Living the gospel involves repeating spiritual practices over and over again. And in our efforts to stay consistent, we sometimes feel like we’re simply checking off tasks on our devotional to-do lists.
But what if the very consistency that feels cumbersome is actually key to deepening our connection with God? And how can we find more meaning when it feels like we’re just going through the motions?
I recently came across an encouraging quote from Elder David A. Bednar on this topic. In his new book The Rock of Our Redeemer, he writes:
“We can never study too often or too much the fundamental principles of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ because repetition facilitates revelation in a powerful way. …
“Repetition invites the Holy Ghost to renew, enrich, and enlarge the knowledge we already have obtained; it also can bring new knowledge and understanding into our minds and hearts. Thus, repetition is a vehicle through which the Holy Ghost can enlighten our minds, influence our hearts, and enlarge our understanding” (56–57, emphasis added).
This explanation reminds us that rather than a roadblock, repetition is vital to receiving revelation. Here are a few comforting reminders to keep in mind when our spiritual habits feel routine rather than restorative.
The Goal Is Gradual Growth
Let’s look at how this principle applies to scripture study. For example, the same verses we’ve read many times before may take on different personal meanings over time.
Sister Sheri L. Dew, a former Relief Society General Presidency member, once spoke about a time when she discovered an insight from the scriptures she had never considered. While she had repeatedly studied a specific topic, she explained that it took three years to receive an important prompting:
“[It] wasn’t until three years later that another passage leaped out at me as if in neon. Only then was I given to understand what the Lord had been trying to teach me all that time about the power of the Atonement to ease our burdens.”
As another example, my friend experienced the power of repetition once after setting a goal to read her scriptures daily for a week. “As the week went by, I felt good that I was sticking to my commitment, but I wasn’t getting much out of it,” she explained. “When Sunday rolled around, however, my chronological reading landed me right at the perfect chapter I needed that day. And I realized something: if I hadn’t kept reading all those other not-as-revelatory days, I wouldn’t have been on the right page that day. Heavenly Father had been preparing me to receive an answer all week—I just had to contribute my consistency.”
▶You may also like: The Come, Follow Me goal I should have set years ago (that you might want to copy)
It’s Normal to Feel Restless
Repetition and restlessness often go hand in hand.
For example, almost every musician I know has a love-hate relationship with practicing. When I learn a new violin or piano piece, I need to practice it slowly at first and drill difficult passages. This kind of methodical practice goes against my brain’s natural inclination toward novelty.
But consistently practicing the same notes can lead to more musicality, understanding, and even enjoyment (yes, practicing can become fun!). Repetition also allows me to solidify the piece in my mind and muscle memory. As the violinist Itzhak Perlman once put it, “If you practice something slowly, you forget it slowly. If you practice something fast, you forget it fast.”
In our spiritual practices, we often need to slow down and “be still,” studying God’s word and living His commandments until Christ’s name becomes “written always in [our] hearts.”
The Come, Follow Me manual states, “[it] requires consistent, daily efforts to understand and live the gospel.” God’s pattern for spiritual learning centers on “small and simple things,” and these things often need to be repeated regularly over time.
Like playing notes repeatedly in a piece, we may feel restless while reading another conference talk or scripture chapter or hearing certain topics at church. We may get tired of making course corrections when trying to form new habits. Or we may wonder why Church leaders encourage us to attend the temple frequently when we’ve already heard the same words to the ordinances many times.
But just as a music student can find deeper understanding and enjoyment in playing through consistent practice, we can find more joy in living the gospel by remembering the true purpose of spiritual repetition: connecting with God.
We Don’t Have to Be Perfect
The Book of Mormon teaches that even as we are diligent, we should be “temperate in all things”—and that includes our spiritual habits.
For example, we can find more joy in daily prayer and scripture study by avoiding extreme bursts and compulsive repetitions, making sure that our actions stem from a desire to connect with God rather than a sense of anxiety, shame, or guilt. Similarly, extreme spiritual habits or mental health challenges like scrupulosity may interfere with one’s ability to feel the Spirit and approach spiritual practices in a balanced way.
“‘If I don’t read my scriptures for a whole hour exactly’ or ‘If I don’t go to the temple three times a week’ or ‘If I don’t pray until I feel God’s love every time I pray’—[scrupulosity looks like] those very pervasive, very rigid, very demanding types of thoughts toward religiosity,” Dr. Debra McClendon explains.
Obsessive-compulsive behaviors can affect your ability to find peace in spiritual practices. If these patterns are impacting your daily life, a mental health professional can help you find the treatment approach best suited to your individual situation. Your bishop can also provide guidance and help refer you to a trained counselor through Family Services.
Regardless of our challenges, it’s comforting to remember that we don’t have to be perfect in our daily spiritual habits. “Perfection is pending,” President Russell M. Nelson taught. “It can come in full only after the Resurrection and only through the Lord. It awaits all who love Him and keep His commandments.”
So, when you feel like you’re just going through the motions in living the gospel, take heart. The Lord cares more that we are consistent than perfect, and our intentional repetition will connect us to Him.
And when your spiritual practices feel repetitive, remember this beautiful reality: the Lord might just be preparing you to receive even more revelation.
