It’s a lot easier to protect and preserve something than to fix it after it’s broken or recover it when it’s been lost.
When Moroni received Helaman’s epistle, he was overjoyed to hear of Helaman’s success in retaking several cities that had been conquered by the Lamanites. He wrote to the chief judge, asking him to send reinforcements, so that Helaman “might with ease maintain that part of the land which he had been so miraculously prospered in regaining” (Alma 59:3).
But then, tragedy struck. The city of Nephihah fell to an enormous Lamanite force. Moroni had expected Pahoran to send reinforcements there as well and was angry that it hadn’t happened. He knew “that it was easier to keep the city from falling into the hands of the Lamanites than to retake it from them,” and he thought with the help of additional men, “they would easily maintain that city” (Alma 59:9).
It’s a simple principle with profound implications in our lives. For example:
- It’s a lot easier to stay healthy through appropriate exercise, diet, and sleep than to overcome an illness.
- Changing the oil in your car is a lot simpler and cheaper than replacing damaged parts or possibly the entire engine.
- Investing time and energy in our most important relationships is much more effective than trying to rebuild them after neglecting them.
- It’s so much easier to repent daily than to wait for a crisis before making necessary changes.
Today, I will focus on maintaining the important things in my life. I will remember that it’s easier to maintain something than to regain it, and I’ll make small investments now to avoid painful remediation later.
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