by the way side” represents those who hear the word of God but do not understand it and fall into the clutches of Satan. The second seed, which “fell upon stony places,” describes those who joyfully hear the word and thrive as long as all goes well. But when trials come and they feel peer pressure because of their beliefs, they are offended and do not endure. The third seed, which “fell among thorns,” represents those who hear the word, but worldliness and riches are more important to them, and they fall away from the truth. The last seed, however, which “fell into good ground,” represents those who hear the word, understand it, live it, and reap great eternal rewards” (James E. Faust, “Of Seeds and Soils”, Ensign October 1999; Accessed https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1999/10/of-seeds-and-soils?lang=eng)
The importance of the way the seed interacted with the ground it fell upon in the Lord's parable is captured by the four adverbs, fell by, fell upon, fell among, and fell into. The simple and obvious lesson is that seeds grow best when they fall into the ground, where it can sprout, grow, and produce most effectively. The word into implies that the ground had been opened. The nature of the ground with respect to the seeds that fall thereon directly correlates with the nature of the figurative human heart and the experiences, lessons, and knowledge provided by life in relation to it. What happens to the person through those various influences depends on the openness of his or her heart.
But open soil is a two edged sword, as it more readily allows bad seeds along with the good to fall therein. In yielding to wickedness or righteousness, both yield fruit; while on the other hand its counterpart, resistance, is typically a fruitless condition.
Evidence that this concept is true can be found in everyday life. Each day similar experiences are applied to different people and can produce different outcomes. Consider the parent who loses a child and becomes bitter toward God. Then contrast that result with the parent who loses a child but draws nearer to God in the process. Or consider the student of higher education who uses their knowledge to forsake his faith while his peers’ religious beliefs are strengthened in the very same academic program. In both examples, the seeds that fell were the same, but their different outcomes have their explanation in the condition of the hearts they fell upon. This effect was found among the Nephites and Lamanites following a long period of war. As Mormon recounts: “because of the exceedingly great length of the war between the Nephites and the Lamanites many had become hardened…and many were softened because of their afflictions…” (Alma 62:41). The collective effects of the war impacted individual hearts differently.
Yielding to God results in the fruits of life, happiness, and creation; yielding to the devil results in the evil fruits of death, misery, and destruction. Ultimately, our choices reveal who we serve. This is illustrated in Paul's epistle to the Romans when he said, "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" He continued, "for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness" (Romans 6: 16, 19).
The fruit producing aspect of yielding and openness is effectively taught in the experience of the Garden of Eden. When enticed by the serpent to partake of the fruit, Eve thoughtfully yielded, who was then followed by Adam. Their yielding to the serpent produced the necessary changes to bring about progeny, and therefore was a fruit producing action. Had they resisted the devils enticings, there would have been no fruitful posterity. Quoting from the same talk by Elder Nelson previously mentioned, he said of their experience, "While I do not fully understand all the biochemistry involved, I do know that their physical bodies did change; blood began to circulate in their bodies. Adam and Eve thereby became mortal. Happily for us, they could also beget children and fulfill the purposes for which the world was created."
Another scriptural allegory with an agriculture focus illustrates the power of yielding and resisting well. Lehi's vision of the tree of life captures both good and evil forms of yielding and resisting. It begins as he found himself wandering in darkness for many hours. Then in a yielding attitude offered a prayer to the Lord which opened his view to a large field with a tree "whose fruit was desirable to make one happy". Lehi's yielding heart in prayer led him to the fruit which "filled his soul with exceedingly great joy". Then, feeling the urgency to share this joy with his family, he called his wife, Nephi, and Sam, who each yielded to their father's voice which led to their own experiences with the fruit. Lehi's attention then turned to his resistant sons Laman and Lemuel as he said, "they would not come unto me and partake of the fruit." He then turned his focus to the great and spacious building on the other side of the river which was filled with people in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers toward those who were taking the fruit (a perfect description of resistance to righteousness). This building representing wickedness established opposition to the righteous representation of the tree. The presence of opposition in turn created the ability to choose, and therefore the ability to resist or yield. Lehi described others who pressed forward holding to the rod of iron, partook of the fruit, and then unrighteously yielded to the scoffing of those from the large building. Their yielding led them through mists of darkness and strange paths, many of which became lost. Others faithfully resisted the large building with its scoffers, persisting on the path of righteousness.
Those who resist righteousness become hardened in the process, and their paths lead away from truth and closer to misery and death. But as there is opposition in all things, the solution to unrighteous resistance is in righteous yielding. Those who are miserable and rightfully believe their misery comes from their own choices will find the solution is yielding to righteousness. As James said, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).
When we resist truth and yield to the devil, we become enslaved in his power, and begin performing his work. This was manifest in Korihor, another of the Book of Mormon anti-Christ's. Korihor resisted the truth and had some measure of success in spreading his own doctrines to the people, and was so audacious as to attempt his tactics on the prophet. But in doing so, Alma recognized and pointed out his spirit of resistance to the truth, the hardness of his heart, and hinted at the potential destruction that awaited his soul if he persisted in his resistance. Further, he credited the source of Korihor's deceitful spirit to the devil when he said: "I know that thou believest, but thou art possessed with a lying spirit, and ye have put off the Spirit of God that it may have no place in you; but the devil has power over you, and he doth carry you about, working devices that he may destroy the children of God" (See Alma 30).
My heart breaks for those who are like Korihor, blind of heart and mind, and who are in the bonds of iniquity; who are hard hearted and stiffnecked, and especially such people who have lost faith in Jesus Christ and his gospel. But I am not without hope for them. I believe their spiritual trajectory can be altered if they would only yield to the enticings of the Holy Ghost, and resist evil. As a doctor might prescribe medication for the physically ill, prophets likewise have a prescription to those who are spiritually impaired. They speak of the iron rod, or the word of God, which leads to the fountain of living water and eternal life, and is symbolic of the doctrine and the love of God (See 1 Ne. 11:25). There is no sin that cannot be completely swallowed up in the atonement of Jesus Christ. He can soften any hard heart, and his miracles are not limited to healing physical blindness; he can heal spiritual blindness. But the blind and hard hearted must yield to him.
I speak of those who have lost faith and falter spiritually; as they are a group of people I care about deeply. But I include myself in this group, ever since an experience with my father. On one occasion, we were in a religious setting where a painting of Christ holding a black sheep came into our view. Thinking about my brother who had struggled in his faith, and had followed paths of his own I said "Look dad, it's (my brother)". I will never forget my dad's response, who referring to himself said, "it's me". Perhaps no sermon on judgment and humility could ever be taught as effectively as he managed to do in those two words. And so through dad's wisdom and example, I have learned to see myself as that black sheep.
The greatest movement in my life occurred at the age of seventeen. Amid my youthful sins, I knew what it was like to have a hard heart, stiff neck, and to be spiritually blind. In that spiritually negative position, I was much like the negative side of a magnet repelling any righteousness that came before me. I recognized the discordant condition of my life with the life I knew I should be living. That year in seminary we studied the New Testament. As we studied the ministry of Jesus Christ, I became interested in his life and miracles. Initially, my still somewhat resistant heart tried to explain his miracles as scientific events that had nothing to do with faith, and had more to do with coincidence. Then one day I became particularly interested in the miracle of the woman who was healed simply by touching the hem of his robe. This particular miracle touched me deeply; probably because the woman reached out to him first, not the other way around. That story and others from the New Testament softened my resistance to righteousness and the light of the gospel illuminated my understanding, and led to a complete yielding to it. My spiritual magnet changed from repelling righteousness and yielding to evil to repelling evil, and yielding to righteousness. The healing and forgiving aspects of the Savior's atonement became effective and changed my life.
The hardened condition of my heart was much like the hardened dirt within a garden that hadn't been cultivated in years. When the ground becomes hardened, there is no possibility for seeds to grow, as it resists any seeds that fall thereon. Recognizing this hardened condition of the ground led to the creation of two instruments designed to soften it - the plow and the harrow. These two instruments consist of a varying number of sharp features designed to open or break the ground in such a way that the hard and dried surface will become loosened and more readily allow seeds to grow.
There are four references in the Book of Mormon to harrow, each of which is used not in the expected agricultural sense, but rather in the garden of the human heart. The first instance was by Nephi’s younger brother Jacob when he spoke to the apparently hardened people of Nephi. “But behold, my brethren, is it expedient that I should awake you to an awful reality of these things? Would I harrow up your souls if your minds were pure? Would I be plain unto you according to the plainness of the truth if ye were freed from sin?” (2nd Nephi 9:47).
Jacob’s people had become hardened by worldliness and sexual sins, preventing spiritual nutrition from reaching their hearts. Jacob's preaching provided the necessary harrowing to open their hearts that might initiate a necessary change. Further, Jacob's question implies that if their minds were pure, there would be no need to harrow. When we progress from Grace to Grace, as the Savior did, hearts remain soft and require no harrowing.
The second use of the phrase occurred in Alma’s time, about one hundred years before Christ’s birth. After preaching to the hardened people of Ammonihah, Zeezrom who originally resisted Alma, and Amulek’s preaching was cast out from among his people because he began to believe the prophet's words. The scriptural account then explains: “…Zeezrom lay sick at Sidom, with a burning fever, which was caused by the great tribulations of his mind on account of his wickedness, for he supposed that Alma and Amulek were no more; and he supposed that they had been slain because of his iniquity. And this great sin, and his many other sins, did harrow up his mind until it did become exceedingly sore, having no deliverance; therefore he began to be scorched with a burning heat” (Alma 15:3). Zeezrom’s harrowed mind was an effect of his yielding heart to the preaching of Alma and Amulek. His yielding and opened heart led to great contributions in the service of God.
Alma used the term to his son Corianton, whose pride and hardened heart led him to commit serious sin while preaching the gospel. Alma said to his son, “I would to God that ye had not been guilty of so great a crime. I would not dwell upon your crimes, to harrow up your soul, if it were not for your good” (Alma 39:7). Here, Alma expresses his discomfort in needing to harrow his son’s heart, but realized it was the way for him to put his sins behind him and continue in his ministry. Alma then harrowed his son's heart as he delivered some of the most precious sermons related to the most basic and essential doctrines of the fall of Adam, the resurrection, and the judgment. What was initially intended for his wayward son, has fortunately come to the world through scripture, and has the ability to harrow our minds as well.
In each of these examples, it was the preaching of the word of God that opened, or harrowed, their hearts. It is apparent that the act of harrowing is burdensome to the harrower, just as the backbreaking work of cultivating a field is. But, though unpleasant to administer, that condition of openness of heart is necessary for wonderful changes to take place - the changes of hardened hearts becoming soft, spiritually blind eyes receiving their sight, darkened minds becoming illuminated, and the sinner’s desire for permanently improved behavior. Harrowing, or opening (like yielding), is the key to initiating change in the most hardened of God's children. In my own example as an older teenager, it was the word of God through the New Testament that harrowed my heart and led to the healing power of Jesus Christ's atonement.
Speaking of the Savior's healing power, there is another rarely occurring form of the word yield in Hebrew which comes from Ecclesiastes 10:4, and reads "If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences" (Ecclesiastes 10:4). The Hebrew word for yielding from this verse is marpê, and literally means a medicine, or healing remedy (New Strongs Concordance, Hebrew #4832, page 86). The spiritual diseases of hardened hearts and stiff necks which come from sin, rebellion, and resistance to righteousness can be healed. Those who have lost their faith can rediscover it if they will yield to the Holy Ghost and righteousness in general. The opening of the heart in an attitude of righteous yielding, and especially yielding to the sacrifice of the Savior will always lead to healing, and a more permanent desire to resist wickedness.
Yielding to the thing that has long been resisted can be extremely difficult. It would be like the child who has resisted broccoli his whole life suddenly having a whole bowl of it. The drunkard who prefers his drink to tasteless, repulsive, fresh water but drinks the water anyway; or to the apostate who has resisted truth for a long period of time, the thought of engaging the Holy Scriptures and kneeling down and supplicating their divine Father in earnest prayer may at first seem repulsive. Or the spouses on the verge of divorce: when the thought of expressing the smallest indication of love to their spouse seems impossible, but does it anyway. When that soul yields to the very last thing on earth they want to yield to, of their own free will and choice, not out of coercion from some external source like a family member, friend, or spiritual leader; That is the moment their spiritual trajectory changes, the upward climb begins, and true and lasting change commences. No one on earth can trigger that miraculous yielding moment to occur, not even the God of Heaven, but only the soul who yields to him of their own choice.
As the power of resistance and yielding work within us they take their collective toll on our hearts, whether for good or for bad. Resisting good and yielding to evil leads to a closed and hardened heart. Resisting evil and yielding to good produces openness, softening, and healing.
King Benjamin's ministry referred to these two powers when he said: "the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ..."(see Mosiah 3:19) Therefore, the power of yielding to the Holy Spirit is employed while putting off, or resisting, the natural man. When exercised toward positive ends, the two characteristics comprise an interesting formula for achieving righteousness, or the sanctification spoken of.
As I apply King Benjamin's council to my life in retrospect, I notice at those moments when I shifted toward righteousness it came by yielding to some positive influence. At those same times it can also be seen that there was often a sort of resistance to some particular evil. Spiritual shifting is therefore brought about by yielding, and those points along the path in between movement are fueled by the power of resistance.
Book of Mormon Prophet, Jacob, described this moving condition of the heart using the metaphor of shaking. After being approached by the antichrist, Sherem, he said, "And he had hope to shake me from the faith, notwithstanding the many revelations and the many things which I had seen concerning these things; for I truly had seen angels, and they had ministered unto me. And also, I had heard the voice of the Lord speaking unto me in very word, from time to time; wherefore, I could not be shaken"( Jacob 7:5). Jacob's resistance to evil meant his spiritual position could not be moved.
When I was very young, I had a constant nature. As I aged and entered my teenage years, I became anything but constant. Then in more recent years I feel like I have achieved constancy once again. The Savior Jesus Christ is the most constant figure who has ever lived. The scriptures teach us that he progressed from grace to grace (see D&C 93:12; John 1:16).
Apart from him, the most constant people I know are elderly. Constancy, when combined with righteousness or when aligned with God's laws, results in truly angelic beings living among us - such as my Grandma Phyllis. When I am around her I feel like heaven is close and every time I leave her presence I find myself thinking what an angel she is. There is never any question as to how she would act in any situation; in short, she is constant.
My father had similar love and respect toward his grandmother, Ernestine. He often tells a story of a time when he suspected that, being the righteous woman he knew she was, she must surely have seen heaven, or knew something more than most mortals knew of the afterlife. One day he gathered up his courage and asked her if she had ever wondered what heaven was like, expecting her to reveal something of her grand revelations. She then took his hands in hers and looked him in the eyes. Her reply, though not the answer he was expecting, left an impact that causes him to swell with emotion to this day when he shares the experience: "I don't have to wonder, I'm living in it right now." I didn't know grandma Ernestine, but I know that such a response is an indication of a person who has put off the natural man (resisted evil), and yielded to the Holy Ghost, and become a saint through the atonement of Christ. Such people are not able to be shaken.
Another scriptural expression describes resistance as, firm, steadfast, and immovable" (See 1 Ne. 2:10; Alma 1:25; Mosiah 5:15; 3 Ne. 6:14). In this state of resistance to wickedness, yielding to evil is not possible, as constancy is the way of life. Put another way, firm and steadfast individuals live in a constant state of resistance to evil and are always yielding to righteousness.
Resistance is stability, yielding is movement. Both can be employed for righteousness or wickedness. When one is strong, the other is weak, and vice versa. When resistance is weakened, yielding can more readily be initiated and become what is often referred to as a make or break moment. Often times yielding to something reverses prior thinking and new resistance emerges; even resistance to the thing that was cherished and defended before. The effects of our resistance or yielding culminate into the collective spiritual direction we travel, and on which paths. Our destination will be one of two outcomes explained by Alma as "endless happiness to inherit the kingdom of God, or to endless misery to inherit the kingdom of the devil…" (See Alma 41:4). The qualities and relationships of resistance and yielding can be better understood by elaborating each characteristic deeper and individually.
RESISTANCE
Resistance by definition means to withstand the action or effect of (Oxford Dictionary). The Hebrew word for resist leaves no doubts about its origin. The English transliteration is, Sâá¹an, and means to attack, accuse, or to be an adversary. This word is almost exactly the same form as the word for the personage of the devil, which is expressed as in Sâá¹Ã¢n. (New Strong's Concordance). Both Hebrew words have their origin in Lucifer, the founder and author of resistance. Even resistance to wickedness, a righteous pursuit, would likely not have been necessary were it not for Lucifer's introduction of resistance into the plan of salvation. Lucifer's rebellion to the Father, Jesus Christ, and agency, earned him the title of The Adversary, which in common terminology means opponent, foe, or enemy. A common characteristic among foes, enemies, and adversaries is the spirit of resistance. Such words often accompany war. Where any war ever occurred, there was resistance on at least one side of the battle and possibly both. This includes the great spiritual premortal war, and any earthly war that has since occurred. The devil is the author of them all, as he is the author of resistance.
Resistance is one of the defining characteristics of states of opposition, such as the world we live in now. We know this because it was taught by Lehi to his son, when he said "For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my firstborn in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad" (See 2 Ne. 2: 11). Naturally then, no resistance exists in states that are opposite to states of opposition. A better word for this condition might be harmony, or perhaps unity? Such places and times exist in the scriptures, and act as instruction manuals on how to achieve such harmonious states.
Though precious little is known of it, I suppose early in the premortal existence before the rebellion of Lucifer, harmony and unity existed without resistance. The Garden of Eden seems to have been an inherently harmonious and paradisiacal condition. The only evidence of opposition there was found in the tree of knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life. The city of Enoch certainly experienced unity, as its citizens were of one heart and one mind (see Moses 7:18). Their unity resulted in the translation of the entire city. The saints in the days of Paul, and the ancient inhabitants of the America's following the Savior's visitation both lived in such unity. Learning the common characteristics of the members of those harmonious conditions could be beneficial in modern times toward the end of creating peaceful existences in our lives today. Wicked or righteous forms of resistance share the common element of strengthening. Strengthening, may be the best way to express it in the positive light, but when expressed in the negative context, resistance goes by the common Hebrew based expressions and idioms of being hard hearted and stiff-necked. There is a perfect and constant relationship between the amount of resistance applied in a particular endeavor and the results on the strength, or hardening that takes place in the heart.
This lesson is well observed in physical fitness where resistance is a vital component to strength training. Without resistance, there would be no strengthening. Lifting a moderate amount of weight does not produce the same muscle mass as lifting a challenging amount of weight. Furthermore, strength can also be achieved through repetition. This is true in the spiritual sense as well. As repeated resistance of righteousness continues, the spiritual muscles in that particular area become strengthened to the point of resisting righteousness with ease. Similarly, as resistance to a particular evil is continued through repetition and intensity, it becomes easier to repel that thing.
Scriptural passages referencing hard heartedness and stiff-neckedness frequently describe the gradual process of the hardening that takes place from resisting righteousness. These verses often use metaphoric language of cords or chains binding the hardened and spiritually resistant individual. These expressions are common in the Book of Mormon. One example comes from Alma's ministry. He spoke of those who "harden not their hearts and receive the greater portion of the word", while those who harden their hearts "receive the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning God's mysteries: and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led by his will down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by the chains of hell" (see Alma 12:25).
The New Testament has its examples of hardening as well. Just before Stephen was stoned he chastised the people as he compared them to the hardened Israelites in the day of Moses when he said "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye" (Acts 7:51).
I know similar people who resist righteousness and yield to sin, who not long ago were living in just the opposite framework. It has the tendency to seem illogical. Paul described this type of mindset as those who have their "understanding darkened, [are] alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in [them], because of the blindness of [their] heart[s]" (see Ephesians 4:18). The number of scriptures relating to blindness of mind, or blindness of heart is startling (see Deut. 28:28; Jarom 1:3; Isaiah 42:20; 2 Romans 11:25; Ephesians 4:18; 1 Ne. 7:8; 1 Ne. 12:17; 1 Ne. 13:27; 1 Ne. 14:7; 1 Ne. 15:24; 1 Ne. 17:30; 2 Ne. 9:32; 2 Ne. 27:29; Jacob 4:14; Jarom 1:3; Mosiah 3:5; Mosiah 11:29). Many of these refer to blindness as a condition purposefully imposed by the devil on his subjects, strongly suggesting that blindness of heart is a condition Lucifer lusts after in our lives. Surely once we arrive at such a state of resistance to righteousness, he can lead us to yield to any of his age old temptations, or his new ones for that matter.
Spiritual resistance of righteousness is dangerous because of its potential to deter us from the ultimate goal of living as a united family in God's presence. The spiritually darkened position of being wrapped up in chains in spiritual resistance was described by Paul as damnation. Warning the saints against resistance to priesthood leadership he counseled, "Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation" (Romans 13:2). Just as a dam stops or slows the progression of water in its natural course to its ultimate destination, so spiritual resistance to righteousness hinders the progression of our spirits on their journey back to God's presence.
Resistance to righteousness is particularly dangerous when such resistance follows periods of deep conviction and righteousness, and covenant making. It is heartbreaking any time someone loses faith, but it is more painful when someone who once embraced it along with covenant making, resists and renounces it. Alma recognized this condition in the priests of King Noah, as well as the Amalekites and Ammulonites who practiced the manmade religion of Nehor after practicing the true faith. He said, "after a people have been once enlightened by the Spirit of God, and have had a great knowledge of things pertaining to righteousness, and then have fallen away into sin and transgression, they become more hardened, and thus their state becomes worse than though they had never known these things." (see Alma 25).
To those who have made the oath and covenant of the priesthood, the Lord warned "But whoso breaketh this covenant after he hath received it, and altogether turneth therefrom, shall not have forgiveness of sins in this world nor in the world to come" (D&C 84:41). No wonder my heart breaks when loved ones forsake their faith. My consolation comes from trusting only the Lord can know their hearts, and that point of 'altogether turning therefrom'.
A slightly different context of resistance was mentioned in the New Testament. In his sermon on the mount, the Savior issued the command to resist not evil, and followed that command with the examples of walking two miles when compelled to go one; being smitten on the cheek; giving the cloak when sued at the law; and lending to someone wanting to borrow. Something about the Savior's doctrine to resist not evil sounds incomplete to my English hearing ears. However, the Greek understanding of the word evil from this passage has helped illuminate my understanding of the doctrine I believe he intended to express.
There are at least twelve Greek words related to the word evil, including various word forms, each with their own subtly differing contexts. The transliteration of the Greek word for evil in this verse is poneros, and means hurtful in effect or influence (New Strong's Concordance pg 73 Greek #4190). This word use is different from the more common form, kakos (New Strong's Concordance pg 45 Greek #2446), meaning to be intrinsically injurious, bad, harmful, or wicked, as opposed to the effects of such things in the former context. Therefore, the Savior's admonition to resist not evil is counsel to not resist unpleasant or hurtful effects of evil in our lives; His counsel does not advise tolerance for things that are intrinsically wicked. Perhaps he was suggesting that yielding to the unpleasant effects that come from evil leads to strengthening of the spirit.
YIELDING
The word yield has multiple meanings. Most forms of yielding in the scriptures are used in an agricultural connotation. One form is represented by the Hebrew word nâthan (naw-than'), which is used in a wide variety of applications, but primarily means to bring forth (New Strong's Concordance pg 97 Hebrew #5414). This would be the form used during the harvest season.
Another context is found in the right of way given in transportation systems. Those who do not have the right of way are required to yield to those that do. This context is often used in reference to yielding to God, for example, and implies that we should put his will before our own. This context in Hebrew fits the word yâd (yawd), which means the open one. It has an interesting connotation of power, and the hand (New Strong's Concordance pg 53 Hebrew #3027), or in English terms could have a very similar meaning to the common expression of having the upper hand. The power aspect then signifies the one with the right of way in the traffic example, or God having the right of way in the scriptural example.As the resistance spoken of previously causes hardened and closed hearts, yielding then produces softened and opened hearts. Like a newly tilled garden, openness is a preparatory condition for receiving seeds that will hopefully yield fruit. The Savior's parable of the sower provides good insight into resistance, but also includes some of the contexts of yielding spoken of. He described four types of ground that a seed could fall upon, and the interaction of the seed with the ground. James E. Faust summarized the four ground conditions as following: “The seed that “fell by the way side” represents those who hear the word of God but do not understand it and fall into the clutches of Satan. The second seed, which “fell upon stony places,” describes those who joyfully hear the word and thrive as long as all goes well. But when trials come and they feel peer pressure because of their beliefs, they are offended and do not endure. The third seed, which “fell among thorns,” represents those who hear the word, but worldliness and riches are more important to them, and they fall away from the truth. The last seed, however, which “fell into good ground,” represents those who hear the word, understand it, live it, and reap great eternal rewards” (James E. Faust, “Of Seeds and Soils”, Ensign October 1999; Accessed https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1999/10/of-seeds-and-soils?lang=eng)
But open soil is a two edged sword, as it more readily allows bad seeds along with the good to fall therein. In yielding to wickedness or righteousness, both yield fruit; while on the other hand its counterpart, resistance, is typically a fruitless condition.
Evidence that this concept is true can be found in everyday life. Each day similar experiences are applied to different people and can produce different outcomes. Consider the parent who loses a child and becomes bitter toward God. Then contrast that result with the parent who loses a child but draws nearer to God in the process. Or consider the student of higher education who uses their knowledge to forsake his faith while his peers’ religious beliefs are strengthened in the very same academic program. In both examples, the seeds that fell were the same, but their different outcomes have their explanation in the condition of the hearts they fell upon. This effect was found among the Nephites and Lamanites following a long period of war. As Mormon recounts: “because of the exceedingly great length of the war between the Nephites and the Lamanites many had become hardened…and many were softened because of their afflictions…” (Alma 62:41). The collective effects of the war impacted individual hearts differently.
Yielding to God results in the fruits of life, happiness, and creation; yielding to the devil results in the evil fruits of death, misery, and destruction. Ultimately, our choices reveal who we serve. This is illustrated in Paul's epistle to the Romans when he said, "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" He continued, "for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness" (Romans 6: 16, 19).
The fruit producing aspect of yielding and openness is effectively taught in the experience of the Garden of Eden. When enticed by the serpent to partake of the fruit, Eve thoughtfully yielded, who was then followed by Adam. Their yielding to the serpent produced the necessary changes to bring about progeny, and therefore was a fruit producing action. Had they resisted the devils enticings, there would have been no fruitful posterity. Quoting from the same talk by Elder Nelson previously mentioned, he said of their experience, "While I do not fully understand all the biochemistry involved, I do know that their physical bodies did change; blood began to circulate in their bodies. Adam and Eve thereby became mortal. Happily for us, they could also beget children and fulfill the purposes for which the world was created."
Another scriptural allegory with an agriculture focus illustrates the power of yielding and resisting well. Lehi's vision of the tree of life captures both good and evil forms of yielding and resisting. It begins as he found himself wandering in darkness for many hours. Then in a yielding attitude offered a prayer to the Lord which opened his view to a large field with a tree "whose fruit was desirable to make one happy". Lehi's yielding heart in prayer led him to the fruit which "filled his soul with exceedingly great joy". Then, feeling the urgency to share this joy with his family, he called his wife, Nephi, and Sam, who each yielded to their father's voice which led to their own experiences with the fruit. Lehi's attention then turned to his resistant sons Laman and Lemuel as he said, "they would not come unto me and partake of the fruit." He then turned his focus to the great and spacious building on the other side of the river which was filled with people in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers toward those who were taking the fruit (a perfect description of resistance to righteousness). This building representing wickedness established opposition to the righteous representation of the tree. The presence of opposition in turn created the ability to choose, and therefore the ability to resist or yield. Lehi described others who pressed forward holding to the rod of iron, partook of the fruit, and then unrighteously yielded to the scoffing of those from the large building. Their yielding led them through mists of darkness and strange paths, many of which became lost. Others faithfully resisted the large building with its scoffers, persisting on the path of righteousness.
Those who resist righteousness become hardened in the process, and their paths lead away from truth and closer to misery and death. But as there is opposition in all things, the solution to unrighteous resistance is in righteous yielding. Those who are miserable and rightfully believe their misery comes from their own choices will find the solution is yielding to righteousness. As James said, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).
When we resist truth and yield to the devil, we become enslaved in his power, and begin performing his work. This was manifest in Korihor, another of the Book of Mormon anti-Christ's. Korihor resisted the truth and had some measure of success in spreading his own doctrines to the people, and was so audacious as to attempt his tactics on the prophet. But in doing so, Alma recognized and pointed out his spirit of resistance to the truth, the hardness of his heart, and hinted at the potential destruction that awaited his soul if he persisted in his resistance. Further, he credited the source of Korihor's deceitful spirit to the devil when he said: "I know that thou believest, but thou art possessed with a lying spirit, and ye have put off the Spirit of God that it may have no place in you; but the devil has power over you, and he doth carry you about, working devices that he may destroy the children of God" (See Alma 30).
My heart breaks for those who are like Korihor, blind of heart and mind, and who are in the bonds of iniquity; who are hard hearted and stiffnecked, and especially such people who have lost faith in Jesus Christ and his gospel. But I am not without hope for them. I believe their spiritual trajectory can be altered if they would only yield to the enticings of the Holy Ghost, and resist evil. As a doctor might prescribe medication for the physically ill, prophets likewise have a prescription to those who are spiritually impaired. They speak of the iron rod, or the word of God, which leads to the fountain of living water and eternal life, and is symbolic of the doctrine and the love of God (See 1 Ne. 11:25). There is no sin that cannot be completely swallowed up in the atonement of Jesus Christ. He can soften any hard heart, and his miracles are not limited to healing physical blindness; he can heal spiritual blindness. But the blind and hard hearted must yield to him.
I speak of those who have lost faith and falter spiritually; as they are a group of people I care about deeply. But I include myself in this group, ever since an experience with my father. On one occasion, we were in a religious setting where a painting of Christ holding a black sheep came into our view. Thinking about my brother who had struggled in his faith, and had followed paths of his own I said "Look dad, it's (my brother)". I will never forget my dad's response, who referring to himself said, "it's me". Perhaps no sermon on judgment and humility could ever be taught as effectively as he managed to do in those two words. And so through dad's wisdom and example, I have learned to see myself as that black sheep.The greatest movement in my life occurred at the age of seventeen. Amid my youthful sins, I knew what it was like to have a hard heart, stiff neck, and to be spiritually blind. In that spiritually negative position, I was much like the negative side of a magnet repelling any righteousness that came before me. I recognized the discordant condition of my life with the life I knew I should be living. That year in seminary we studied the New Testament. As we studied the ministry of Jesus Christ, I became interested in his life and miracles. Initially, my still somewhat resistant heart tried to explain his miracles as scientific events that had nothing to do with faith, and had more to do with coincidence. Then one day I became particularly interested in the miracle of the woman who was healed simply by touching the hem of his robe. This particular miracle touched me deeply; probably because the woman reached out to him first, not the other way around. That story and others from the New Testament softened my resistance to righteousness and the light of the gospel illuminated my understanding, and led to a complete yielding to it. My spiritual magnet changed from repelling righteousness and yielding to evil to repelling evil, and yielding to righteousness. The healing and forgiving aspects of the Savior's atonement became effective and changed my life.
The hardened condition of my heart was much like the hardened dirt within a garden that hadn't been cultivated in years. When the ground becomes hardened, there is no possibility for seeds to grow, as it resists any seeds that fall thereon. Recognizing this hardened condition of the ground led to the creation of two instruments designed to soften it - the plow and the harrow. These two instruments consist of a varying number of sharp features designed to open or break the ground in such a way that the hard and dried surface will become loosened and more readily allow seeds to grow.
Jacob’s people had become hardened by worldliness and sexual sins, preventing spiritual nutrition from reaching their hearts. Jacob's preaching provided the necessary harrowing to open their hearts that might initiate a necessary change. Further, Jacob's question implies that if their minds were pure, there would be no need to harrow. When we progress from Grace to Grace, as the Savior did, hearts remain soft and require no harrowing.
The second use of the phrase occurred in Alma’s time, about one hundred years before Christ’s birth. After preaching to the hardened people of Ammonihah, Zeezrom who originally resisted Alma, and Amulek’s preaching was cast out from among his people because he began to believe the prophet's words. The scriptural account then explains: “…Zeezrom lay sick at Sidom, with a burning fever, which was caused by the great tribulations of his mind on account of his wickedness, for he supposed that Alma and Amulek were no more; and he supposed that they had been slain because of his iniquity. And this great sin, and his many other sins, did harrow up his mind until it did become exceedingly sore, having no deliverance; therefore he began to be scorched with a burning heat” (Alma 15:3). Zeezrom’s harrowed mind was an effect of his yielding heart to the preaching of Alma and Amulek. His yielding and opened heart led to great contributions in the service of God.
Alma used the term to his son Corianton, whose pride and hardened heart led him to commit serious sin while preaching the gospel. Alma said to his son, “I would to God that ye had not been guilty of so great a crime. I would not dwell upon your crimes, to harrow up your soul, if it were not for your good” (Alma 39:7). Here, Alma expresses his discomfort in needing to harrow his son’s heart, but realized it was the way for him to put his sins behind him and continue in his ministry. Alma then harrowed his son's heart as he delivered some of the most precious sermons related to the most basic and essential doctrines of the fall of Adam, the resurrection, and the judgment. What was initially intended for his wayward son, has fortunately come to the world through scripture, and has the ability to harrow our minds as well.
In each of these examples, it was the preaching of the word of God that opened, or harrowed, their hearts. It is apparent that the act of harrowing is burdensome to the harrower, just as the backbreaking work of cultivating a field is. But, though unpleasant to administer, that condition of openness of heart is necessary for wonderful changes to take place - the changes of hardened hearts becoming soft, spiritually blind eyes receiving their sight, darkened minds becoming illuminated, and the sinner’s desire for permanently improved behavior. Harrowing, or opening (like yielding), is the key to initiating change in the most hardened of God's children. In my own example as an older teenager, it was the word of God through the New Testament that harrowed my heart and led to the healing power of Jesus Christ's atonement.
Speaking of the Savior's healing power, there is another rarely occurring form of the word yield in Hebrew which comes from Ecclesiastes 10:4, and reads "If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences" (Ecclesiastes 10:4). The Hebrew word for yielding from this verse is marpê, and literally means a medicine, or healing remedy (New Strongs Concordance, Hebrew #4832, page 86). The spiritual diseases of hardened hearts and stiff necks which come from sin, rebellion, and resistance to righteousness can be healed. Those who have lost their faith can rediscover it if they will yield to the Holy Ghost and righteousness in general. The opening of the heart in an attitude of righteous yielding, and especially yielding to the sacrifice of the Savior will always lead to healing, and a more permanent desire to resist wickedness.
Yielding to the thing that has long been resisted can be extremely difficult. It would be like the child who has resisted broccoli his whole life suddenly having a whole bowl of it. The drunkard who prefers his drink to tasteless, repulsive, fresh water but drinks the water anyway; or to the apostate who has resisted truth for a long period of time, the thought of engaging the Holy Scriptures and kneeling down and supplicating their divine Father in earnest prayer may at first seem repulsive. Or the spouses on the verge of divorce: when the thought of expressing the smallest indication of love to their spouse seems impossible, but does it anyway. When that soul yields to the very last thing on earth they want to yield to, of their own free will and choice, not out of coercion from some external source like a family member, friend, or spiritual leader; That is the moment their spiritual trajectory changes, the upward climb begins, and true and lasting change commences. No one on earth can trigger that miraculous yielding moment to occur, not even the God of Heaven, but only the soul who yields to him of their own choice.
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