4 Now, as Alma was teaching and speaking unto the people upon the hill Onidah, there came a great multitude unto him, who were those of whom we have been speaking, of whom were poor in heart, because of their poverty as to the things of the world.
5 And they came unto Alma; and the one who was the foremost among them said unto him: Behold, what shall these my brethren do, for they are despised of all men because of their poverty, yea, and more especially by our priests; for they have cast us out of our synagogues which we have labored abundantly to build with our own hands; and they have cast us out because of our exceeding poverty; and we have no place to worship our God; and behold, what shall we do?
6 And now when Alma heard this, he turned him about, his face immediately towards him, and he beheld with great joy; for he beheld that their afflictions had truly humbled them, and that they were in a preparation to hear the word.
7 Therefore he did say no more to the other multitude; but he stretched forth his hand, and cried unto those whom he beheld, who were truly penitent…
He Turned Him About – Alma 32:4-7
An important aspect of goal setting is adjusting our tactics as circumstances change. Alma’s goal was clear: to help the Zoramites repent of their sinful behavior. His actions at the beginning of this passage–preaching the gospel to a skeptical audience–were consistent with that goal but were not working very well. When he was approached by a group of humble seekers of truth, he immediately stopped talking to the non-receptive group and turned his attention to this new audience. He was prepared to adjust as circumstances changed because he was committed to the goal, not to the plan.
Today, I will maintain my focus on achieving my goals. I will adjust my activities as my circumstances change, recognizing that I can’t always foresee how I will accomplish my goals, but I can maintain my commitment to achieving them.
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