Principle vs. Passion

I am learning about the importance of being governed by principles instead of passions.

In Alma 38:12, Alma counsels his son, Shiblon, to "bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love."  This is the opposite of the philosophy of the world.  The world tells us to "follow your heart," that "being impulsive is fun and endearing," and that "we are animals that have to follow our urges."

None of those ideas are right, bus sadly, they are so prevalent that they seep into the ideologies of even good LDS people.  We need to stop and take another look and recognize them for what they are: Lies.

God wants us to progress; He wants to raise us up above the animals of the earth, and even above the status of mortals, to become gods like Him.  This is not possible if we release our agency to the whims of our natural-selves.  We must align our wills with God's which becomes increasingly possible as we increase our control over our bodies, spirits, and passions.

So, what are passions?  Although sex or lust is the passion usually identified with the scripture above, I believe that there are many other more common passions that also must be bridled.  Our needs for food, drink, sleep, company, entertainment, control, (the list goes on,) are all passions.  I define a passion as anything for which you have a strong need or desire.  Clearly, some passions are good in their proper bounds.  Others are neutral and are fine in moderation or may be eliminated according to your preference.  Still others are temptations that will lead us into dangerous waters if indulged in.

We all have strong, regular impulses.  At times the impulses are clear and specific.  We can generally judge accurately when we are hungry, thirsty, lonely, tired, etc.  On other occasions, we sense the strong need for something, but we are not sure what.  Often, for me, the feeling is so strong that I refer to it as an attack.  I feel almost in a panic to alleviate the discomfort caused by the need.  So, if my passions go unbridled, I find myself searching and attempting to fill that need in whatever ways possible.  I will eat despite not being hungry, consume ridiculous amounts of sugar, watch hours of fluffy entertainment, sleep far longer than I should, or lose my temper and yell.

The problem is that I don't walk away satisfied or fulfilled.  Instead I feel empty, often worse than I did before.  I believe that this occurs because what we are really longing for is God.  We long to be close to Him, to have His spirit with us, to experience that most fulfilling of all emotions: rightness with God.  But when we are blind to this truth, when we are haphazardly following our urges and impulses, we are usually alienating ourselves further from Him, which is why we feel so much worse after we're done.

This is an ugly cycle.  The only way to break free is to recognize the trap we've been falling into, and resolve, with much humility and prayer for the Lord's help, to live by principles instead of passions.

For example, (a more trivial one of the many that I could share,) I have a problem with sugar.  I eat far too much and I tend to consume it in those moments when I feel a strong need or longing for something and I don't know what.  I think it will make me feel better, and it might in the short run.  In the long run, I run out of candy, waste too much money buying more, get a stomach ache, and/or gain weight.

The principle I need to live by is temperance.  I need to create and follow a rule that I feel comfortable with and confident that God approves of according to the principle of temperance.  (i.e. one piece of candy after dinner or something like that.  There is no one right answer for everyone.  Our answers will vary, and that's alright.)  And then when that sugar-attack comes, I need to be firm with myself, keep the commitment I have made, and as trivial as it may seem, I really do believe that God will help us to meet with success.

This same pattern can be applied to far more serious passions.  Identify the passion, the problem, and the principle in play, and then make changes with the Lord's help.

Please note that we must find the better way to fill that void.  (Turn on some music, call up a friend, study your scriptures, or read a good book.)  Don't just let there be a vacuum of time or energy; direct your attention elsewhere.  And then, just like an itch that gets worse if you scratch it but better if you leave it alone, you will gain power over that passion.  Not only that, but you will find fulfillment in the ways that God desires and approves of.  You will be inviting the spirit into your life instead of driving it away, and you will be able to enjoy the fruits of that spirit, such as peace, love, joy, and contentment.