I Glory in My Jesus

It is hard to choose a favorite scripture, but if I had to it would be “I glory in plainness; I glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus, for he hath redeemed my soul from hell” (2 Nephi 33:6). Maybe it is the personal nature of this scripture—my Jesus? Or is it the simple power of relying completely on Christ to find peace and redemption? It is both. We mortals tend to make things more complicated than needed. When I complicate things, I really complicate things.  But when I get caught in the weeds of confusion, I have found the Spirit strongest by remembering some specific ways that I glory in Jesus and return to His simple truths.

I want joy, and it is made possible when I consistently choose to focus on Jesus. As I glory in Jesus, I have found my greatest joy.

 Glory in Plainness

Recently I was asked to speak in a large arena to thousands of people. I had practiced earlier on the day of the event. The run through went well as I stood at a podium and worked through my message.

But that evening, with the massive college center filled to capacity, the podium was unexpectedly removed from the stage. As the closing speaker, I was already struggling with controlling my nerves.

As I sat off stage, waiting to present TED Talk style, I was overcome with adrenaline. I pleaded in prayer for additional peace. But my blood pressure was still elevated.

Then I spotted a large picture of the Savior on the mega screen on stage. To glory in plainness had never been more needed than I needed it that night. In simple terms, I knew I needed to focus only on Jesus. My talk title was coincidently “Eyes on Jesus.”

So I took my own advice: I kept it plain and I gloried in Jesus— keeping my eyes on His picture. I took some deep breaths and focused only on God—not the crowd or my fear of tripping. It worked. The peace took over where once there had been panic. Plain and simple.

Glory in Truth  

In a world where truth is often fleeting, it is easy to get lost and confused. Having the Spirit as a constant companion allows one to know the truth. We can glory more in Jesus when staying in an intimate relationship with God. Like all relationships, it takes effort. When you study sacred readings, have daily prayer, serve in holy temples and worship on Sundays in church, you are nurturing your connection with Christ.

And now, I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever. Amen. (Ether 12)

Take a few minutes to quiet the voices of the world. Why is it so easy to glory in the latest tech gadget, a new car, or arecent vacation social media post. None of these “good” things will bring the lasting joy that comes from a nurtured relationship with God. As I glory in our Savior, a daily walk with Jesus is a walk with eternal truth.

In his speech “I Glory in My Jesus,” Elder Adolf J. Johanson quoted 2 Nephi 33:6 and gave his own testimony:

Why did Nephi use the phrase “I glory in my Jesus”? . . . [I] feel that Nephi wanted us to make the Savior our Savior, my Savior, your Savior. This phrase “My Jesus” engages the heart in a personal relationship with the Lord that goes beyond just knowing about Him. The Savior’s invitation to come unto Him is so personal and so powerful that if heeded, it will transform each of us from a state of believing, to state of knowing and a state of becoming like Him. ¹  

I glory in my Jesus. The foundation of my testimony is as plain and as powerful as that. In truth, nothing else matters. My Savior has redeemed me—and you—from hell. I keep in mind 2 Nephi 33:6 as my favorite scripture, as it gives comfort and direction to my life.