The Link Between "Knowing" and "Doing"

Most of us know what is right and what is wrong. We may try to convince ourselves otherwise and excuse poor behavior, but we know. It is what is called the Light of Christ, which Moroni 7:16 says "is given to every man, that he may know good from evil."

However, it doesn't take too much research to realize that many, many people don't do good things. In fact, we all do some really stupid things. Why is this? If we know what we should do, why the heck don't we just do it?

Think about Nephi's oft-rehearsed quote:

"I will go and do the things the Lord hath commanded, for I know the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a wayfor them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."

What happened there? We know that he did, in fact, do as the Lord commanded him. Right here he professes that he knows what he should do. This scripture is the perfect example of the fundamental link between "knowing" and "doing": "Choosing."

One of the greatest gifts of our Heavenly Father is our agency, or our right to choose for ourselves the course which we will follow in this life. President David O. McKay actually said, “Next to the bestowal of life itself, the right to direct that life is God’s greatest gift to man.”

2 Nephi 2:27 teaches, “Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil."

"How do we make correct choices?," President James E. Faust asked. "A choice involves making a conscious decision. To make an intelligent
decision we need to evaluate all available facts on both sides of an issue. But that isn’t enough. Making correct decisions involves prayer and inspiration. The 9th section of the Doctrine and Covenants gives us the grand key. The Lord said to Oliver Cowdery:

"'Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me. But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right. But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong.'"

Ultimately, we need to "choose... this day," and stop "procrastinat[ing] the day of [our] repentance."

I've always loved Elijah's almost chastising statement:

"How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him."

So, let's stop trying to make a decision when the time comes to make it. Make it now. We know the Lord is God, so why not choose today? One of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite people, Stephen Covey, reads, "Private victory precedes public victory." So let's win in our heads right now. We will serve God. We already know what we should do, but in order to actually do it, let's choose now!


For more on making good choices, watch this video:

Or follow these great links:
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/the-three-rs-of-choice?lang=eng
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2004/04/choices?lang=eng
https://www.lds.org/new-era/1979/08/the-three-is?lang=eng