Music & the Spoken Word: Success that lasts ceaselessly

Editor’s note: “The Spoken Word” is shared by Lloyd Newell each Sunday through the weekly Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square broadcast. Written by Joni Hilton, this will likely be given Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (There won’t be a live broadcast of “Music & the Spoken Word” on Feb. 18, Feb. 25 and March 3 because of the choir’s tour to the Philippines.)

We live in a time when people value busyness. If your schedule is full and your to-do list is long, people assume you’re living a reasonably successful life. But is that necessarily so?

The answer will depend on what we’ve placed on that schedule and that to-do list. As writer Stephen Covey said, “The key isn’t to prioritize what’s in your schedule, but to schedule your priorities” (“The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” by Stephen R. Covey, published by 2004, page 161).

If we search our hearts, lots of us would say we would like a detailed relationship with God, a completely happy family, good health and good relationships. But if we don’t find time for those most vital things, then before we realize it, other demands of life quickly crowd them out.

Seeing that this was happening in his own life, one man decided to show things the other way up. He wrote an inventory of his real priorities. When he put God at the highest, he realized he needed to schedule a block of time for every day prayer and scripture reading. And he decided that point needed to return first, not after dashing about all day left him too drained. No, he would let his first conversation every day be with God.

Suddenly the opposite things took care of themselves. Taking a while for spiritual connection improved all his other connections — along with his family, coworkers and neighbors. His life was higher because his priorities were higher.

Similarly, a busy woman wished she had more time to serve her neighbors, so she decided to make time. She set a every day reminder on her smartphone, calling it simply “Show a neighbor some love.” Her easy acts of affection didn’t take long, but they did take a conscious selection.

When we feel dissatisfied with life, perhaps our problem isn’t that we’ve failed; it’s that we’re succeeding on the unsuitable things. When we’re true to our highest priorities, we’re more relaxed, and our thoughts are clearer, our step is lighter. We know who we’re and where we’re going. When we place everlasting things ahead of fabric things, we’re on the trail toward the one success that matters — success that lasts ceaselessly.

Tuning in …

The “Music & the Spoken Word” broadcast is offered on KSL-TV, KSL NewsRadio 1160AM/102.7FM, KSL.com, BYUtv, BYUradio, Dish and DirecTV, SiriusXM Radio (Ch. 143), the tabernaclechoir.org, youtube.com/TheTabernacleChoir and Amazon Alexa (must enable skill). The program is aired live to tell the tale Sundays at 9:30 a.m. on lots of these outlets. Look up broadcast information by state and city at musicandthespokenword.com/viewers-listeners/airing-schedules.