Willing Heart and Willing Mind
Written by Dr. Lee Burdge and Jenny D. Webb
When Jesus Christ was asked what the most important commandment was, He responded, “Thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew
22:36-37). This invitation to love God with our hearts and minds is central to our discipleship. How do we
cultivate a love that encompasses both our emotions and intelligence? And why does God ask us to love
Him with both?
A Willing Heart
A willing heart is humble, open to God’s guidance, and willing to “let God prevail” in our lives. It is a
heart that trusts, listens, and seeks to serve. President Russell M. Nelson taught us in his October 2020
General Conference address, Let God Prevail, “It takes both faith and courage to let God prevail. It takes
persistent, rigorous spiritual work to repent and to put off the natural man through the Atonement of Jesus
Christ. It takes consistent, daily effort to develop personal habits to study the gospel, to learn more about
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and to seek and respond to personal revelation.”
His words remind us that developing a willing heart requires dedication. If this feels daunting, consider
taking small, consistent spiritual steps. Start with sincere, honest prayer each day. Set aside a few minutes
every day for scripture study to better understand God’s love for you. Embrace joyful, daily repentance as
a means of inviting Christ’s power into your life.
As you develop a heart that listens and yields to God, you’ll find yourself naturally drawn closer to Him.
A willing heart creates a “home” for God’s presence—a place you’ll return to when life pulls you away,
restoring your peace and connection with Him.
A Willing Mind
Having a willing mind as we walk the path of discipleship can sometimes be challenging. At times we
may feel resistant to the enticing voice of the Spirit. This resistance might be because we question aspects
of the gospel, or perhaps we may fear that others might view us as “blind followers.” At times, our egos
or pride in our ability to reason can interfere with the Spirit, making it harder to trust without having
complete understanding.
Developing a willing mind begins with intellectual humility—a readiness to acknowledge that we don’t
have all the answers but are open to learning. Some may wrestle with doubts about certain gospel
principles or aspects of church history or may even feel uncomfortable articulating why they have chosen
faith. These types of feelings can create a sense of distance from our Heavenly Father. However, during
seasons of doubt or confusion, He would have you draw even closer to Him. His love for you is not
dependent on your ability to understand His ways. He is a patient God and is willing to walk with you
while you are learning about Him.
If you are in a season of questioning, don’t hesitate to turn to those who have the truth. Seeking this truth
from our prophets and Church leaders, and those who offer inspired counsel can help us navigate our
challenges with faith. To some, this may seem to further the idea of being a blind follower. That ideology
is a tactic of Satan. He wants you to be distanced from the truth and will mock or degrade the sources of
pure knowledge that Heavenly Father has provided for you.
If you were struggling in a math class, you wouldn’t hesitate to receive help from your teacher or the
class aid. If someone offered to tutor you, and you found that they hated math and thought it was
worthless, you would avoid that person and their “help.” That principle is true for the Gospel of Jesus
Christ as well. Seeking tutoring or truth from someone who thinks the gospel is worthless and hates it,
would be a waste of your time. Don’t let Satan or “the world” tell you that learning from spiritual experts
is naive or juvenile.
What are some practical steps we can take to cultivate a willing mind? First, seek guidance from
Heavenly Father through prayer, and then take time to study the words of the Savior and His servants. It’s
also important to give yourself grace as you navigate this journey of creating a willing mind. Remember that giving up our way for His way is a vulnerable thing to do.
For us to fully become willing disciples, we must “yield” our hearts and minds to Jesus Christ. When we
yield in traffic, we give others the right of way; similarly, yielding to God means letting Him direct our
path. This act of yielding is another way of saying, “Let God prevail.” As we do, we make room for God’s
guidance and timing, allowing Him to reveal the way forward.
Another definition for yield is “to harvest.” When we yield ourselves to God, we open ourselves to a
harvest of peace, hope, grace, and His love. It’s a process of becoming—one where God’s strength
sustains us.
Here are a Few Practical Steps to Cultivate a Willing Heart and Mind
For a Willing Heart:
1. Daily Prayer and Scripture Study. Commit to simple but consistent daily spiritual
practices.
2. Service. Seek opportunities to serve in your home and community.
3. Gratitude and Reflection. Keep a journal of moments when you’ve felt God’s presence
and guidance.
For a Willing Mind:
1. Gospel Study. Dive deeper into scripture, especially Christ’s teachings, and listen to and
study General Conference messages.
2. Attend Sunday Church Services and go to the Temple as frequently as you can. Engage in
sacred spaces to center your mind on spiritual things.
3. Ask Honest Questions. Speak openly with God about your desire to love Him fully, and
courageously ask, “What lack I yet?” Trust that He welcomes these questions as part of your
growth.
4. As you lean on the Savior, He will guide your path, deepening your discipleship and love.
The relationship you develop with Him and with Heavenly Father will become a source of
strength, joy, and sustaining power throughout your mortal journey.
Remember, becoming a disciple is a journey, not a race to perfection. Changing yourself into a person
who has a willing mind and heart is a process of cultivating a relationship of learning, growing, and
becoming. As you walk this path, you will be filled with His light, love, grace and peace. Our loving
Heavenly Father wants you to have all that He has and knows the best way for you to receive that is to
become a willing disciple, heart and mind.
Prepare with Us
The Honey and Lilies Blog is dedicated to helping your prepare spiritually, mentally and emotionally, physically, and temporally.
Tune In
Join Meghan each week for inspiring messages, and diving into the scriptures to help you live the gospel, seek truth, and become a true disciple of Christ.
Dive Deeper
We are excited to offer online, self-paced courses to help you deepen your faith and understanding of the gospel and your covenants.