17 For behold, the Lord had blessed them so long with the riches of the world that they had not been stirred up to anger, to wars, nor to bloodshed; therefore they began to set their hearts upon their riches; yea, they began to seek to get gain that they might be lifted up one above another; therefore they began to commit secret murders, and to rob and to plunder, that they might get gain.
(Helaman 6:17)
Is there an optimal level of adversity in our lives? In the passage above, Mormon tells us that the Nephites at this time had been blessed for so long and had been spared so many of the trials which had afflicted the prior generation that they became spiritually debilitated. “They began to set their hearts upon their riches,” and they became hypercompetitive with each other. In other words, they became proud, which led to conflict and instability in the society.
Today, I will be grateful for the blessings I have received, and I will also be grateful for the challenges I face, which can help me be humble. I will avoid becoming too attached to my possessions and will instead seek for the “riches of eternity” (D&C 68:31).
