When the Struggle is Deeper Than the Surface: Identifying Unresolved Unrighteousness

There is a profound difference, brethren, between being simply overwhelmed by the world and being systematically undermined by a spiritual enemy. We are trained in the scriptures to recognize the signs of the natural adversary—the whispers of doubt, the sudden temptation toward quarrel, the deep-seated apathy regarding the covenants we hold dear. But how do we discern when a life’s apparent "out of control-ness" is merely a chemical imbalance, and when it is a direct consequence of unaddressed spiritual debt?

The modern culture, and indeed the spiritual landscape of the world, is often characterized by chaos and a profound loss of reverence. We see the symptoms—the addiction, the emotional volatility, the deep despair—and often attempt to address them with the most sophisticated professional mechanisms available. Yet, the Master’s work often requires us to look deeper, to the root cause, to the covenant breach that has been ignored.

The Savior’s account of the man from the tombs (Mark 5) is not merely an electric story of demonic oppression; it is a powerful, scholarly lesson on the necessity of addressing the inner life. When we analyze the text, we see a man whose physical state—gashing himself with stones, screaming among the tombs—is a visible symptom. But the accompanying spiritual diagnosis is far more alarming: he was under the influence of an unclean spirit.

The crucial distinction, which requires the keen eye of a diligent scholar, is this: While we acknowledge the professional mechanisms that God has allowed us to erect in our culture to treat physical or chemical imbalances, the spiritual dimension of man’s fallen nature cannot be left to chance. Unaddressed unrighteousness, covenant neglect, or sin that has been merely tolerated—these are the open portals through which the enemy operates.

When we fail to address the spiritual causation of our struggles, we do not merely manage a symptom; we amplify the uncontrollowness in our lives and in our families. We are, in essence, inviting demonic attention to make a bad thing worse.

The Doctrine of the Unresolved Covenant

For the Latter-day Saint scholar, this principle is a constant reminder that our relationship with the Lord is not merely a set of good intentions, but a daily, deliberate adherence to covenants. The scriptures teach us that the Lord requires more than simply attending General Conference—He requires the heart to be purified and the covenants to be kept.

The Distinction Between Body and Spirit

We must understand the concept of spiritual causation. When a person is struggling, we cannot simply treat the outward manifestation without first diagnosing the inner spiritual environment. To assume that all suffering is purely physical or psychological is to neglect the fundamental truth of the Plan of Salvation. The power of the Atonement, while sufficient for all sins, requires the willing repentance and deep study of the disciple.

“And if you keep my commandments and endure to the end, you shall inherit the kingdom of heaven.” (D&C 76:12)

This isn't a conditional promise; it is a covenant requirement. The spiritual strength required to overcome these deep-seated issues is found not in worldly remedies, but in the diligent study of the word and the persistent application of the Spirit.

The Iron Rod and the Scholar's Call

As disciples of the gospel, we are called to be scholars who do not accept surface-level explanations. When a brother or sister is struggling, we must approach it with the pastoral care of a fellow disciple, but with the doctrinal rigor of a scholar. We must help them differentiate: Is this a chemical imbalance requiring medical intervention, or is this a profound spiritual oppression resulting from a neglected covenant?

The path to resolution—to the binding of the unclean spirit—is always through repentance, through the temple, and through the continual deepening of our knowledge of the gospel. It is through the continual refinement of our spiritual sight that we can truly see the enemy's scheme, which is often not the obvious confrontation, but the subtle, slow erosion of the soul's covenants.

Do not be content to merely fight the symptoms. Instead, study the covenants again. Examine the areas of your life—your relationships, your habits, your private thoughts—where you have allowed unrighteousness to settle, where the light of the Spirit has been dimmed by complacency. For it is in these places that the enemy establishes his deepest foothold.

We invite you now to take this principle into your personal study. Do not merely read the scriptures; study them as if your eternal soul depended upon your ability to discern the subtle, yet devastating, whisper of the enemy. Let the Spirit guide your reading, and may the Lord grant you the vision to see the depths of the covenant.