"Our Father in Heaven wants us to find joy in the process .... He wants us to be happy now,” taught Ty Hopkins, professor and chair of the Department of Exercise Sciences at BYU. In his Tuesday morning devotional at the Marriott Center, Hopkins spoke about lessons on endurance.
“Endurance is that process — the process of learning and growing during a sustained effort; the process of seeing good in hard circumstances; the process that leads to refinement and growth,” he said.
Inspired by the Tour Divide, self-supported, 2,700-mile bike race, Hopkins embraced endurance as a concept deeply rooted in hard work rather than passive waiting. Through extensive training, often under extreme conditions, he and a friend prepared rigorously for the race. He explained how consistent, hard work leads to physical and mental growth, drawing parallels with spiritual endurance.
“The process, not the product, should be our focus,” Hopkins expressed.
Throughout the process of preparing for and completing the Tour Divide, Hopkins learned that it’s not solely about hard work and reaching the finish line but also about finding joy and growth within the journey itself.
“Endurance is a gift!” Hopkins exclaimed. “We have been given an amazing body, mind and spirit that together have the capacity to endure so much.”
Hopkins recounted the emotional and physical trials endured during the grueling Tour Divide race and the profound lessons learned along the way. Despite intense exhaustion, isolation and physical pain, he found solace and strength through heartfelt prayer, gratitude and reflection.
“We are given a gift with real power, an open line of communication with our Father,” Hopkins said. “If we can humble ourselves enough, holding nothing back, bearing our soul to the person who already knows us, I promise that we can feel His presence and love in a real way.”
Hopkins closed by expressing that “endurance was intended to help us understand and realize the joy of learning and growing now, on earth.”
