Have you ever played the game of Jenga? The game of Jenga begins with a tower of rectangular blocks. These blocks are stacked crisscrossed, three in a row creating a tower. Jenga is a game of physical skill and steadiness. Each player must remove a block from somewhere in the tower and place it on top. The gameplay creates a progressively unstable structure. The process continues until a player attempts to move a block and the tower collapses.
Spiritual Towers
With this image in mind, imagine our spiritual health is like a giant Jenga tower designed by our Heavenly Father. Believing they are not necessary; we may remove some of the blocks supporting our spiritual tower. We may choose to remove blocks labeled daily prayer or daily scripture study. Perhaps blocks called “partaking the Sacrament weekly”, or “temple attendance” are discarded. Or, in fear, we may discard repentance and faith in Christ as well.
Jenga was never intended to be a one-player game. Perhaps we look at our spiritual tower content with just a few holes. “My tower is stable” we may tell ourselves. But, we do not play alone.
Know your opponent
Satan plays the game masterfully. Of course, He cheats and places a large fan next to our tower, set on high to blow incessantly. He kicks the table and screams at us as we try to move a piece on our own. Satan takes blocks of doubt, fear, and anxiety and stacks them on top to further weaken our tower. Without help, just like in the game, we will come crashing down.
“It is now time that we each implement extraordinary measures—perhaps measures we have never taken before—to strengthen our personal spiritual foundations. Unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures … If you and I are to withstand the forthcoming perils and pressures, it is imperative that we each have a firm spiritual foundation built upon the rock of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.
The Lord has declared that despite today’s unprecedented challenges, those who build their foundations upon Jesus Christ, and have learned how to draw upon His power, need not succumb to the unique anxieties of this era.” President Russell M. Nelson, October 2021 “The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation”
Rebuild permanently
Through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we can rebuild our fallen towers. We can reinforce our spiritual foundations. But we must repent and make an effort. Now is the time, my friends, to replace easily removed wooden blocks. We can fill our spiritual gaps with brick and mortar. Our efforts can be sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise. And we can be built upon the foundation of Christ, to never be removed again. Come and see, today is a great day to begin building!
