17 And the mists of darkness are the temptations of the devil, which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they perish and are lost.
Just as the Holy Ghost speaks to our minds and to our hearts (D&C 8:2), the temptations of the devil attempt to disrupt both our mental and emotional faculties.
1. They “blind the eyes,” persuading us to discount critical information and to overemphasize unimportant or faulty information to arrive at foolish decisions.
2. They also “harden the hearts,” leading us to override our natural affections and sensibilities and to make decisions which are contrary to our true feelings.
The ultimate result of all of these disruptions is that we are led into “broad roads”: easy paths or roads more traveled by. These decisions may come naturally to us, but they are not consistent with our happiness or fulfillment, and if we will take the time to ponder them we will recognize that they are not in harmony with our reason or with our deepest convictions.
Today, I will watch for temptations and will ask Heavenly Father to help me overcome their disruptive influence on both my mind and my heart.