The Power of Diligence

Diligence is a Christ-like attribute that is easily overlooked, but is necessary to our salvation. The words diligence, diligent, and diligently are found all throughout the scriptures and emphasize what is being said. Take the following scripture for example. If you remove the word diligently it is not as strong, but when you add diligently it adds a lot more emphasis to the importance of keeping the commandments:

"Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee."¹

We are also commanded to diligently learn what God would have us do, and then do it. God said:

"Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence.

"He that is slothful shall not be counted worthy to stand, and he that learns not his duty and shows himself not approved shall not be counted worthy to stand. Even so. Amen."²

President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency, spoke about diligence and explained how there is a pattern needed to be diligent servants of God. He gave a list of four things to be done, which are:

1. Learn what the Lord expects of you
2. Make a plan to do it
3. Act on your plan with diligence
4. Share with others how your experience changed you and blessed others³

We must be diligent in all things. We must diligently study the scriptures as shown in the last step in this article, 10 Ways to Study the Word of God. We must diligently pray to the Father in the name of Christ. We must diligently repent, we must diligently seek Christ, we must diligently be charitable and serve our fellow man. Our need for diligence can be applied to all of God's commandments.

Additional Scriptures Showing the Power of Diligence:

• God "is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."⁴
• "Diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God."⁵
• "And now, as ye have begun to teach the word even so I would that ye should continue to teach; and I would that ye would be diligent and temperate in all things."⁶

Diligence truly is a Christ-like attribute, one which I desire to develop and improve upon. May we be diligent in all things.

Notes:
1. Emphasis added, Deuteronomy 6:17.
2. Emphasis added, Doctrine and Covenants 107:99-100.
3. "Act in All Diligence," General Conference, April 2010.
4. Emphases added, Hebrews 11:6.
5. Emphases added, Exodus 15:26.
6. Emphases added, Alma 38:10.