I like comparisons, or rather, I like healthy comparisons. Lately I’ve been thinking about some challenges in my life and how they seem to have something in common. The “something” is a recurring theme with a lot of variations. I think I know the theme well enough now that I’m not going out on a limb to share it.
When I was a kid, I liked climbing trees. I don’t remember ever falling out of a tree, or breaking my arm, but I do remember getting stuck in a few places where I needed some help. Feeling stuck is not a comfortable place to be. I don’t have to be hanging from a branch with four fingers to dislike it. Sometimes being in a place where I don’t feel like I can move without help is hard enough. That’s where faith comes in. It is a definite part of the theme.
The feeling of being stuck has been a familiar companion to my most difficult challenges. More often than not, it seems I am presented with a riddle that has no solution. The questions I have asked myself were not hard to understand, but the answers were elusive. Here are a few of my own examples.
How will my wife and I pay off a student loan and afford to start a family? How do I tell my boss I am uncomfortable with a company decision without losing my job? How can I possibly fit time in an already busy schedule to accept a calling and serve in my church? How can I complete my deadline at work without working on the Sabbath? How can I be at an important school play for my daughter and not neglect my client? With all that is expected of me, how will I possibly get everything done?
Whatever my questions may have been, I seem to have faired alright. In spite of elusive answers, my life hasn’t come to a screeching halt, and there isn’t a single question that has stopped me from moving forward. Yet, I have a tendency to freeze up when I am afraid. I avoid the choices I don’t want to make. Regardless of what is real, the way I perceive my circumstances can make it difficult for me to make good choices, especially if I worry too much about all the “what ifs.” The fact that I have navigated each of my challenges in the past is evidence that there was a way to do it.
This pattern of getting through difficult situations points to a significant personal observation – my biggest challenge has been my fears, not my circumstances.
The most successful way I have found through my challenges is to face them, and more importantly to face them with faith. Is this easier said than done? Yes. But, having the faith to believe that there is a way is a very important step. While many of my challenges have had the appearance of being impossible, or at least very unfavorable, not one of them has stopped me. One by one, I tackled each riddle, left my comfort zone, faced my fears, and went out on a limb. Where I thought I was stuck, I became a little less so by working to find a solution. My next step has been to turn to God.
If I truly believe that “with God nothing shall be impossible,” (Luke 1:37) and I won’t be tested “above that which I can bear,” (Alma 13:28) then I should also have faith in God that He will provide a way to get through every challenge. I can have confidence that He has already provided a way for me to get unstuck. This may be through my own efforts, or it may be from someone else who isn’t clinging to a branch. In whatever the circumstance, He will provide help. "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you," is what He has promised. (Matthew 7:7)
Truer than finding a lost object in the last place you think to look, needed help often comes when you are at the end of your rope, or at the end of a branch. It comes right when you think you can’t possibly do any more. This is because you “receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.” (Ether 12:6)
God is our loving Father in Heaven. He wants us to be like Him. We become more like Him as we put our faith in Him – faith enough to do as much as we possibly can before He steps in. It’s the faith to act and face our circumstances, even when we are afraid or don’t want to. As we learn to face our fears and replace them with faith, we learn how to get unstuck faster. It happens with His help.
If you ever feel like you are being tested as much as you can possibly bear, hold on and turn to God. Don’t give up. God intends to test our faith to make us stronger. If you feel like you have to make an impossible decision, remember that help will be on its way. That’s what He has promised, and it’s worth remembering when you are stuck out on a limb.
What I Believe…
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Showing posts with label Prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prayer. Show all posts
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
My Question
Surprised, I stopped and noticed it –
A question – hiding behind my confidence,
The quiet voice I forgot was there,
Familiar against my silence.
This mark, I thought, had gone away –
Scolded and disciplined for loitering.
Instead it wagged its finger at me,
That question that is questioning.
Should I be worried? Is my faith weak,
I asked, If unresolved the mark remains?
If I have answered more than once,
How long until it stays away?
I took my stance before the mark
As though it were not there.
Exchanging weakness for my strength,
I lowly knelt in prayer.
Even lower did I stand
When I was answered not a word.
Was it the fault of mark or mine,
When my prayer went unheard?
With my adjusted stature,
I saw no place to hide,
Not for me, nor my question,
Beneath confidence, stature, or pride.
I resolved myself to move along
With intentions that are good,
And when my mark no longer questioned,
That’s where my answer stood.
Some answers come by gentle words
That match the quiet voice.
Yet some are found by pure resolve
And in the honest choice.
Perhaps the mark found a place
To hide until I’m weak.
It’s finger to wag, and words to wave
With tongue placed in cheek.
What I Believe…
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
A question – hiding behind my confidence,
The quiet voice I forgot was there,
Familiar against my silence.
This mark, I thought, had gone away –
Scolded and disciplined for loitering.
Instead it wagged its finger at me,
That question that is questioning.
Should I be worried? Is my faith weak,
I asked, If unresolved the mark remains?
If I have answered more than once,
How long until it stays away?
I took my stance before the mark
As though it were not there.
Exchanging weakness for my strength,
I lowly knelt in prayer.
Even lower did I stand
When I was answered not a word.
Was it the fault of mark or mine,
When my prayer went unheard?
With my adjusted stature,
I saw no place to hide,
Not for me, nor my question,
Beneath confidence, stature, or pride.
I resolved myself to move along
With intentions that are good,
And when my mark no longer questioned,
That’s where my answer stood.
Some answers come by gentle words
That match the quiet voice.
Yet some are found by pure resolve
And in the honest choice.
Perhaps the mark found a place
To hide until I’m weak.
It’s finger to wag, and words to wave
With tongue placed in cheek.
What I Believe…
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Just Like a Pebble
Standing at the edge, I found myself tempted by this irresistible urge. I had to know. I wanted to try. Purposefully, I clenched my hand, made my decision, and then threw the small stone into the water. For a moment longer, the surface of the large pond in the Uintah Mountains remained smooth as glass. Then everything changed.
Once the relatively small rock plunged into the water, there was little I could do to stop the reaction of natural consequences. From the spot where the rock hit the surface, ripples began to move through the water. I watched them surge outward, further and further, until they reached the opposite side of the pond. Upon arrival, the ripples reversed direction and mirrored the bank as they began a return trip to where the stone first fell.
Natural consequences are quite often predictable and easy to repeat. I think it interesting that consequences often carry an undesirable connotation as consistently as water carries a wave. Yet, consequences don’t have to be negative.
There have been moments in my life where I needed extra help and had nowhere to turn. Like the pond, my life was standing still, and it seemed that I was all alone. Figuratively speaking, that is when I threw my stone – I knelt in prayer and waited to see what would happen.
Faith is not a thing of little consequence. In fact, faith the size of a mustard seed has been reported to move mountains. With that kind of force, it is not possible to exercise faith without the effects of expected consequences.
Personal prayer to God is one of the simplest ways we can exercise our faith. The truth is, prayer works. Once you throw the rock, you cannot stop the consequences of that prayer any more than you can stop the ripples in the pond. God hears and answers prayers when we ask in faith. He is not limited in His ability to answer our prayers. Rather, we often limit what He can do by how much faith we put in Him.
If you are a skeptic, you might question my belief that God answers every prayer. In turn, I might reply that some ripples merely take longer to get to the other shore before making the return trip. Sometimes that distance is self imposed because we create distance through our disobedience. I also believe there are other distances that have nothing to do with our worthiness. Instead the time required to answer a prayer has more to do with each individual test of our faith. Some tests just take longer than others. God may have made Abraham wait a hundred years to give him a son, but he did answer his prayer.
In my own life, I have found personal prayer to be very powerful. Whenever I ask in faith, I can see the Lord’s hand both guiding and providing for me. Yes, things may appear very still when He wants me to see what I am capable of, but He does listen, and He does answer prayers. Every time we pray, there are natural consequences. A single prayer offered in faith may seem very small in a wide universe, but it sends a powerful message, just like a pebble in a pond.
What I Believe…
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Once the relatively small rock plunged into the water, there was little I could do to stop the reaction of natural consequences. From the spot where the rock hit the surface, ripples began to move through the water. I watched them surge outward, further and further, until they reached the opposite side of the pond. Upon arrival, the ripples reversed direction and mirrored the bank as they began a return trip to where the stone first fell.
Natural consequences are quite often predictable and easy to repeat. I think it interesting that consequences often carry an undesirable connotation as consistently as water carries a wave. Yet, consequences don’t have to be negative.
There have been moments in my life where I needed extra help and had nowhere to turn. Like the pond, my life was standing still, and it seemed that I was all alone. Figuratively speaking, that is when I threw my stone – I knelt in prayer and waited to see what would happen.
Faith is not a thing of little consequence. In fact, faith the size of a mustard seed has been reported to move mountains. With that kind of force, it is not possible to exercise faith without the effects of expected consequences.
Personal prayer to God is one of the simplest ways we can exercise our faith. The truth is, prayer works. Once you throw the rock, you cannot stop the consequences of that prayer any more than you can stop the ripples in the pond. God hears and answers prayers when we ask in faith. He is not limited in His ability to answer our prayers. Rather, we often limit what He can do by how much faith we put in Him.
If you are a skeptic, you might question my belief that God answers every prayer. In turn, I might reply that some ripples merely take longer to get to the other shore before making the return trip. Sometimes that distance is self imposed because we create distance through our disobedience. I also believe there are other distances that have nothing to do with our worthiness. Instead the time required to answer a prayer has more to do with each individual test of our faith. Some tests just take longer than others. God may have made Abraham wait a hundred years to give him a son, but he did answer his prayer.
In my own life, I have found personal prayer to be very powerful. Whenever I ask in faith, I can see the Lord’s hand both guiding and providing for me. Yes, things may appear very still when He wants me to see what I am capable of, but He does listen, and He does answer prayers. Every time we pray, there are natural consequences. A single prayer offered in faith may seem very small in a wide universe, but it sends a powerful message, just like a pebble in a pond.
What I Believe…
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Sunday, November 7, 2010
One Complete Turn
Occasionally I find myself ashamed because of a look my wife will give me. A little perturbed but mostly amused, it’s the look that says, “Are you still listening or is your mind somewhere else?” “Oh,” I think to myself. “Um… sorry.” My own recognition of my folly is usually accompanied by a slight shoulder shrug as I gesture that I wasn’t paying attention like I thought I was. Silly me. As hard as I try to stay present, I’m not always successful. Perhaps you’ve been there, too.
As Liz and I have regular conversations, she will often say something that sparks a thought that takes me in a slightly different direction than she was intending. The idea is intriguing, and suddenly I am off on a “thought-chain” where one idea leads to another. It just happens that the end of my chain doesn’t connect with hers and I have to forge a link to bring us back together. I’m glad we can make those kinds of connections.
Fortunately in our relationship, I am not alone in this regard. (Grin. It’s nice having something in common. I don’t feel so strange that way.) I may have things I really want to share with my wife only to find out that she isn’t fully engaged either. On any given day, either of us can be preoccupied with other details that keep us from connecting fully with the other. Yes, we may be having the same conversation together, and we both may be listening. However, it’s the specific way that we listen that can make all the difference.
What a wonderful thing it is to have a friend! On a number of occasions this past year I have talked about friendship, conversations, and connections on this blog. If you didn’t know me better, you might think I was referring to social networking like Facebook or Twitter. My gratitude goes far deeper than that. Whether it is my wife, a parent, one of my children, or a very close friend, I treasure the opportunity to truly connect.
This year, more than any other year in my life, I have discovered what a wonderful thing it is to have something unique to share and have a friend whose interest matches my own. It is simply exhilarating! Deep closeness, commonality, and sharing can forge a powerful connection between two people. As I have considered how rewarding this kind of relationship is, I have been more diligent to improve all of my relationships with others. I have tried to find more connection with whoever I am with. Not only has this improved many friendships, it has also made me reconsider the most important relationship in my life.
On more than one occasion, I have found myself ashamed to admit that the private prayer I just offered to God on my knees seemed very familiar. It was so familiar, in fact, that it could almost have been a written prayer – one with a formula where certain things need to be said in a certain order to get a certain result. I almost jest that a number could be assigned to that prayer as though I was placing an order for a combination plate on a dinner menu. Hmm. I’m not sure that meets the intent of why I pray. But it happens. Whether I am tired, indifferent, or distracted by a thought-chain, my chain still does not connect with Father’s and I have to forge a link to bring us back together.
In contrast, there have been times in my life where certain prayers felt more powerful. Because I was in great need, and I tried to be very sincere, it was as though I had access to a VIP hotline that is sure to get results. Those prayers were meaningful. They were deeply close. I felt connected to Father in Heaven, if only by prayer, and I could pour out my heart to him. These are prayers I would consider recommending for my own personal hall of fame. They are prayers that are worth remembering – not the words, but what I felt.
As I compare the most rewarding conversations I have had with those where I am not fully engaged, I have noticed a pattern. When I talk to my wife, a close friend, or with Father in prayer, my ability to feel connected has less to do with outside circumstances and more to do with the combined intent of myself and the person I am talking with. I don’t think my hall of fame conversations need to be left to chance or serendipity. More often than not, they are a matter of choice.
The car that I currently drive has an automatic transmission. While I learned to drive with a stick shift in a standard car, an automatic has become my standard preference. Switching gears has become so automatic that I hardly think about it, yet I believe it has a good application here. In order to shift, the clutch must be disengaged by pressing the pedal on the floor. Doing so allows for the gears to change. However, if I push on the clutch pedal but never release, then I can’t engage the gears to move and I come to a halt.
When my prayers become so automatic that I am not fully present in mind, it’s as though the clutch is not engaging the gears that allow for a connection that will take me someplace better. Instead, I go through the motions of having a meaningful conversation, but don’t really get anywhere at all. In essence, I offer prayer #18 because it was a good one worth repeating. But unless I really mean it, I get stuck. If I feel that I need help and my prayers are not being answered, this is one of the first places I check.
The Book of Mormon prophet, Moroni, concluded his record with a promise whereby readers might know if the book is truly scripture. He invites all to read it and then promises that God will manifest the truth of it by the power of the Holy Ghost. I believe this to be the right kind of formula for answers to all of our prayers. The key is to “ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ,” and then He will manifest the truth to us. (Moroni 10:3-5) Having faith and being sincere is crucial to the equation, but just as important is the need for real intent – or the intent to receive the answer and follow once it is given.
All too often, my intent becomes apparent by where my heart and mind are directed. If I am talking with my wife, but I am thinking about something else, then it is hard to be turned toward her thoughts in that moment. If I am talking with a friend, but I am not really engaged in what they are saying, it is difficult to make a connection. Where I especially want to be connected is with Father when I pray. I want to feel that my prayers are being heard and will be answered, just as He has promised. God doesn’t change, and He is always listening. He has promised to take care of us and answer us when we are not of little faith. I know that He does, and I feel it most when I turn my heart to Him.
I have a combination lock at home that I use when I go to the local rec center for some exercise. In order to open the lock, I have to know the right combination of turns. A typical combination lock requires you to make several turns to the right to clear the lock of any memory. This is followed by a complete turn to the left and another partial turn to the right. As long as I turn to the right places on the dial, the lock opens.
Like my combination lock, there is a combination of things that are calculated to unlock answers to my prayers. All I need is a sincere heart, real intent, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The answers I seek are not restricted. Father is merely protecting His blessings until I have turned my heart towards Him. Once we each turn our hearts to Him, He is willing to give us everything. Also like the lock, there are some changes I have to make in my life that are very minor. Quite often it may be as simple as a decision to focus and listen when Father is trying to speak to me. There are other times that I have to turn and turn and turn until I clear the memory of the lock, or rather, desires that are so strong they override my faith. What is most important is to make a complete turn, which has a slightly different definition in the scriptures.
The Lord has often warned His people against becoming a stiffnecked generation. When we become prideful and determined to do what we want instead of choosing what He asks us to do, we lose any intent we may have had to follow God. We become stubborn and persistent in doing that which will lead us away from Him. While this may sound like it could apply to the most serious of sins, it also has application in our daily communication with our Father.
As we turn to God in prayer, we keep our necks flexible and agile. When we begin each day with prayer, and real intent, the events that follow will have a set direction. The physical direction may vary and meander, but the spiritual direction will become more and more rigid on the will of our Father. By turning our hearts fully, it matters less how much we turn than where we turn. A complete turn is learning to trust Him completely. We then turn our lives over to him along with our faith and our sacrifices.
Moses also taught the ancient Israelites of the importance of turning to God. He warned them that they would be scattered because they were already scattered in their hearts and in their will to serve the one true God. But, he also told them that they would be gathered if they would turn completely to Him.
“But if… thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. When thou are in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them. (Deuteronomy 4:29-31)
Seeking the Lord starts with prayer. Completely turning to him requires that we are engaged in conversation to learn His will. If we intend to live with Him again, then we should have real intent to start following Him now, as much as is within our ability.
As I think about beautiful conversations I have had this year that have been deep and meaningful, where I felt very connected to a friend, I begin to wish that every conversation were that way. If I truly believe that Father is waiting for me to initiate such a conversation with Him so He can speak to me as a friend, I have to ask, “What am I waiting for? Why don’t I make every prayer qualify for my own personal hall of fame?” Even if I am not sure how to develop such a close friendship with Him, he has already given the promise. If we seek Him, we will find Him.
If our hearts have not yet turned, we can at least start turning. An effort to do so will demonstrate real intent. Then, when we arrive at the first correct step, we can make another turn. A combination of complete turns to God will eventually unlock the answers to prayer that we seek and enable us to make a deeper connection with Father as a friend.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
As Liz and I have regular conversations, she will often say something that sparks a thought that takes me in a slightly different direction than she was intending. The idea is intriguing, and suddenly I am off on a “thought-chain” where one idea leads to another. It just happens that the end of my chain doesn’t connect with hers and I have to forge a link to bring us back together. I’m glad we can make those kinds of connections.
Fortunately in our relationship, I am not alone in this regard. (Grin. It’s nice having something in common. I don’t feel so strange that way.) I may have things I really want to share with my wife only to find out that she isn’t fully engaged either. On any given day, either of us can be preoccupied with other details that keep us from connecting fully with the other. Yes, we may be having the same conversation together, and we both may be listening. However, it’s the specific way that we listen that can make all the difference.
What a wonderful thing it is to have a friend! On a number of occasions this past year I have talked about friendship, conversations, and connections on this blog. If you didn’t know me better, you might think I was referring to social networking like Facebook or Twitter. My gratitude goes far deeper than that. Whether it is my wife, a parent, one of my children, or a very close friend, I treasure the opportunity to truly connect.
This year, more than any other year in my life, I have discovered what a wonderful thing it is to have something unique to share and have a friend whose interest matches my own. It is simply exhilarating! Deep closeness, commonality, and sharing can forge a powerful connection between two people. As I have considered how rewarding this kind of relationship is, I have been more diligent to improve all of my relationships with others. I have tried to find more connection with whoever I am with. Not only has this improved many friendships, it has also made me reconsider the most important relationship in my life.
On more than one occasion, I have found myself ashamed to admit that the private prayer I just offered to God on my knees seemed very familiar. It was so familiar, in fact, that it could almost have been a written prayer – one with a formula where certain things need to be said in a certain order to get a certain result. I almost jest that a number could be assigned to that prayer as though I was placing an order for a combination plate on a dinner menu. Hmm. I’m not sure that meets the intent of why I pray. But it happens. Whether I am tired, indifferent, or distracted by a thought-chain, my chain still does not connect with Father’s and I have to forge a link to bring us back together.
In contrast, there have been times in my life where certain prayers felt more powerful. Because I was in great need, and I tried to be very sincere, it was as though I had access to a VIP hotline that is sure to get results. Those prayers were meaningful. They were deeply close. I felt connected to Father in Heaven, if only by prayer, and I could pour out my heart to him. These are prayers I would consider recommending for my own personal hall of fame. They are prayers that are worth remembering – not the words, but what I felt.
As I compare the most rewarding conversations I have had with those where I am not fully engaged, I have noticed a pattern. When I talk to my wife, a close friend, or with Father in prayer, my ability to feel connected has less to do with outside circumstances and more to do with the combined intent of myself and the person I am talking with. I don’t think my hall of fame conversations need to be left to chance or serendipity. More often than not, they are a matter of choice.
The car that I currently drive has an automatic transmission. While I learned to drive with a stick shift in a standard car, an automatic has become my standard preference. Switching gears has become so automatic that I hardly think about it, yet I believe it has a good application here. In order to shift, the clutch must be disengaged by pressing the pedal on the floor. Doing so allows for the gears to change. However, if I push on the clutch pedal but never release, then I can’t engage the gears to move and I come to a halt.
When my prayers become so automatic that I am not fully present in mind, it’s as though the clutch is not engaging the gears that allow for a connection that will take me someplace better. Instead, I go through the motions of having a meaningful conversation, but don’t really get anywhere at all. In essence, I offer prayer #18 because it was a good one worth repeating. But unless I really mean it, I get stuck. If I feel that I need help and my prayers are not being answered, this is one of the first places I check.
The Book of Mormon prophet, Moroni, concluded his record with a promise whereby readers might know if the book is truly scripture. He invites all to read it and then promises that God will manifest the truth of it by the power of the Holy Ghost. I believe this to be the right kind of formula for answers to all of our prayers. The key is to “ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ,” and then He will manifest the truth to us. (Moroni 10:3-5) Having faith and being sincere is crucial to the equation, but just as important is the need for real intent – or the intent to receive the answer and follow once it is given.
All too often, my intent becomes apparent by where my heart and mind are directed. If I am talking with my wife, but I am thinking about something else, then it is hard to be turned toward her thoughts in that moment. If I am talking with a friend, but I am not really engaged in what they are saying, it is difficult to make a connection. Where I especially want to be connected is with Father when I pray. I want to feel that my prayers are being heard and will be answered, just as He has promised. God doesn’t change, and He is always listening. He has promised to take care of us and answer us when we are not of little faith. I know that He does, and I feel it most when I turn my heart to Him.
I have a combination lock at home that I use when I go to the local rec center for some exercise. In order to open the lock, I have to know the right combination of turns. A typical combination lock requires you to make several turns to the right to clear the lock of any memory. This is followed by a complete turn to the left and another partial turn to the right. As long as I turn to the right places on the dial, the lock opens.
Like my combination lock, there is a combination of things that are calculated to unlock answers to my prayers. All I need is a sincere heart, real intent, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The answers I seek are not restricted. Father is merely protecting His blessings until I have turned my heart towards Him. Once we each turn our hearts to Him, He is willing to give us everything. Also like the lock, there are some changes I have to make in my life that are very minor. Quite often it may be as simple as a decision to focus and listen when Father is trying to speak to me. There are other times that I have to turn and turn and turn until I clear the memory of the lock, or rather, desires that are so strong they override my faith. What is most important is to make a complete turn, which has a slightly different definition in the scriptures.
The Lord has often warned His people against becoming a stiffnecked generation. When we become prideful and determined to do what we want instead of choosing what He asks us to do, we lose any intent we may have had to follow God. We become stubborn and persistent in doing that which will lead us away from Him. While this may sound like it could apply to the most serious of sins, it also has application in our daily communication with our Father.
As we turn to God in prayer, we keep our necks flexible and agile. When we begin each day with prayer, and real intent, the events that follow will have a set direction. The physical direction may vary and meander, but the spiritual direction will become more and more rigid on the will of our Father. By turning our hearts fully, it matters less how much we turn than where we turn. A complete turn is learning to trust Him completely. We then turn our lives over to him along with our faith and our sacrifices.
Moses also taught the ancient Israelites of the importance of turning to God. He warned them that they would be scattered because they were already scattered in their hearts and in their will to serve the one true God. But, he also told them that they would be gathered if they would turn completely to Him.
“But if… thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. When thou are in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them. (Deuteronomy 4:29-31)
Seeking the Lord starts with prayer. Completely turning to him requires that we are engaged in conversation to learn His will. If we intend to live with Him again, then we should have real intent to start following Him now, as much as is within our ability.
As I think about beautiful conversations I have had this year that have been deep and meaningful, where I felt very connected to a friend, I begin to wish that every conversation were that way. If I truly believe that Father is waiting for me to initiate such a conversation with Him so He can speak to me as a friend, I have to ask, “What am I waiting for? Why don’t I make every prayer qualify for my own personal hall of fame?” Even if I am not sure how to develop such a close friendship with Him, he has already given the promise. If we seek Him, we will find Him.
If our hearts have not yet turned, we can at least start turning. An effort to do so will demonstrate real intent. Then, when we arrive at the first correct step, we can make another turn. A combination of complete turns to God will eventually unlock the answers to prayer that we seek and enable us to make a deeper connection with Father as a friend.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Monday, October 25, 2010
I'm a Mormon
Hi, I’m John McConkie
I’m a designer, an architect, a reader, a runner, and a family guy. I’m a Mormon.
About Me
Oh, and I also love deep conversations, music, philosophy, thinking, psychology, writing, poetry, sketching, painting, hiking, camping, cycling, and… the list goes on and on. I think there is an endless stream of good things to experience in life – things that are meaningful and fascinating. If you ever feel that you have so many interests that you have to pare things down, then you and I have something in common.
I love to live life with passion and intensity! I like to get the most out of life – enjoy it for all it’s worth. I would rather miss out on a little sleep than miss an opportunity that might not come around again. More than that, I love to share those things that have meaning with a friend. Having something in common like that really strengthens relationships, especially those that matter most. I don’t know what I would do without my family and close friends – people who care and stand by me in any circumstance, even when life isn’t so inspiring.
My favorite person to share with is my beautiful wife. She and I have been married for sixteen years and we have a family of three boys and two girls. They are a lot of work, but a LOT of fun! We have great times together. There is never a dull moment at our house, not unless everyone is gone. We may not have a perfect marriage, or a perfect family, but we definitely have something special that is worth cherishing!
For most of my life I have lived in Utah and I love it! I love the mountains and prairies, the beautiful snow, the deep forests, and the red rock deserts. Besides Utah, I have spent a lot of time living in California, too. It’s my other home. Give me a beach with a view of the ocean and I’m more than content. Most of the time, however, home is more of an attitude. When I am surrounded by my favorite people in the world, I can’t think of a better place to call home than that.
Why I am a Mormon
I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t acknowledge that I am a Mormon because of my family, at least to start with. Many of my family lines have been members of the church for eight generations and were among the pioneers who first came by wagon to settle the west. All the stories you may have heard about the Mormons coming west, well, that was them. They had a lot of faith. They left a lot behind, and they also left me a rich heritage of courage and determination that has shaped who I am. Yet that isn’t enough to for me to be a Mormon. You see, I’m big on experience, especially experiencing things for myself.
I’m a Mormon because of my own faith and what I have learned. I’m not a skeptic, but I tend to question everything. I want to know why, and I want to know for myself. Taking things on “good faith” isn’t enough for me. I want my own faith. I want to believe in something because it is right, and not just because someone else said so.
When I was younger – when I was in high school, in fact – I had an experience that changed me, or at least changed the way I thought about spiritual things. I had been taught to read the scriptures as a way to feel closer to God. I had read in the Old and New Testaments, and the Book of Mormon, and I believed they were true. I knew they were a record of God’s dealings with His children, but I hadn’t quite internalized them yet. That’s when things changed.
On one occasion, I was reading in the Book of Mormon when I felt something different. It wasn’t dramatic, and I didn’t see angels, but I felt something. It was while I was reading the story of a young man named Nephi. He was a good role model, but he seemed a little out of reach, like he was something that I couldn’t be. Nephi always seemed to be obedient. He wasn’t rebellious and he didn’t complain. Instead, he did his best to learn what God wanted him to do and then he did it, or so I thought.
I gained a new appreciation for Nephi, when I came to the part where he mentioned his weaknesses. I was shocked. Instead of thinking that he was close to perfect, I listened to him express his frustrations about temptations and how they could so easily overwhelm him. Suddenly I realized that this role model of a prophet was more like me than I had thought. I could relate, and that started a change. A small feeling of hope began to grow. That is when I felt something else.
As I continued to read, I experienced a comforting feeling that just felt good. It was peaceful yet inspiring and energizing. It felt new but familiar at the same time. Looking back, I believe it was something I had felt before but hadn’t quite recognized. That something was the witness of the Holy Ghost. I remember the impression coming to my mind that the words I had just read were true. The account wasn’t just a story. It was a true experience of someone who wasn’t that different from me. I felt like I had just made a friend because we shared something in common and he had given me encouragement.
This instance led me to other experiences in the scriptures where I learned more about the ministry of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. Instead of just reading, I internalized it. I studied the promises made to ancient prophets in the Old Testament, and I read about the appearance of Jesus Christ to the ancient people on this continent after His resurrection. Again and again I had that same confirming feeling that what I read was true. When I experienced this feeling, I felt connected with God – that somehow He was able to communicate with me through that comforting feeling to let me know he was pleased with what I was doing.
This feeling of closeness to God is the reason why I am a Mormon. When I learn something new and I get that feeling, I know I am heading in the right direction. I may be far from perfect, but that feeling gives me confidence. It also gives me a greater reason to have faith and make good choices when things are hard. The more I have learned about my own faith, the more I have felt that comforting feeling.
I know God lives, and I know He will speak to us through the feelings of the Holy Spirit. I Know Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. Because of what I have felt, I know the Book of Mormon is true, and I know the Bible is true. This feeling of peace and comfort guides me in everything that I do. I know it is a pattern that God wants for all of His children.
How I Live My Faith
I don’t think my faith needs to be showy, but it should be apparent in how I live each day. For me, it starts with prayer. Because I believe in God, I pray to Him in the morning when I wake up. I kneel down at night, and sometimes I pray while I am I’m driving in my car. Wherever I am, I try not to let my prayers be repetitive. Since God is our Father in Heaven, I try to talk to Him like my father. I express my gratitude for how He has blessed me, and I ask Him for direction. When I do, I feel the influence of the Holy Spirit guide me to make good choices.
In addition to daily prayer, I still try to read in the scriptures every day. Some days it may be just a few verses, and other times I get to study a subject more in depth. As often as I do this with the intent to increase my faith and repent, I feel that connection with God that I felt years ago when I was in high school.
Quite often, praying and reading the scriptures is just a small part of how I live. The real test is how I act during the week when I’m not at church. It shows in the way I treat other people when I am at work. It also shows in the types of things I do when I have spare time. I am happier when I try to live like Jesus did. The gospel of Jesus Christ is so closely woven into everything I do. It has made me a kinder person. I am more patient and less selfish. I feel so much better when I am focusing outward toward others instead of just satisfying my own interests.
Living my faith has made our home a much better place, too. My love for my wife increases as I feel closer to God. When I try to follow Jesus Christ, I feel like a better husband and a better dad. If I can be a greater example, it’s more likely that our kids will try to do the same. This gives us the best chance possible to feel the comforting influence of the Holy Spirit in our home. When all of us feel that influence, we want to be better. We try harder. We have a deeper motivation to forgive each other and we are much, much happier. And to think, it all starts with faith.
Serving in the church gives me another opportunity to live my faith. Each member of a congregation is given a calling, or an opportunity to serve as a teacher, a leader, or some other role that can bless someone else. Quite often I have been given callings where I had no experience in that area beforehand. I have served as a scoutmaster, a choir director, a teacher, and numerous other callings. I have even served as a full-time missionary for two years. Each calling has provided me an opportunity to rely on God for help and become something that I wasn’t before. This has taken faith on my part, but has been well worth it. I have really enjoyed the different callings I have had.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Mormon Temples Used For?
We consider the temple to be the House of the Lord. It is a special place of worship where members must prepare themselves spiritually in order to enter. It is also a place where we can feel the influence of the Holy Spirit without the distractions of the world.
Inside the temple we learn about God’s plan for His children and what we must do in order to live with Him again. Those who go to the temple do so to make promises to God, called covenants. They promise to be obedient to His commandments as a demonstration of their commitment to Him. In return, God promises His children blessings in this life and in the life to come.
These covenants are made during sacred ceremonies, called ordinances. One example is marriages that are performed not just until death, but for eternity, making it possible for families to be together forever. Without these covenants and ordinances, we cannot receive all the fullest blessings that God has prepared for His children.
While members of the church enter the temple to participate in these sacred ceremonies for themselves, they also return again and again to perform these ordinances vicariously in behalf of those who are deceased but may not have been able to enter a holy temple. For instance, someone who did not have the opportunity to be baptized during their lifetime may have the baptism performed for them so that they can choose whether or not to accept this work done in their behalf. This is the primary reason why members of the church research genealogy and their family history.
The temple happens to be my favorite place on earth. Whenever I need additional guidance in my life, or I desire to be closer to God, I go to the temple to worship and ponder solutions to my problems. When I go to the temple, I feel such a comforting, peaceful feeling that makes it easier for me to think about God and my relationship with Him. I love how I feel when I worship in the temple.
Personal Stories
Why/How do you share the gospel with your friends?
I love to share what I have learned with anyone who is interested. I have been given so many blessings by God, and I have been blessed by so many others who have been kind to me, I hope I can do something to share what I have been given. Most often this happens in conversation. "Hey, guess what happened to me? I just discovered the coolest thing! Would you like to come with me? I think you would enjoy this." The best way to share things that matter most is to share it with a friend.
For more information about Mormons and what they believe, or if you would like to create your own profile on why you are a Mormon, visit:
http://www.mormon.org/
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
I’m a designer, an architect, a reader, a runner, and a family guy. I’m a Mormon.
About Me
Oh, and I also love deep conversations, music, philosophy, thinking, psychology, writing, poetry, sketching, painting, hiking, camping, cycling, and… the list goes on and on. I think there is an endless stream of good things to experience in life – things that are meaningful and fascinating. If you ever feel that you have so many interests that you have to pare things down, then you and I have something in common.
I love to live life with passion and intensity! I like to get the most out of life – enjoy it for all it’s worth. I would rather miss out on a little sleep than miss an opportunity that might not come around again. More than that, I love to share those things that have meaning with a friend. Having something in common like that really strengthens relationships, especially those that matter most. I don’t know what I would do without my family and close friends – people who care and stand by me in any circumstance, even when life isn’t so inspiring.
My favorite person to share with is my beautiful wife. She and I have been married for sixteen years and we have a family of three boys and two girls. They are a lot of work, but a LOT of fun! We have great times together. There is never a dull moment at our house, not unless everyone is gone. We may not have a perfect marriage, or a perfect family, but we definitely have something special that is worth cherishing!
For most of my life I have lived in Utah and I love it! I love the mountains and prairies, the beautiful snow, the deep forests, and the red rock deserts. Besides Utah, I have spent a lot of time living in California, too. It’s my other home. Give me a beach with a view of the ocean and I’m more than content. Most of the time, however, home is more of an attitude. When I am surrounded by my favorite people in the world, I can’t think of a better place to call home than that.
Why I am a Mormon
I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t acknowledge that I am a Mormon because of my family, at least to start with. Many of my family lines have been members of the church for eight generations and were among the pioneers who first came by wagon to settle the west. All the stories you may have heard about the Mormons coming west, well, that was them. They had a lot of faith. They left a lot behind, and they also left me a rich heritage of courage and determination that has shaped who I am. Yet that isn’t enough to for me to be a Mormon. You see, I’m big on experience, especially experiencing things for myself.
I’m a Mormon because of my own faith and what I have learned. I’m not a skeptic, but I tend to question everything. I want to know why, and I want to know for myself. Taking things on “good faith” isn’t enough for me. I want my own faith. I want to believe in something because it is right, and not just because someone else said so.
When I was younger – when I was in high school, in fact – I had an experience that changed me, or at least changed the way I thought about spiritual things. I had been taught to read the scriptures as a way to feel closer to God. I had read in the Old and New Testaments, and the Book of Mormon, and I believed they were true. I knew they were a record of God’s dealings with His children, but I hadn’t quite internalized them yet. That’s when things changed.
On one occasion, I was reading in the Book of Mormon when I felt something different. It wasn’t dramatic, and I didn’t see angels, but I felt something. It was while I was reading the story of a young man named Nephi. He was a good role model, but he seemed a little out of reach, like he was something that I couldn’t be. Nephi always seemed to be obedient. He wasn’t rebellious and he didn’t complain. Instead, he did his best to learn what God wanted him to do and then he did it, or so I thought.
I gained a new appreciation for Nephi, when I came to the part where he mentioned his weaknesses. I was shocked. Instead of thinking that he was close to perfect, I listened to him express his frustrations about temptations and how they could so easily overwhelm him. Suddenly I realized that this role model of a prophet was more like me than I had thought. I could relate, and that started a change. A small feeling of hope began to grow. That is when I felt something else.
As I continued to read, I experienced a comforting feeling that just felt good. It was peaceful yet inspiring and energizing. It felt new but familiar at the same time. Looking back, I believe it was something I had felt before but hadn’t quite recognized. That something was the witness of the Holy Ghost. I remember the impression coming to my mind that the words I had just read were true. The account wasn’t just a story. It was a true experience of someone who wasn’t that different from me. I felt like I had just made a friend because we shared something in common and he had given me encouragement.
This instance led me to other experiences in the scriptures where I learned more about the ministry of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. Instead of just reading, I internalized it. I studied the promises made to ancient prophets in the Old Testament, and I read about the appearance of Jesus Christ to the ancient people on this continent after His resurrection. Again and again I had that same confirming feeling that what I read was true. When I experienced this feeling, I felt connected with God – that somehow He was able to communicate with me through that comforting feeling to let me know he was pleased with what I was doing.
This feeling of closeness to God is the reason why I am a Mormon. When I learn something new and I get that feeling, I know I am heading in the right direction. I may be far from perfect, but that feeling gives me confidence. It also gives me a greater reason to have faith and make good choices when things are hard. The more I have learned about my own faith, the more I have felt that comforting feeling.
I know God lives, and I know He will speak to us through the feelings of the Holy Spirit. I Know Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. Because of what I have felt, I know the Book of Mormon is true, and I know the Bible is true. This feeling of peace and comfort guides me in everything that I do. I know it is a pattern that God wants for all of His children.
How I Live My Faith
I don’t think my faith needs to be showy, but it should be apparent in how I live each day. For me, it starts with prayer. Because I believe in God, I pray to Him in the morning when I wake up. I kneel down at night, and sometimes I pray while I am I’m driving in my car. Wherever I am, I try not to let my prayers be repetitive. Since God is our Father in Heaven, I try to talk to Him like my father. I express my gratitude for how He has blessed me, and I ask Him for direction. When I do, I feel the influence of the Holy Spirit guide me to make good choices.
In addition to daily prayer, I still try to read in the scriptures every day. Some days it may be just a few verses, and other times I get to study a subject more in depth. As often as I do this with the intent to increase my faith and repent, I feel that connection with God that I felt years ago when I was in high school.
Quite often, praying and reading the scriptures is just a small part of how I live. The real test is how I act during the week when I’m not at church. It shows in the way I treat other people when I am at work. It also shows in the types of things I do when I have spare time. I am happier when I try to live like Jesus did. The gospel of Jesus Christ is so closely woven into everything I do. It has made me a kinder person. I am more patient and less selfish. I feel so much better when I am focusing outward toward others instead of just satisfying my own interests.
Living my faith has made our home a much better place, too. My love for my wife increases as I feel closer to God. When I try to follow Jesus Christ, I feel like a better husband and a better dad. If I can be a greater example, it’s more likely that our kids will try to do the same. This gives us the best chance possible to feel the comforting influence of the Holy Spirit in our home. When all of us feel that influence, we want to be better. We try harder. We have a deeper motivation to forgive each other and we are much, much happier. And to think, it all starts with faith.
Serving in the church gives me another opportunity to live my faith. Each member of a congregation is given a calling, or an opportunity to serve as a teacher, a leader, or some other role that can bless someone else. Quite often I have been given callings where I had no experience in that area beforehand. I have served as a scoutmaster, a choir director, a teacher, and numerous other callings. I have even served as a full-time missionary for two years. Each calling has provided me an opportunity to rely on God for help and become something that I wasn’t before. This has taken faith on my part, but has been well worth it. I have really enjoyed the different callings I have had.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Mormon Temples Used For?
We consider the temple to be the House of the Lord. It is a special place of worship where members must prepare themselves spiritually in order to enter. It is also a place where we can feel the influence of the Holy Spirit without the distractions of the world.
Inside the temple we learn about God’s plan for His children and what we must do in order to live with Him again. Those who go to the temple do so to make promises to God, called covenants. They promise to be obedient to His commandments as a demonstration of their commitment to Him. In return, God promises His children blessings in this life and in the life to come.
These covenants are made during sacred ceremonies, called ordinances. One example is marriages that are performed not just until death, but for eternity, making it possible for families to be together forever. Without these covenants and ordinances, we cannot receive all the fullest blessings that God has prepared for His children.
While members of the church enter the temple to participate in these sacred ceremonies for themselves, they also return again and again to perform these ordinances vicariously in behalf of those who are deceased but may not have been able to enter a holy temple. For instance, someone who did not have the opportunity to be baptized during their lifetime may have the baptism performed for them so that they can choose whether or not to accept this work done in their behalf. This is the primary reason why members of the church research genealogy and their family history.
The temple happens to be my favorite place on earth. Whenever I need additional guidance in my life, or I desire to be closer to God, I go to the temple to worship and ponder solutions to my problems. When I go to the temple, I feel such a comforting, peaceful feeling that makes it easier for me to think about God and my relationship with Him. I love how I feel when I worship in the temple.
Personal Stories
Why/How do you share the gospel with your friends?
I love to share what I have learned with anyone who is interested. I have been given so many blessings by God, and I have been blessed by so many others who have been kind to me, I hope I can do something to share what I have been given. Most often this happens in conversation. "Hey, guess what happened to me? I just discovered the coolest thing! Would you like to come with me? I think you would enjoy this." The best way to share things that matter most is to share it with a friend.
For more information about Mormons and what they believe, or if you would like to create your own profile on why you are a Mormon, visit:
http://www.mormon.org/
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Someone To Talk To
Having a friend to talk with can be a wonderful gift when you are going through a difficult trial. Quite often, it’s nice just to have someone who will simply listen so you don’t feel alone. Many of life’s difficulties become much easier to bear when there is someone else who is at least aware of what you are going through. Their prayers can make a big difference in helping to bear your burdens.
Just prior to the Savior’s most lonely moments, he met with his beloved apostles for the Last Supper. He knew the magnitude of the burden He would have to bear, and he chose to be with those who were closest to Him. There he called them “friends,” and said, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you….” (John 15:14-16) What a beautiful thing it is that Jesus would trust and confide in those who could give Him strength in his trials. I can think of no greater compliment than for the Lord to acknowledge me as His friend. I can only hope that someday I will have lived worthy enough to have such a privilege.
As the evening went on, Jesus described the difficulties that He would shortly face. He also told His apostles the difficulties they would face as His friends. Yet He promised them a gift for loving Him. “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth … for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. … Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:16-17, 27) Being a friend to Jesus is not an easy thing. It is sure to be difficult. During times of loneliness when our burdens seem greater than we can bear, I am grateful that He has promised to help us.
Recently, I experienced a difficult trial that weighed heavily on my heart. I felt that I was again riding upon the waves of a raging tempest, and the ups and downs seemed too hard to bear. What seemed worse was that I experienced a moment of ambiguity where I hoped to feel the influence of the Holy Spirit and did not. That influence had not left me, but I didn’t feel the clear direction that I had prayed for. Instead, I felt distance. I also found it very interesting that I did feel the promptings of the Holy Spirit in other matters, just not in that particular one. I believe I was being tested to see what I would do on my own.
I reflected on what Jesus did after the Last Supper as He went with His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane. There he asked Peter, James, and John to watch and pray with Him. Sadly, in His time of need, they were not able to stay awake. Their own trials were bearing down on them and they could do nothing to help Him. It was in that moment of loneliness that Jesus called upon His Father in prayer and was strengthened by an angel who visited Him. Sometimes, when I need someone to talk to, and it seems there is nowhere else to turn, Father is always waiting to listen. I believe He gives us difficult experiences where no one else seems able to help because it causes us to turn to Him.
Earlier this year, I experienced similar trials where the ups and downs seemed unbearable. At times they felt like a rollercoaster of seismic activity. As that trial seemed to conclude I remember having the impression that the ups and downs of the previous year were just preparing me for another seismic event. I was being prepared for the next lesson. As I experienced a new set of ups and downs, I asked myself, “Is this it? Is this the culminating point of that impression?” I believe so. Remembering the impression didn’t take away the burden, but it did help to see that the Lord’s hand was in it and that I shouldn’t despair.
In the midst of the ups and downs, I found that I had emotional swings where I seemed to feel the spirit very clearly, alternating with moments of doubt and fog. On one particular morning a few weeks ago, there was an amazing thunder storm outside. I usually enjoy a good storm, but this time I felt different. Instead I felt great discouragement and despair. Things seemed very dark. I even felt as though I was encompassed about by the adversary, and I was troubled.
The next day I was still pondering the questions that had been on my mind, hoping for some answers. I ached. Before going to work, I stopped by a nearby cemetery to think and pray. That particular cemetery has been a good place for me to go when I need a few minutes of solitude – a place where I can eliminate distractions. I still felt confused about my direction. At times things seemed so clear, and then they would go foggy and not make as much sense. I was frustrated that I felt so distant from the spirit on this matter, that I was not receiving any revelation. That is when I began to pray.
As I sat in my car, I pled with Father to let me hear His voice again, or rather to have that familiar feeling that I am used to when I communicate with Him. I needed someone to talk to. As I did so, I felt the peace I was seeking return to my heart. I also had a reaffirmation that Father does hear and answer prayers.
I decided to test the pattern for receiving revelation, namely to study an issue out in my mind, come to a decision as to what was right, and then wait for the confirmation of the Holy Spirit. (Doctrine & Covenants 9:8) It is a simple process with many applications. Having faith in Jesus Christ is not just believing that He lived and that He will come again, it also includes having faith that what He said is true – true enough that it will work for me. This is what happened in my circumstance.
Pleading with Father, I asked a few questions and received some real time answers. It wasn’t like an audible voice. It was a very subtle feeling that I can never feel unless I am truly honest with myself and I have intent to learn and follow. The answers came as I asked the questions, tried to think what the correct answers might be, and then waited for the familiar feeling of the spirit to confirm or refute my thoughts.
In order to receive answers to prayer, I believe that the person praying has to believe, or at least have a hope, that Father does hear and answer prayers. He does so line upon line, and precept upon precept. This means that I may not receive the answers that I expect, but He will tell me just enough of what I need to know in order to complete my test.
As I asked my first question, “Am I wrong in my intent?” I thought in my mind that the answer was no. At the same time I felt the confirming peace in my heart that the impression was correct. I would have been uncertain had it not been for the familiarity of that peaceful feeling – a feeling that always comes when the Spirit of the Lord is near.
I then asked my second question, “Is my current course the right direction to continue in?” In my mind I thought yes, which again was confirmed by that peaceful feeling that comes from the Comforter. When I asked my third question, “Will my trial ever change?” I had a different thought that equated to, “John, that’s not for you to know right now. Be patient.” This, too, was accompanied by that familiar feeling. It wasn’t the answer I wanted to hear, but I knew it was right in my heart. It didn’t come in the form of words, but as I felt the meaning in the impression, those were the words that seemed most appropriate to dress the meaning in. As I did so, the Holy Ghost confirmed that the feeling was correct.
Two additional questions were answered for me that helped me to feel better about the moments of clarity I had felt before. When I felt surrounded by fog and despair, it was easy to question those moments of clarity and doubt that my prayers had really been answered. Some of the questions were difficult to ask, because I believed I would get an answer I didn’t want. I did, but I had to know. I needed to feel like I could progress again. There are a lot of things I have wanted in my life, but above all, when I have tried to make the right choice, things have always worked out for the best. Though I didn’t receive all the answers I wanted, and some of the answers were not what I had hoped for, my faith was enlarged by the fact that I needed someone to talk to, and Father heard.
There is a verse of scripture that is very familiar to me, and definitely a foundation for my faith. The apostle James taught, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” (James 1:5-6)
In order to overcome my own tempest-tossed emotions, I had to stabilize my faith first, and put my trust in God. For me, that meant that I had to be willing to do whatever He wants me to do. If I can be completely honest with myself in that regard, then He can be honest with me.
Not all answers to prayer come instantaneously. Mine came after months of prayer, work, and pondering. Some take more time than others, and usually this has more to do with my own understanding. When I don’t get answers to the questions I ask in prayer, I try to examine why. If God reveals things to us line upon line, am I asking for an answer that requires me to skip several lines? Is there is a simpler question that is more pertinent to my current circumstance? If I can’t have the answer to why, then maybe I can at least get an answer to what I should do right now. Asking, “What would Thou have me do?” can help me sift through what I want in order to discover what God wants for me at that moment.
God’s purpose in testing us is to help us. So often it seems that needed help comes when I am about to give up but choose to hold on a little longer and rely on my faith. That’s when I receive my witness.
By the end of that day, other events occurred that were an answer to my morning prayer, as well as months of prayer. My trial had come to an end, or at least that part of my lesson was complete. I am sure I am only being prepared for the next test whenever it may be. But this much I know, each of us is given trials to test our faith. If it is my faith that is being tested, then it is my faith that I should apply as quickly as possible. Any delay that I exhibit may prolong my trial. But when I turn my heart to Father, I know that He hears and answers prayers.
Most importantly, I have again learned one of the many ways that Father will answer prayers. If we have the faith to study out a question and come to the best answer possible, He will send the Comforter to let us know if the path we are on is correct. Though we may each feel the Holy Spirit in a different way, the pattern is promised. We need not endure our own Gethsemane to be assured that God lives and that He hears and answers prayers. When we need someone to talk to, He is always listening.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Just prior to the Savior’s most lonely moments, he met with his beloved apostles for the Last Supper. He knew the magnitude of the burden He would have to bear, and he chose to be with those who were closest to Him. There he called them “friends,” and said, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you….” (John 15:14-16) What a beautiful thing it is that Jesus would trust and confide in those who could give Him strength in his trials. I can think of no greater compliment than for the Lord to acknowledge me as His friend. I can only hope that someday I will have lived worthy enough to have such a privilege.
As the evening went on, Jesus described the difficulties that He would shortly face. He also told His apostles the difficulties they would face as His friends. Yet He promised them a gift for loving Him. “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth … for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. … Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:16-17, 27) Being a friend to Jesus is not an easy thing. It is sure to be difficult. During times of loneliness when our burdens seem greater than we can bear, I am grateful that He has promised to help us.
Recently, I experienced a difficult trial that weighed heavily on my heart. I felt that I was again riding upon the waves of a raging tempest, and the ups and downs seemed too hard to bear. What seemed worse was that I experienced a moment of ambiguity where I hoped to feel the influence of the Holy Spirit and did not. That influence had not left me, but I didn’t feel the clear direction that I had prayed for. Instead, I felt distance. I also found it very interesting that I did feel the promptings of the Holy Spirit in other matters, just not in that particular one. I believe I was being tested to see what I would do on my own.
I reflected on what Jesus did after the Last Supper as He went with His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane. There he asked Peter, James, and John to watch and pray with Him. Sadly, in His time of need, they were not able to stay awake. Their own trials were bearing down on them and they could do nothing to help Him. It was in that moment of loneliness that Jesus called upon His Father in prayer and was strengthened by an angel who visited Him. Sometimes, when I need someone to talk to, and it seems there is nowhere else to turn, Father is always waiting to listen. I believe He gives us difficult experiences where no one else seems able to help because it causes us to turn to Him.
Earlier this year, I experienced similar trials where the ups and downs seemed unbearable. At times they felt like a rollercoaster of seismic activity. As that trial seemed to conclude I remember having the impression that the ups and downs of the previous year were just preparing me for another seismic event. I was being prepared for the next lesson. As I experienced a new set of ups and downs, I asked myself, “Is this it? Is this the culminating point of that impression?” I believe so. Remembering the impression didn’t take away the burden, but it did help to see that the Lord’s hand was in it and that I shouldn’t despair.
In the midst of the ups and downs, I found that I had emotional swings where I seemed to feel the spirit very clearly, alternating with moments of doubt and fog. On one particular morning a few weeks ago, there was an amazing thunder storm outside. I usually enjoy a good storm, but this time I felt different. Instead I felt great discouragement and despair. Things seemed very dark. I even felt as though I was encompassed about by the adversary, and I was troubled.
The next day I was still pondering the questions that had been on my mind, hoping for some answers. I ached. Before going to work, I stopped by a nearby cemetery to think and pray. That particular cemetery has been a good place for me to go when I need a few minutes of solitude – a place where I can eliminate distractions. I still felt confused about my direction. At times things seemed so clear, and then they would go foggy and not make as much sense. I was frustrated that I felt so distant from the spirit on this matter, that I was not receiving any revelation. That is when I began to pray.
As I sat in my car, I pled with Father to let me hear His voice again, or rather to have that familiar feeling that I am used to when I communicate with Him. I needed someone to talk to. As I did so, I felt the peace I was seeking return to my heart. I also had a reaffirmation that Father does hear and answer prayers.
I decided to test the pattern for receiving revelation, namely to study an issue out in my mind, come to a decision as to what was right, and then wait for the confirmation of the Holy Spirit. (Doctrine & Covenants 9:8) It is a simple process with many applications. Having faith in Jesus Christ is not just believing that He lived and that He will come again, it also includes having faith that what He said is true – true enough that it will work for me. This is what happened in my circumstance.
Pleading with Father, I asked a few questions and received some real time answers. It wasn’t like an audible voice. It was a very subtle feeling that I can never feel unless I am truly honest with myself and I have intent to learn and follow. The answers came as I asked the questions, tried to think what the correct answers might be, and then waited for the familiar feeling of the spirit to confirm or refute my thoughts.
In order to receive answers to prayer, I believe that the person praying has to believe, or at least have a hope, that Father does hear and answer prayers. He does so line upon line, and precept upon precept. This means that I may not receive the answers that I expect, but He will tell me just enough of what I need to know in order to complete my test.
As I asked my first question, “Am I wrong in my intent?” I thought in my mind that the answer was no. At the same time I felt the confirming peace in my heart that the impression was correct. I would have been uncertain had it not been for the familiarity of that peaceful feeling – a feeling that always comes when the Spirit of the Lord is near.
I then asked my second question, “Is my current course the right direction to continue in?” In my mind I thought yes, which again was confirmed by that peaceful feeling that comes from the Comforter. When I asked my third question, “Will my trial ever change?” I had a different thought that equated to, “John, that’s not for you to know right now. Be patient.” This, too, was accompanied by that familiar feeling. It wasn’t the answer I wanted to hear, but I knew it was right in my heart. It didn’t come in the form of words, but as I felt the meaning in the impression, those were the words that seemed most appropriate to dress the meaning in. As I did so, the Holy Ghost confirmed that the feeling was correct.
Two additional questions were answered for me that helped me to feel better about the moments of clarity I had felt before. When I felt surrounded by fog and despair, it was easy to question those moments of clarity and doubt that my prayers had really been answered. Some of the questions were difficult to ask, because I believed I would get an answer I didn’t want. I did, but I had to know. I needed to feel like I could progress again. There are a lot of things I have wanted in my life, but above all, when I have tried to make the right choice, things have always worked out for the best. Though I didn’t receive all the answers I wanted, and some of the answers were not what I had hoped for, my faith was enlarged by the fact that I needed someone to talk to, and Father heard.
There is a verse of scripture that is very familiar to me, and definitely a foundation for my faith. The apostle James taught, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” (James 1:5-6)
In order to overcome my own tempest-tossed emotions, I had to stabilize my faith first, and put my trust in God. For me, that meant that I had to be willing to do whatever He wants me to do. If I can be completely honest with myself in that regard, then He can be honest with me.
Not all answers to prayer come instantaneously. Mine came after months of prayer, work, and pondering. Some take more time than others, and usually this has more to do with my own understanding. When I don’t get answers to the questions I ask in prayer, I try to examine why. If God reveals things to us line upon line, am I asking for an answer that requires me to skip several lines? Is there is a simpler question that is more pertinent to my current circumstance? If I can’t have the answer to why, then maybe I can at least get an answer to what I should do right now. Asking, “What would Thou have me do?” can help me sift through what I want in order to discover what God wants for me at that moment.
God’s purpose in testing us is to help us. So often it seems that needed help comes when I am about to give up but choose to hold on a little longer and rely on my faith. That’s when I receive my witness.
By the end of that day, other events occurred that were an answer to my morning prayer, as well as months of prayer. My trial had come to an end, or at least that part of my lesson was complete. I am sure I am only being prepared for the next test whenever it may be. But this much I know, each of us is given trials to test our faith. If it is my faith that is being tested, then it is my faith that I should apply as quickly as possible. Any delay that I exhibit may prolong my trial. But when I turn my heart to Father, I know that He hears and answers prayers.
Most importantly, I have again learned one of the many ways that Father will answer prayers. If we have the faith to study out a question and come to the best answer possible, He will send the Comforter to let us know if the path we are on is correct. Though we may each feel the Holy Spirit in a different way, the pattern is promised. We need not endure our own Gethsemane to be assured that God lives and that He hears and answers prayers. When we need someone to talk to, He is always listening.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Sunday, July 25, 2010
How Long Shall I Suffer?
Mormon’s admonition to pray for charity with all energy of heart has been on my mind a lot lately. He understood a principle I feel I am just beginning to understand. While there are many good things we can do in life, there is only one way to return to our Father’s presence, and that is through His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ. As we live the way He lived, as we choose to do what He did, we become like Him. We become pure.
The gift of charity, or the pure love of Christ, is described as the greatest of all the gifts of God. It is the gift that will lead us to eternal life. While this gift cannot be purchased with money or be received by giving our excess to a charitable organization, the gift comes with a heavy price. The amount is the cost of a single heart offered to the Lord – mine.
The prophet Mormon described this cost to his people. “And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” (Moroni 7:45)
In the scriptures the word, “suffer,” has two meanings that are related but different. One meaning is to endure pain, distress, loss, separation, or even death. King Benjamin described the suffering that Jesus would endure for our sakes in similar terms. “And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.” (Mosiah 3:7)
This type of suffering describes all experiences that are difficult and unpleasant. It is usually associated with pain that is either physical, or emotional. Some pain that we feel may only be temporary and fleeting. Pain can also be severe enough that it causes damage and leaves a mark. I find great comfort knowing the atoning sacrifice Jesus made for all mankind will take away our pain and heal our marks. He has made it possible to find hope.
The second meaning of the word, “suffer,” can be found in the New Testament. As a group of people brought their children to be blessed by Jesus, His disciples rebuked them. Jesus’ reply to His disciples was, “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:14) The account of this story does not describe the experience of having young children come to Him as difficult or unpleasant. In fact, it was something that Jesus wanted. In this context the word, “suffer,” means to allow or permit.
As I consider these two meanings in relation to the cost of charity, I am left wondering how they relate. Suffering alone does not equate to love. Merely allowing unpleasant things does not guarantee us greater love, either. However, if I take both meanings and I add them to a common purpose, I get a different result. If I am willing to endure difficult trials and allow Father to direct my life because I trust Him, it may not be pleasant, but in the larger picture I can count on Him to make my life better. When I do hard things out of love, my love increases and my capacity to love increases.
Suffering can often teach us lessons we wouldn’t learn any other way. Paul in his letter to the Hebrews describes the prophet Melchizedek who offered “strong crying and tears” with his prayers that God would save him from death. Little more is known about his experience except that he learned “obedience by the things which he suffered.” (Hebrews 5:6-8) Melchizedek was a man of great faith, but that too came with a cost.
At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus went into the wilderness to pray. “And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights and had communed with God, he was afterward an hungered and was left to be tempted of the devil.” (JST Matthew 4:2) I find it interesting that Jesus was doing something good and was rewarded with a trial. That is how it may look from the first appearance, anyway. Instead, consider that Jesus went into the wilderness to submit to the Father. He wasn’t looking for a reward. He was there to worship. Because His vision was clear in spite of His lack of strength, He was true to the Father and chose not to worship the deceiver.
Sometimes, the only way we learn the lessons Father wants us to is through difficult experiences. Joseph Smith taught that Jesus “suffered temptations but gave no heed unto them.” (Doctrine & Covenants 20:22) He lived a perfect life, but He still suffered and learned grace to grace.
King Benjamin also prophesied of the suffering that Jesus would endure. He said that Jesus would subject Himself to the Father, and that He “suffereth temptation, and yieldeth not to the temptation, but suffereth himself to be mocked, and scourged, and cast out, and disowned by his people. … Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father. (Mosiah 15:5-8) This passage includes both definitions of the word “suffer.” Jesus suffered, and He allowed Himself to suffer, that He might gain victory over sin and death.
At a time in his life when it appeared that he could suffer no more, Joseph Smith prayed to the Father for himself and for his people, “O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place? How long shall thy hand be stayed…? let thine heart be softened, and thy bowels moved with compassion toward us.” (Doctrine & Covenants 121:1-2, 4)
The Lord’s reply was merciful. “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes. Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands. Thou art not yet as Job….” (Doctrine & Covenants 121:7-10) The Lord continues, “If thou art called to pass through tribulation;” and he lists a number of examples of suffering, “if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he? Therefore, hold on thy way… for God shall be with you forever and ever. (Doctrine & Covenants 122:5, 7-9)
Poor Joseph. In his darkest moment, he had not yet endured as Job. He had not suffered like the Lord of all. But he did have a reason to hope. God did not abandon Job, but blessed him with increase. The Lord “gave Job twice as much as he had before,” and “blessed the latter end of [his life] more than his beginning.” (Job 42:10, 12) God did not abandon His Only Begotten Son, either. After Jesus knelt in the Garden of Gethsemane, he prayed, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” I love this example because Jesus prayed out of the honesty of His heart. He told Father what he wanted, but then clarified that He would submit to the Father’s will. He suffered. Then, “there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly: and he sweat as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Luke 22:42-44, JST Luke 22:44)
The Lord told Joseph Smith, “I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit – and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink – Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.” (Doctrine & Covenants 19:16-19)
Knowing that someone else knows what you are going through can be a great comfort. Knowing that Jesus has done something for us so that we wouldn’t have to is a tremendous gift! Knowing that even He had a hard time and didn’t want to do it makes His experience that much more personal to me. Believing that God does not lie and He does not change gives me hope that He will help me and save me in my desperation, too. Faith will get me started in the right direction, and hope will provide motivation when things get difficult. But, it is charity, the pure love of God, that will see me through to the end when my trials seem unbearable.
As I compare the many tears I shed in my own suffering with the blood that was shed in my behalf by the Savior, I am tempted to feel small and ashamed that I am so weak and vulnerable. The thing that saves me from greater self-pity and despair is that Jesus does not ask me to do what He did. I don’t have to suffer the way He did. I just need to live the way He wants me to, and that will be enough. I am not as strong as He is, but together we can do anything. I am not perfect like He is, but I am trying. I am not required to be perfect in my weakness. If I want to be like Jesus, I am required to turn to Him in faith when I am having a hard time. As I turn to him, then I can suffer the difficult lessons. I can allow Father to take the time He needs to make me better. I find I can do more and more through practice and prayer, as long as I have hope.
In the midst of that dark moment for Joseph Smith, the Lord gave him some instruction that was also meant to give him hope. And here we come back to the idea that I started with – charity. “Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distill upon thy soul as the dews from heaven. The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.” (Doctrine & Covenants 121:45-46) This strength all starts with charity, which never faileth.
Whether it is charity that helps me in suffering, or that I gain more charity through the right kind of suffering, I don’t know for sure. But if I am willing to endure, and allow difficult lessons to shape who I am because I am seeking charity, at least I know that I am moving in the right direction. Little by little, and grace for grace, my heart becomes purer and I become a little more ready to meet my Savior. Each time that my suffering increases, I turn to Father in prayer. And, like Joseph, Melchizedek, and the Savior, Father will hear and answer our prayers. He will send angels to comfort us and buoy us up. I know Father will bless us with that which we seek if we pray for charity with all the energy of heart.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
The gift of charity, or the pure love of Christ, is described as the greatest of all the gifts of God. It is the gift that will lead us to eternal life. While this gift cannot be purchased with money or be received by giving our excess to a charitable organization, the gift comes with a heavy price. The amount is the cost of a single heart offered to the Lord – mine.
The prophet Mormon described this cost to his people. “And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” (Moroni 7:45)
In the scriptures the word, “suffer,” has two meanings that are related but different. One meaning is to endure pain, distress, loss, separation, or even death. King Benjamin described the suffering that Jesus would endure for our sakes in similar terms. “And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.” (Mosiah 3:7)
This type of suffering describes all experiences that are difficult and unpleasant. It is usually associated with pain that is either physical, or emotional. Some pain that we feel may only be temporary and fleeting. Pain can also be severe enough that it causes damage and leaves a mark. I find great comfort knowing the atoning sacrifice Jesus made for all mankind will take away our pain and heal our marks. He has made it possible to find hope.
The second meaning of the word, “suffer,” can be found in the New Testament. As a group of people brought their children to be blessed by Jesus, His disciples rebuked them. Jesus’ reply to His disciples was, “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:14) The account of this story does not describe the experience of having young children come to Him as difficult or unpleasant. In fact, it was something that Jesus wanted. In this context the word, “suffer,” means to allow or permit.
As I consider these two meanings in relation to the cost of charity, I am left wondering how they relate. Suffering alone does not equate to love. Merely allowing unpleasant things does not guarantee us greater love, either. However, if I take both meanings and I add them to a common purpose, I get a different result. If I am willing to endure difficult trials and allow Father to direct my life because I trust Him, it may not be pleasant, but in the larger picture I can count on Him to make my life better. When I do hard things out of love, my love increases and my capacity to love increases.
Suffering can often teach us lessons we wouldn’t learn any other way. Paul in his letter to the Hebrews describes the prophet Melchizedek who offered “strong crying and tears” with his prayers that God would save him from death. Little more is known about his experience except that he learned “obedience by the things which he suffered.” (Hebrews 5:6-8) Melchizedek was a man of great faith, but that too came with a cost.
At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus went into the wilderness to pray. “And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights and had communed with God, he was afterward an hungered and was left to be tempted of the devil.” (JST Matthew 4:2) I find it interesting that Jesus was doing something good and was rewarded with a trial. That is how it may look from the first appearance, anyway. Instead, consider that Jesus went into the wilderness to submit to the Father. He wasn’t looking for a reward. He was there to worship. Because His vision was clear in spite of His lack of strength, He was true to the Father and chose not to worship the deceiver.
Sometimes, the only way we learn the lessons Father wants us to is through difficult experiences. Joseph Smith taught that Jesus “suffered temptations but gave no heed unto them.” (Doctrine & Covenants 20:22) He lived a perfect life, but He still suffered and learned grace to grace.
King Benjamin also prophesied of the suffering that Jesus would endure. He said that Jesus would subject Himself to the Father, and that He “suffereth temptation, and yieldeth not to the temptation, but suffereth himself to be mocked, and scourged, and cast out, and disowned by his people. … Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father. (Mosiah 15:5-8) This passage includes both definitions of the word “suffer.” Jesus suffered, and He allowed Himself to suffer, that He might gain victory over sin and death.
At a time in his life when it appeared that he could suffer no more, Joseph Smith prayed to the Father for himself and for his people, “O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place? How long shall thy hand be stayed…? let thine heart be softened, and thy bowels moved with compassion toward us.” (Doctrine & Covenants 121:1-2, 4)
The Lord’s reply was merciful. “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes. Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands. Thou art not yet as Job….” (Doctrine & Covenants 121:7-10) The Lord continues, “If thou art called to pass through tribulation;” and he lists a number of examples of suffering, “if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he? Therefore, hold on thy way… for God shall be with you forever and ever. (Doctrine & Covenants 122:5, 7-9)
Poor Joseph. In his darkest moment, he had not yet endured as Job. He had not suffered like the Lord of all. But he did have a reason to hope. God did not abandon Job, but blessed him with increase. The Lord “gave Job twice as much as he had before,” and “blessed the latter end of [his life] more than his beginning.” (Job 42:10, 12) God did not abandon His Only Begotten Son, either. After Jesus knelt in the Garden of Gethsemane, he prayed, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” I love this example because Jesus prayed out of the honesty of His heart. He told Father what he wanted, but then clarified that He would submit to the Father’s will. He suffered. Then, “there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly: and he sweat as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Luke 22:42-44, JST Luke 22:44)
The Lord told Joseph Smith, “I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit – and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink – Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.” (Doctrine & Covenants 19:16-19)
Knowing that someone else knows what you are going through can be a great comfort. Knowing that Jesus has done something for us so that we wouldn’t have to is a tremendous gift! Knowing that even He had a hard time and didn’t want to do it makes His experience that much more personal to me. Believing that God does not lie and He does not change gives me hope that He will help me and save me in my desperation, too. Faith will get me started in the right direction, and hope will provide motivation when things get difficult. But, it is charity, the pure love of God, that will see me through to the end when my trials seem unbearable.
As I compare the many tears I shed in my own suffering with the blood that was shed in my behalf by the Savior, I am tempted to feel small and ashamed that I am so weak and vulnerable. The thing that saves me from greater self-pity and despair is that Jesus does not ask me to do what He did. I don’t have to suffer the way He did. I just need to live the way He wants me to, and that will be enough. I am not as strong as He is, but together we can do anything. I am not perfect like He is, but I am trying. I am not required to be perfect in my weakness. If I want to be like Jesus, I am required to turn to Him in faith when I am having a hard time. As I turn to him, then I can suffer the difficult lessons. I can allow Father to take the time He needs to make me better. I find I can do more and more through practice and prayer, as long as I have hope.
In the midst of that dark moment for Joseph Smith, the Lord gave him some instruction that was also meant to give him hope. And here we come back to the idea that I started with – charity. “Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distill upon thy soul as the dews from heaven. The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.” (Doctrine & Covenants 121:45-46) This strength all starts with charity, which never faileth.
Whether it is charity that helps me in suffering, or that I gain more charity through the right kind of suffering, I don’t know for sure. But if I am willing to endure, and allow difficult lessons to shape who I am because I am seeking charity, at least I know that I am moving in the right direction. Little by little, and grace for grace, my heart becomes purer and I become a little more ready to meet my Savior. Each time that my suffering increases, I turn to Father in prayer. And, like Joseph, Melchizedek, and the Savior, Father will hear and answer our prayers. He will send angels to comfort us and buoy us up. I know Father will bless us with that which we seek if we pray for charity with all the energy of heart.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Sunday, June 27, 2010
A Deeper Conversation
Anyone who knows me well also knows I love a good conversation, and the deeper the better. I love to talk with friends. The energy that comes from an enjoyable discussion of meaningful things can fuel me for days, and often longer. My interest is not talking for the sake of talking, but conversing with the intent to share. It isn’t just exchanging ideas, but finding something else in common. Sometimes it may be an idea that we agree on. Sometimes it is merely the fact that we can express different opinions openly without worry of causing offense or needing to be defensive. Most of the time, it’s just nice to have someone you can trust who feels the same. This type of sharing lifts me and inspires me.
Yesterday I had the opportunity to talk with a close friend of mine. We interrupted my errands and his lawn mowing for an unplanned visit and had just such a conversation. It picked me up for the rest of the day. In a matter of a few minutes we talked about a number of things that both of us had in common and felt strongly about. I ate it up. Consistently, I have been grateful that my friend has been willing to share with me, and challenge me, so I can grow. That is a priceless gift.
I talked with another close friend of mine yesterday as she was pulling weeds in her garden. Regrettably, we didn’t have time for a longer conversation, but the few minutes we did talk were very uplifting. I was grateful that a friendship could have that kind of effect. My feeling is that this is possible not just because of the conversation, but because we share other things in common, more than words alone. As I’ve mentioned, it’s nice to have someone you can trust who feels the same.
Many of my Salty Pockets posts this year have been tied to discussions I have had with my closest friends. We have shared ideas and have lifted each other. Then, almost without the ability to prevent it, that inspiration seems to spill out in everything else that I do. For me, this overflowing has been a beautiful thing. It has given me much to reflect on in regard to my closest relationships, and the conversations we have.
Daily, I have opportunities to talk with my Father in Heaven through prayer. These visits don’t have to be planned, but they need not be sporadic, either. Occasionally, I offer much longer prayers because my heart is so full and I need someone to talk to who I know will listen. I need a one-on-one connection with someone who understands me perfectly, so I pray. I find that when I do schedule these conversations regularly, I maintain an ongoing connection that uplifts me unlike anything else. Because we share something deeper, even a prayer that lasts a few minutes can go a long way to keeping my tank full. Each minute adds oil to my spiritual lamp as I prepare for the eleventh hour of the night.
Perhaps, like me, you have also had many conversations that aren’t so deep or substantial. Usually the subject matter is fleeting and inconsequential. On some occasions, small talk is brief and very convenient when you have something else you would rather be doing. It is easy to greet as a gesture, acknowledge the weather, and then move on to something that you consider more worthwhile. Perhaps, like me, you have wanted a deeper discussion, but the other party was anxious to get on with something else. It may not have been because you weren’t important to them, but perhaps because something else was pressing. I sometimes wonder if I do that to Father.
Planning to pray two, three, or even five times a day may be easier than matching my habit of prayer with real intent. If I really intend on talking to Father in Heaven, do I schedule time to talk with Him? Do I believe He will really listen and answer my prayers? Do I believe that I can not only pray to Him, but have a deeper conversation? My hope is to clarify the reality that Father wishes to converse with us as much as we want to converse with any close friend, and that this is really possible. The method is prayer made practical through practice.
Ashamedly I will admit that too many of my prayers with Father have had more resemblance to small talk than a deeper conversation. Instead of a dialog that has gone back and forth, I have somewhat hurriedly greeted as a gesture, acknowledged my thanks and what I needed, and then moved on to other things that were pressing. Yikes! Even as I say this it sounds awful and incriminating. If you think there is a possibility that this idea could also be mistaken as criticism towards anyone who has similar simple prayers, please pardon my offense and take a closer look at my intent.
One thing I do not wish to do is disrepute the power of a short, heartfelt prayer. Father blesses His children whenever they do what He asks, and to whatever degree that they offer. His words are clear, as given through His Only Begotten Son, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8) There is great validation that the Savior repeats the same thing twice, both in future tense and in present tense, with a statement of the result as though it has already happened. That is how Father works. Whether in the past or the future, it is the same. He does not lie, but keeps His word.
Perhaps, for those moments where I am looking for more, and I need more, I can plan for a deeper conversation with Father in Heaven. If I look beyond simply pouring out my heart to Him, hoping that it will be enough, I can pause to listen to what He has to say. If I am uplifted by conversation with a close friend that is deeper than small talk and strengthens my connection with that friend, why could I not enjoy the same blessing with a Father who loves me more than I can comprehend?
This idea of prayer as a form of conversation presumes a few points, which I personally have found to be true. First, the heavens are open. Father does not intend for us to walk aimlessly without direction. Rather, He speaks to His servants the prophets, and He will speak to us when we ask. Second, Father wants to give us every good thing. He is not selfish, but is waiting for us to be selfless so He can trust us with His treasure. Third, He has commanded us to ask for the things we need. This allows us to grow in faith when he answers our prayers. The only thing we have to lose is our faith if we choose not to ask at all. Fourth, God gives to all men liberally and doesn’t get upset when we ask Him for help. He is ready to give us more than we ask for, if we ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, and have faith in His son, Jesus Christ. If we believe these things to be true, then all that is left is to try.
The idea of prayer being conversational may sound disrespectful, as though it were too casual. As we offer up the prayers of our hearts, if we do not believe there can be an exchange, we shortchange our faith. We prevent Father from giving us the blessings He wants to give us. I also believe that we need to approach God in reverence and respect. Because He is perfect and I am not, I should not approach Him with a request as though I were haggling for a price at a store, believing that I had something of equal value to trade. Instead, I need to realize that His ways are not my ways. His are always better because they are perfect. His gifts are always greater than anything I have yet imagined. When I am willing to submit my will to His, Father can pour out blessings that will overflow into every part of my life because I am learning to be obedient. I am learning to be trusted.
An obvious follow up question to this notion may be, “If I haven’t had a conversation with God before, how can I begin?” I believe we start by understanding the two most important parts of a conversation – learning how to talk, and learning how to listen.
Very little caution has been given to what we say in our prayers except where we are presumptuous, proud, or selfish. “Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers.” (Doctrine & Covenants 112:10) Ask, “that all may be benefited that seek or that ask of me, that ask and not for a sign that they may consume it upon their lusts.” (Doctrine & Covenants 46:9) When you pray, “use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” (Matthew 6:7) Instead, “ask whatsoever you will in the name of Jesus and it shall be done. But know this, it shall be given you what you shall ask….” (Doctrine & Covenants 50:29-30)
One of my favorite examples of this attitude of prayer is when the Lord Jesus Christ was teaching His people among the Nephites. “And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus prayed unto the Father, he came unto his disciples, and behold, they did still continue, without ceasing, to pray unto him; and they did not multiply many words, for it was given unto them what they should pray, and they were filled with desire.” (3 Nephi 19:24)
What a wonderful thing, to be taught by the Holy Spirit how to pray, and to be filled with the desire that allows us to do so! Whenever I don’t feel like praying, but I know I should, I consider this scripture. Then I ask Father in Heaven to help me. I ask Him to teach me how to pray again and to fill me with desire as He did the Nephites. I have found this simple step works as often as I have the desire, or even as often as I wish I had the desire.
If I believe that Father wants to give me every good thing, this belief should lead me to have faith enough to trust Him. It should help me to want what he wants me to have, because it will be better. This doesn’t mean that I have to give up my desires. It also doesn’t require that I add the tagline, “if it be thy will,” at the end of my prayer. What it does mean is that I can ask him to teach me how to pray. I can ask Father to validate what I am praying for while I am in the act of praying. Because the heavens are open, and God does speak to His children, I can ask if what I am praying for is the right thing. But this requires the second part of the conversation, namely, listening.
The Lord has told us that He will give us answers to our prayers by confirming our thoughts and feelings through the power of the Holy Ghost. First, he expects us to study the issue to the best of our ability. Next, we should come to the best conclusion we can based on what we know. Then we should ask if our conclusion is right. If we are right, He will tell us by confirming truth in our minds and in our hearts. (Doctrine & Covenants 8:2-3) A stupor of thought will suggest that it is not true, but the warm burning feeling of peace that comes from the Holy Spirit will help us to recognize that it is true. (Doctrine & Covenants 9:7-9)
Applying this pattern to listening suggests a simple way to carry on a conversation through prayer. If I have a question I hope to have answered, and I ask, believing that Father will answer me, I should save time to wait for a response. If you haven’t done this before, I might suggest starting with a simple question to which you might expect a simple answer. You might try questions such as, “Father, are you there?” “Are you listening?” “Do you love me?” “Did Jesus really give His life for me?” And then wait for the confirming feeling. Yet, it is important not to forget the pattern for inspiration and revelation. Study it out, come to a conclusion, and then ask if you are right. If I feel that something is true, and then I feel a peaceful confirming feeling that reinforces it in my heart and in my mind, then I begin to understand how revelation works.
After experimenting, I may move on to less simple questions. “Are there prophets today?” “Do you speak to them?” “Is the Bible a true book?” “Is the Book of Mormon true?” If God has promised to answer such questions by the power of the Holy Ghost, then I should not doubt that He can answer more complicated questions. In this instance, if I want to be taught how and what to pray for, I might say, “Father, I am having a hard time making a decision. I have a few choices I can choose from, and I would really like this option, but I’m not sure it will be in my best interest. As I have looked at the possibilities the best I can, I feel that this is the way to go. Am I right? What would Thou have me do?”
In most conversations, one question may lead to another. By asking the right questions, and by coming to my own conclusions during my prayer, I may have additional questions to ask. The first time I experiment, I may only have one question. But, if I make prayer practical through practice, I may find that my prayer becomes a question and answer session where more information is shared. Those prayers have come to mean a lot to me, and they work. Prayer is such a simple yet powerful act. It is a means of communication that allows us to access the power of God and receive direction in our lives.
The key word to receiving “more” is merely to “receive.” The prophet Jacob taught, “Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works.” (Jacob 4:10) In order to receive answers to prayer, I must be willing to tell Father what I would like, come to a conclusion, ask if it be right, and then be willing to accept the answer. It is not appropriate for me to tell Him what to do, or tell Him what is right. If I am not willing to accept a perfect answer from a perfect being, I may not be in the right frame of mind to receive an answer at all. This dilemma goes back to my first premise that a conversation has two parts. If I am not willing to listen, I am not willing to have a conversation. Contrary wise, if I am not only willing to listen, but I am willing to ask and continue learning, then I am prepared to talk with God.
Small talk has its appropriate times and places, but I usually get out what I put into it. It may be, if I want small blessings, that small talk might be enough to help me get what I need. I take great comfort, however, that Father is waiting for me to realize that He really is there to listen. He does want to help, and He will when I am ready to let Him. It’s up to me to take a few extra minutes to find sincerity and real intent. It’s now my decision whether I will be sporadic or plan time for a scheduled conversation. In either case, He is ready and is always available. The sky is the limit. While spending a few minutes with a close friend is nice, my preference is always a good conversation; with Father, the deeper the better.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Yesterday I had the opportunity to talk with a close friend of mine. We interrupted my errands and his lawn mowing for an unplanned visit and had just such a conversation. It picked me up for the rest of the day. In a matter of a few minutes we talked about a number of things that both of us had in common and felt strongly about. I ate it up. Consistently, I have been grateful that my friend has been willing to share with me, and challenge me, so I can grow. That is a priceless gift.
I talked with another close friend of mine yesterday as she was pulling weeds in her garden. Regrettably, we didn’t have time for a longer conversation, but the few minutes we did talk were very uplifting. I was grateful that a friendship could have that kind of effect. My feeling is that this is possible not just because of the conversation, but because we share other things in common, more than words alone. As I’ve mentioned, it’s nice to have someone you can trust who feels the same.
Many of my Salty Pockets posts this year have been tied to discussions I have had with my closest friends. We have shared ideas and have lifted each other. Then, almost without the ability to prevent it, that inspiration seems to spill out in everything else that I do. For me, this overflowing has been a beautiful thing. It has given me much to reflect on in regard to my closest relationships, and the conversations we have.
Daily, I have opportunities to talk with my Father in Heaven through prayer. These visits don’t have to be planned, but they need not be sporadic, either. Occasionally, I offer much longer prayers because my heart is so full and I need someone to talk to who I know will listen. I need a one-on-one connection with someone who understands me perfectly, so I pray. I find that when I do schedule these conversations regularly, I maintain an ongoing connection that uplifts me unlike anything else. Because we share something deeper, even a prayer that lasts a few minutes can go a long way to keeping my tank full. Each minute adds oil to my spiritual lamp as I prepare for the eleventh hour of the night.
Perhaps, like me, you have also had many conversations that aren’t so deep or substantial. Usually the subject matter is fleeting and inconsequential. On some occasions, small talk is brief and very convenient when you have something else you would rather be doing. It is easy to greet as a gesture, acknowledge the weather, and then move on to something that you consider more worthwhile. Perhaps, like me, you have wanted a deeper discussion, but the other party was anxious to get on with something else. It may not have been because you weren’t important to them, but perhaps because something else was pressing. I sometimes wonder if I do that to Father.
Planning to pray two, three, or even five times a day may be easier than matching my habit of prayer with real intent. If I really intend on talking to Father in Heaven, do I schedule time to talk with Him? Do I believe He will really listen and answer my prayers? Do I believe that I can not only pray to Him, but have a deeper conversation? My hope is to clarify the reality that Father wishes to converse with us as much as we want to converse with any close friend, and that this is really possible. The method is prayer made practical through practice.
Ashamedly I will admit that too many of my prayers with Father have had more resemblance to small talk than a deeper conversation. Instead of a dialog that has gone back and forth, I have somewhat hurriedly greeted as a gesture, acknowledged my thanks and what I needed, and then moved on to other things that were pressing. Yikes! Even as I say this it sounds awful and incriminating. If you think there is a possibility that this idea could also be mistaken as criticism towards anyone who has similar simple prayers, please pardon my offense and take a closer look at my intent.
One thing I do not wish to do is disrepute the power of a short, heartfelt prayer. Father blesses His children whenever they do what He asks, and to whatever degree that they offer. His words are clear, as given through His Only Begotten Son, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8) There is great validation that the Savior repeats the same thing twice, both in future tense and in present tense, with a statement of the result as though it has already happened. That is how Father works. Whether in the past or the future, it is the same. He does not lie, but keeps His word.
Perhaps, for those moments where I am looking for more, and I need more, I can plan for a deeper conversation with Father in Heaven. If I look beyond simply pouring out my heart to Him, hoping that it will be enough, I can pause to listen to what He has to say. If I am uplifted by conversation with a close friend that is deeper than small talk and strengthens my connection with that friend, why could I not enjoy the same blessing with a Father who loves me more than I can comprehend?
This idea of prayer as a form of conversation presumes a few points, which I personally have found to be true. First, the heavens are open. Father does not intend for us to walk aimlessly without direction. Rather, He speaks to His servants the prophets, and He will speak to us when we ask. Second, Father wants to give us every good thing. He is not selfish, but is waiting for us to be selfless so He can trust us with His treasure. Third, He has commanded us to ask for the things we need. This allows us to grow in faith when he answers our prayers. The only thing we have to lose is our faith if we choose not to ask at all. Fourth, God gives to all men liberally and doesn’t get upset when we ask Him for help. He is ready to give us more than we ask for, if we ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, and have faith in His son, Jesus Christ. If we believe these things to be true, then all that is left is to try.
The idea of prayer being conversational may sound disrespectful, as though it were too casual. As we offer up the prayers of our hearts, if we do not believe there can be an exchange, we shortchange our faith. We prevent Father from giving us the blessings He wants to give us. I also believe that we need to approach God in reverence and respect. Because He is perfect and I am not, I should not approach Him with a request as though I were haggling for a price at a store, believing that I had something of equal value to trade. Instead, I need to realize that His ways are not my ways. His are always better because they are perfect. His gifts are always greater than anything I have yet imagined. When I am willing to submit my will to His, Father can pour out blessings that will overflow into every part of my life because I am learning to be obedient. I am learning to be trusted.
An obvious follow up question to this notion may be, “If I haven’t had a conversation with God before, how can I begin?” I believe we start by understanding the two most important parts of a conversation – learning how to talk, and learning how to listen.
Very little caution has been given to what we say in our prayers except where we are presumptuous, proud, or selfish. “Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers.” (Doctrine & Covenants 112:10) Ask, “that all may be benefited that seek or that ask of me, that ask and not for a sign that they may consume it upon their lusts.” (Doctrine & Covenants 46:9) When you pray, “use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” (Matthew 6:7) Instead, “ask whatsoever you will in the name of Jesus and it shall be done. But know this, it shall be given you what you shall ask….” (Doctrine & Covenants 50:29-30)
One of my favorite examples of this attitude of prayer is when the Lord Jesus Christ was teaching His people among the Nephites. “And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus prayed unto the Father, he came unto his disciples, and behold, they did still continue, without ceasing, to pray unto him; and they did not multiply many words, for it was given unto them what they should pray, and they were filled with desire.” (3 Nephi 19:24)
What a wonderful thing, to be taught by the Holy Spirit how to pray, and to be filled with the desire that allows us to do so! Whenever I don’t feel like praying, but I know I should, I consider this scripture. Then I ask Father in Heaven to help me. I ask Him to teach me how to pray again and to fill me with desire as He did the Nephites. I have found this simple step works as often as I have the desire, or even as often as I wish I had the desire.
If I believe that Father wants to give me every good thing, this belief should lead me to have faith enough to trust Him. It should help me to want what he wants me to have, because it will be better. This doesn’t mean that I have to give up my desires. It also doesn’t require that I add the tagline, “if it be thy will,” at the end of my prayer. What it does mean is that I can ask him to teach me how to pray. I can ask Father to validate what I am praying for while I am in the act of praying. Because the heavens are open, and God does speak to His children, I can ask if what I am praying for is the right thing. But this requires the second part of the conversation, namely, listening.
The Lord has told us that He will give us answers to our prayers by confirming our thoughts and feelings through the power of the Holy Ghost. First, he expects us to study the issue to the best of our ability. Next, we should come to the best conclusion we can based on what we know. Then we should ask if our conclusion is right. If we are right, He will tell us by confirming truth in our minds and in our hearts. (Doctrine & Covenants 8:2-3) A stupor of thought will suggest that it is not true, but the warm burning feeling of peace that comes from the Holy Spirit will help us to recognize that it is true. (Doctrine & Covenants 9:7-9)
Applying this pattern to listening suggests a simple way to carry on a conversation through prayer. If I have a question I hope to have answered, and I ask, believing that Father will answer me, I should save time to wait for a response. If you haven’t done this before, I might suggest starting with a simple question to which you might expect a simple answer. You might try questions such as, “Father, are you there?” “Are you listening?” “Do you love me?” “Did Jesus really give His life for me?” And then wait for the confirming feeling. Yet, it is important not to forget the pattern for inspiration and revelation. Study it out, come to a conclusion, and then ask if you are right. If I feel that something is true, and then I feel a peaceful confirming feeling that reinforces it in my heart and in my mind, then I begin to understand how revelation works.
After experimenting, I may move on to less simple questions. “Are there prophets today?” “Do you speak to them?” “Is the Bible a true book?” “Is the Book of Mormon true?” If God has promised to answer such questions by the power of the Holy Ghost, then I should not doubt that He can answer more complicated questions. In this instance, if I want to be taught how and what to pray for, I might say, “Father, I am having a hard time making a decision. I have a few choices I can choose from, and I would really like this option, but I’m not sure it will be in my best interest. As I have looked at the possibilities the best I can, I feel that this is the way to go. Am I right? What would Thou have me do?”
In most conversations, one question may lead to another. By asking the right questions, and by coming to my own conclusions during my prayer, I may have additional questions to ask. The first time I experiment, I may only have one question. But, if I make prayer practical through practice, I may find that my prayer becomes a question and answer session where more information is shared. Those prayers have come to mean a lot to me, and they work. Prayer is such a simple yet powerful act. It is a means of communication that allows us to access the power of God and receive direction in our lives.
The key word to receiving “more” is merely to “receive.” The prophet Jacob taught, “Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works.” (Jacob 4:10) In order to receive answers to prayer, I must be willing to tell Father what I would like, come to a conclusion, ask if it be right, and then be willing to accept the answer. It is not appropriate for me to tell Him what to do, or tell Him what is right. If I am not willing to accept a perfect answer from a perfect being, I may not be in the right frame of mind to receive an answer at all. This dilemma goes back to my first premise that a conversation has two parts. If I am not willing to listen, I am not willing to have a conversation. Contrary wise, if I am not only willing to listen, but I am willing to ask and continue learning, then I am prepared to talk with God.
Small talk has its appropriate times and places, but I usually get out what I put into it. It may be, if I want small blessings, that small talk might be enough to help me get what I need. I take great comfort, however, that Father is waiting for me to realize that He really is there to listen. He does want to help, and He will when I am ready to let Him. It’s up to me to take a few extra minutes to find sincerity and real intent. It’s now my decision whether I will be sporadic or plan time for a scheduled conversation. In either case, He is ready and is always available. The sky is the limit. While spending a few minutes with a close friend is nice, my preference is always a good conversation; with Father, the deeper the better.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Sunday, June 20, 2010
The Journey toward Father
Walking has a way of putting me in an introspective mood. Actually, I quite enjoy that. I do some of my best thinking while I am walking. I wonder if perhaps that is because there is something literal about getting from here to there that suggests the same pattern to the mind – something that allows the thinker to arrive at a conclusion at roughly the same time as the physical destination. Either way, quiet moments to do little but think seem to come infrequently for me, so I take them when I can get them.
Running is another favorite pastime of mine. It’s an acquired taste, you might say, one that I didn’t like at all when I was younger. In fact, I was pretty adamant about hating it. Running for the sake of running seemed pointless. It wasn’t until I became very proficient in walking long distances that running held any interest for me. I realized that I could cover more ground in the same amount of time by simply increasing my pace a small amount. In that moment, I started to turn the key that unlocked my understanding. I saw running, not as arriving at a destination quickly, but a faster way to enjoy the same journey. It’s a subtle difference, I know, but still significant. Certainly, speed is a part of the experience – and so is agility, freedom, ability, performance, fitness, and the runner’s high – but you can’t leave out the journey, for me, or the picture isn’t complete. I love the things I get to see and experience along the way.
Writing, as you might guess, is another interest I have acquired that has surprised me. In most of my younger years, writing was something I could do, but I didn’t enjoy it. Like running, it was a means to an end, and I wanted it to end. I wanted to hurry up and be done so I could do something else. Once I realized that writing complimented some of my other interests, such as thinking and being creative, I looked at this task differently. I changed. Writing was not just something I did, it became something I am. It became a journey.
For the past eleven years, much of my little spare time has been poured into a single, but large, idea – a story. Most of the time, the idea sits on a shelf and neither walks nor runs. It doesn’t even crawl. The idea just sits and patiently waits for a chance to travel. For now, the story is lucky if a hint can peek through my other responsibilities the way glimpses of early morning sunshine spill through planks in a fence to punctuate shadows on the sidewalk. It’s as though I am walking along, with nothing exceptional to note, when a spark of an idea flashes into my mind, quickening my step. Those moments are still cool. The inspiration is a different type of energy that helps me to run.
Getting back to something you haven’t done recently can take more time than the task alone. When I don’t work on my story frequently, I feel a difference. I know the story well but there is a lack of familiarity that has everything to do with mindset. I have to be in the right frame of mind without a lot of distractions. With limited time, I need something that can transport me quickly. What I need is a faster vehicle to get back into my story. In this case, creativity is not the destination, it is the journey.
A few years ago, I realized the vehicle I needed was something that would remind me of where I left off. Better yet, the something should remind me of how I felt when I last stopped so I could pick up right where I left off. That something became a lot of somethings. I created maps, cultures, histories, sketches, models, sculptures, and drawings of characters. I even developed some simple musical themes that reminded me of places or people in the story. Then when I had some time to stop and think, instead of crawling back to my story, I could run and spend less time becoming familiar again.
More recently, I decided to go running on a trail I hadn’t been to for a very long time. It was the place where I first started walking a lot. It was also a place where I had spent hours and hours thinking about my story. I hadn’t been on this trail for more than a few minutes when I realized that I was humming some musical themes from my story. In fact, I was thinking of a few of the characters and had refined a new plot twist, almost without giving any thought to it at all. I was grateful to find that my faster vehicle was still in great working order. With the right conditions, it almost had a mind of its own. I was amazed that the mental vehicle I had chosen had that much potential ability.
Connections are powerful. I have discovered many, many times this year the influence of beautiful connections. Some, like precious metals, you expect to tarnish over time. If you own brass or silver, you also likely expect to do some polishing to keep them looking nice. Yet, there are other connections, like gold or platinum, that do not tarnish over time. They come with a greater cost and are more precious because of it. Those connections are still active when we are distracted by the planks of life’s fences. I am so grateful for these!
Looking back, I find that many of my interests come from my Dad. He likes to take long walks, he likes to write, and he is a deep thinker. He and my Mom taught me to walk, but I didn’t appreciate the love of walking for many years following. I didn’t pick up my love of writing by writing with him. However, watching him for many years taught me, inspired me, and gave me a passion for it. He taught me spelling, grammar, and he proofread and edited many papers for me while growing up. While I didn’t pick up the love for those things at the time, I have always loved him, and that connection has tied me to the things that he likes in a very powerful way.
Prayer is another pastime of mine that has taken years to develop. It is one that connects me to my Father. The interesting thing to me about this pastime is that I haven’t arrived yet – I am still working on it – and yet it has always been rewarding and fulfilling. Because I haven’t arrived, or mastered prayer yet, this leads me to believe that, like other things in my life, prayer is a journey and not a destination.
Father in heaven knows all things, and He knows the end from the beginning. He asks us to pray to Him, not so He can learn about us, but so we can learn about ourselves and how we can return to live with Him. As we pray to him, we can discover what it is we are really thankful for. We have an opportunity to count our blessings, rather than just be thankful for all of them collectively. Prayer also allows us to counsel with God, or rather receive counsel from Him. Each of us have a story to write. Father is more than willing to proofread and edit our decisions, but only when we ask or seek it from Him.
Fear, treasure, and love are powerful motivators for doing good. Fear may get us started, and treasure may make things more interesting, but love is the most precious and powerful motivation. In fact, it is the only motivation that is powerful enough to truly help us become like our Father. All other things may fail, but the pure love of God will not. This being the case, how can I get beyond crawling in my prayers? How can I learn to walk and then love to run? What can I do to make this connection more precious? I believe the answer is in my choice of vehicles.
So that I am not mistaken, please allow me to clarify that I am not trying to pray faster or get to heaven any quicker. What I hope to do is find a better vehicle for myself that makes my prayers more meaningful. I want to look forward to my prayers as my favorite part of the day or night, and not just something I need to do to earn a reward. If prayer is a journey, and there is lot to see and learn along the way, I want to make the most of my prayers. Just as I did with my story, I want to pick up right where I left off without losing any familiarity. What I need are the right type of somethings to help me, almost without thinking.
I feel we, as Father’s children, are very fortunate that He has already created such vehicles to pull at our hearts. He has spoken with prophets for centuries to write down His words and teachings. He has inspired servants who have taught us to study these vehicles every day. We have been given churches and temples as places to worship, after preparing our own hearts as places for worshipful service. Priesthood authority has been given to do His work and His will on earth as though He were here Himself. We are led by revelation as inspiration comes through the gift of the Holy Ghost. When we use each of these to reconnect with our Father, they will turn our hearts toward Him. Almost without thinking about it, we will begin to love the things that He loves because we are consciously thinking about the things that will connect our hearts to His. Doing so will make our prayers more meaningful and will enlarge our capacity to love as He does.
Prayer is one of the most powerful connections we can have with Father. Patiently He waits for us to turn our hearts to Him. I may pray often, but if I don’t pray with real intent and focus, I feel a difference. I feel distant. The act of prayer alone may not take much time, but reconnecting after taking a leave of absence does. To feel connected, I don’t have to pray on my knees constantly, I just have to keep a prayerful attitude in my heart. By doing so, I am able to find my way more quickly. More importantly I am able to find and keep the spirit with less difficulty. Then it becomes easier and easier to remember the change of heart I once felt. It stays fresh in my heart and mind as I turn my thoughts toward Him.
Each of us has a story to write with our personal decisions. I know my editor is willing to make all kinds of suggestions on how I can be happier, and how I can feel more of His love, but only when I am ready. Once I reconnect with Him in prayer, it is up to me to decide when I will walk and when I will run. Father lets each of us set our own pace. He has also promised to guide us and comfort us along the way. In short, He has done everything he possibly can to make the journey rewarding and fulfilling. All that is needed is for me to decide to return to my story and begin writing.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Running is another favorite pastime of mine. It’s an acquired taste, you might say, one that I didn’t like at all when I was younger. In fact, I was pretty adamant about hating it. Running for the sake of running seemed pointless. It wasn’t until I became very proficient in walking long distances that running held any interest for me. I realized that I could cover more ground in the same amount of time by simply increasing my pace a small amount. In that moment, I started to turn the key that unlocked my understanding. I saw running, not as arriving at a destination quickly, but a faster way to enjoy the same journey. It’s a subtle difference, I know, but still significant. Certainly, speed is a part of the experience – and so is agility, freedom, ability, performance, fitness, and the runner’s high – but you can’t leave out the journey, for me, or the picture isn’t complete. I love the things I get to see and experience along the way.
Writing, as you might guess, is another interest I have acquired that has surprised me. In most of my younger years, writing was something I could do, but I didn’t enjoy it. Like running, it was a means to an end, and I wanted it to end. I wanted to hurry up and be done so I could do something else. Once I realized that writing complimented some of my other interests, such as thinking and being creative, I looked at this task differently. I changed. Writing was not just something I did, it became something I am. It became a journey.
For the past eleven years, much of my little spare time has been poured into a single, but large, idea – a story. Most of the time, the idea sits on a shelf and neither walks nor runs. It doesn’t even crawl. The idea just sits and patiently waits for a chance to travel. For now, the story is lucky if a hint can peek through my other responsibilities the way glimpses of early morning sunshine spill through planks in a fence to punctuate shadows on the sidewalk. It’s as though I am walking along, with nothing exceptional to note, when a spark of an idea flashes into my mind, quickening my step. Those moments are still cool. The inspiration is a different type of energy that helps me to run.
Getting back to something you haven’t done recently can take more time than the task alone. When I don’t work on my story frequently, I feel a difference. I know the story well but there is a lack of familiarity that has everything to do with mindset. I have to be in the right frame of mind without a lot of distractions. With limited time, I need something that can transport me quickly. What I need is a faster vehicle to get back into my story. In this case, creativity is not the destination, it is the journey.
A few years ago, I realized the vehicle I needed was something that would remind me of where I left off. Better yet, the something should remind me of how I felt when I last stopped so I could pick up right where I left off. That something became a lot of somethings. I created maps, cultures, histories, sketches, models, sculptures, and drawings of characters. I even developed some simple musical themes that reminded me of places or people in the story. Then when I had some time to stop and think, instead of crawling back to my story, I could run and spend less time becoming familiar again.
More recently, I decided to go running on a trail I hadn’t been to for a very long time. It was the place where I first started walking a lot. It was also a place where I had spent hours and hours thinking about my story. I hadn’t been on this trail for more than a few minutes when I realized that I was humming some musical themes from my story. In fact, I was thinking of a few of the characters and had refined a new plot twist, almost without giving any thought to it at all. I was grateful to find that my faster vehicle was still in great working order. With the right conditions, it almost had a mind of its own. I was amazed that the mental vehicle I had chosen had that much potential ability.
Connections are powerful. I have discovered many, many times this year the influence of beautiful connections. Some, like precious metals, you expect to tarnish over time. If you own brass or silver, you also likely expect to do some polishing to keep them looking nice. Yet, there are other connections, like gold or platinum, that do not tarnish over time. They come with a greater cost and are more precious because of it. Those connections are still active when we are distracted by the planks of life’s fences. I am so grateful for these!
Looking back, I find that many of my interests come from my Dad. He likes to take long walks, he likes to write, and he is a deep thinker. He and my Mom taught me to walk, but I didn’t appreciate the love of walking for many years following. I didn’t pick up my love of writing by writing with him. However, watching him for many years taught me, inspired me, and gave me a passion for it. He taught me spelling, grammar, and he proofread and edited many papers for me while growing up. While I didn’t pick up the love for those things at the time, I have always loved him, and that connection has tied me to the things that he likes in a very powerful way.
Prayer is another pastime of mine that has taken years to develop. It is one that connects me to my Father. The interesting thing to me about this pastime is that I haven’t arrived yet – I am still working on it – and yet it has always been rewarding and fulfilling. Because I haven’t arrived, or mastered prayer yet, this leads me to believe that, like other things in my life, prayer is a journey and not a destination.
Father in heaven knows all things, and He knows the end from the beginning. He asks us to pray to Him, not so He can learn about us, but so we can learn about ourselves and how we can return to live with Him. As we pray to him, we can discover what it is we are really thankful for. We have an opportunity to count our blessings, rather than just be thankful for all of them collectively. Prayer also allows us to counsel with God, or rather receive counsel from Him. Each of us have a story to write. Father is more than willing to proofread and edit our decisions, but only when we ask or seek it from Him.
Fear, treasure, and love are powerful motivators for doing good. Fear may get us started, and treasure may make things more interesting, but love is the most precious and powerful motivation. In fact, it is the only motivation that is powerful enough to truly help us become like our Father. All other things may fail, but the pure love of God will not. This being the case, how can I get beyond crawling in my prayers? How can I learn to walk and then love to run? What can I do to make this connection more precious? I believe the answer is in my choice of vehicles.
So that I am not mistaken, please allow me to clarify that I am not trying to pray faster or get to heaven any quicker. What I hope to do is find a better vehicle for myself that makes my prayers more meaningful. I want to look forward to my prayers as my favorite part of the day or night, and not just something I need to do to earn a reward. If prayer is a journey, and there is lot to see and learn along the way, I want to make the most of my prayers. Just as I did with my story, I want to pick up right where I left off without losing any familiarity. What I need are the right type of somethings to help me, almost without thinking.
I feel we, as Father’s children, are very fortunate that He has already created such vehicles to pull at our hearts. He has spoken with prophets for centuries to write down His words and teachings. He has inspired servants who have taught us to study these vehicles every day. We have been given churches and temples as places to worship, after preparing our own hearts as places for worshipful service. Priesthood authority has been given to do His work and His will on earth as though He were here Himself. We are led by revelation as inspiration comes through the gift of the Holy Ghost. When we use each of these to reconnect with our Father, they will turn our hearts toward Him. Almost without thinking about it, we will begin to love the things that He loves because we are consciously thinking about the things that will connect our hearts to His. Doing so will make our prayers more meaningful and will enlarge our capacity to love as He does.
Prayer is one of the most powerful connections we can have with Father. Patiently He waits for us to turn our hearts to Him. I may pray often, but if I don’t pray with real intent and focus, I feel a difference. I feel distant. The act of prayer alone may not take much time, but reconnecting after taking a leave of absence does. To feel connected, I don’t have to pray on my knees constantly, I just have to keep a prayerful attitude in my heart. By doing so, I am able to find my way more quickly. More importantly I am able to find and keep the spirit with less difficulty. Then it becomes easier and easier to remember the change of heart I once felt. It stays fresh in my heart and mind as I turn my thoughts toward Him.
Each of us has a story to write with our personal decisions. I know my editor is willing to make all kinds of suggestions on how I can be happier, and how I can feel more of His love, but only when I am ready. Once I reconnect with Him in prayer, it is up to me to decide when I will walk and when I will run. Father lets each of us set our own pace. He has also promised to guide us and comfort us along the way. In short, He has done everything he possibly can to make the journey rewarding and fulfilling. All that is needed is for me to decide to return to my story and begin writing.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Remembering Mother Eve
I once made the mistake of using an incorrect word while trying to pay a friend a compliment. After being given some delicious fudge as a present, I told my friend that she was infamous for her fudge rather than famous. Sigh. Yes, it was embarrassing. As soon as the words had crossed my lips, I immediately knew I wasn’t going to get out of that situation easily. I had really good intentions, but the compliment never arrived. Unfortunately, every time I think about the fudge she and her husband made for me, I also think about my faux pas. The two seem inseparable. A really good thing was tainted by my error.
Similar to my experience, I often wonder how well the world receives the gift that was given to us by our Mother Eve, because of her transgression. After Adam and Eve were commanded not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, Lucifer beguiled our mother and she “saw that the tree was good for food, and that it became pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make her wise….” Based on what she knew at the time, “she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and also gave unto her husband with her, and he did eat.” (Moses 4:12)
Immediately following their meal, the eyes of Adam and Eve were opened. Not only did they realize that they had been naked, they knew they had not responded to God’s warning and they hid out of fear. I find it interesting that they tried to hide the nakedness of their skin as well as the openness of their disobedience. But that is another subject, entirely. They found inadequate cover for both and then the Lord provided a better solution. Once they were prepared, they were driven out from the garden.
It may be too easy to judge our first parents based on appearances. Adam and Eve were disobedient, but they were not fully accountable without a prior knowledge and understanding of good and evil. They transgressed, yes, but they did not sin. However, their choice to eat the fruit introduced the potential for sin into the world and made it possible for them and their children to be tested. Both Adam and Eve discovered the effects of their decisions and suffered for them. And yet, while there was a cost to be paid, both were glad for their choice afterward. Eve said, “Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.” (Moses 5:11) While she did not possess knowledge before, she recognized afterward that her choice, though it would come with a cost, would be worth it.
In Prince Caspian, of the Chronicles of Narnia, C. S. Lewis wrote about this peculiar dichotomy. Near the end of the story, Aslan the Lion tells Prince Caspian of his less than reputable ancestral line. Prince Caspian then wishes that his lineage were less tainted. Aslan replies to Caspian, "You come of the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve…. And that is both honor enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth. Be content." Disobedience may not be honorable, but good should not be discredited due to a lack of perfection.
As I have thought about Adam and Eve’s decision that brought both sin and happiness into the world, I have discovered some beautiful lessons that are worth honoring and not forgetting.
Fidelity in Marriage
While Adam and Eve lived in the garden, God commanded that they stay together and that Eve remain with her husband. (Moses 4:18) The same applies to Adam. While there weren’t a lot of other options in the garden, other than to not be close, their faithfulness to each other is largely the reason that Adam was persuaded to eat of the fruit. After leaving the garden, nothing else had preeminence for Adam and Eve, except for God. If couples struggling with marital issues today would remember the counsel given by God, “Therefore shall a man … cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh,” (Moses 3:24) and “thy desire shall be to thy husband,” (Moses 4:22) many marriages could be saved. It is when we turn our hearts away that we are in the most danger.
Raising Families
God has a great love for mothers. Of all the titles he could have chosen for Eve, mother was the most important. “And Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living; for thus have I, the Lord God, called the first of all women, which are many.” (Moses 4:26) Adam called his wife Eve, but Moses makes it clear that the title, “mother of all living,” originated with God. Because of her choice, God also told Eve,” I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception.” (Moses 4:22) While bearing children would not be easy, and raising them would be difficult, Eve recognized that we are meant to have joy, and so much of that joy comes from having children, teaching them the ways of the Lord, and enjoying with them the blessings that come from obedient living.
Seeking Help through Prayer
“And Adam and Eve, his wife, ceased not to call upon God.” (Moses 5:16) Raising a family is a lifelong effort with many unknown variables that can influence our happiness. With so much out of our control or experience, we would be wise to call upon God for help to raise His children. When we lack wisdom, He is willing to give us help liberally if we ask in faith. (James 1:5) After they were driven from the garden, Adam and Eve began to call “upon the name of the Lord, and they heard the voice of the Lord from the way toward the Garden of Eden, speaking unto them, and they saw him not; for they were shut out from his presence.” (Moses 5:4)
Again, it is easy to judge the tone of this verse by its conclusion, as though it were a bad thing. Remembering that the decision of all of us in the grand council in heaven was to leave Father’s presence so that we could be tested, we should not condemn Adam or Eve for their choice. They chose to do what we all chose to do, which is to learn by being tested. When we have faith, and repent of our sins, it is as though we never sinned.
The important lesson for me is that Adam and Eve continued to listen to the voice of the Lord God, even when they could not see him. They prayed. He answered. Praying with faith is important if we seek the Lord’s help. However, following the answers He gives us to our prayers is just as important. Adam and Eve set a clear example for us to follow.
Teaching from the Scriptures and by the Holy Ghost
After the Holy Ghost came upon Adam and Eve, they “blessed the name of God, and they made all things known unto their sons and daughters. (Moses 5:12) “And thus the Gospel began to be preached, from the beginning, being declared by holy angels sent forth from the presence of God, and by his own voice, and by the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Moses 5:58) “and a book of remembrance was kept, in the which was recorded, in the language of Adam, for it was given unto as many as called upon God to write by the spirit of inspiration; and by them their children were taught….” (Moses 6:5)
What a beautiful thing to realize that as many of Adam and Eve’s children who chose to pray to God were given answers that were worth remembering and recording. All they had to do was ask. They then passed on what they had learned to their children.
Each of us has the opportunity to be taught directly by the Holy Ghost. Those who are confirmed after baptism are invited and directed to receive the Holy Ghost. He is ready to teach us as long as we are ready to listen and follow.
Becoming Like God as We Choose to Follow Him
Knowing that we, each of God’s children, would fall to temptation and the conditions of mortality, our Father provided a Savior, even Jesus Christ, who would redeem us from the fall. The prophet Lehi taught that this redemption makes us free. Because we are not bound to the conditions of death that were introduced by eating the forbidden fruit, we are free to choose the pathway of our future.
Lehi taught, “Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself. And now… I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit….” (2 Nephi 2:27-28)
I may wonder at why things happened they way they did, or if there could have been another way. Then I content myself to remember that “all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things. Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.” (2 Nephi 2:24-25)
The greatest happiness in our lives comes when we choose to be like God. We choose to become like Him when we choose good over evil. No matter how small the decision, each choice will carry us closer to or further from God. What a gift this choice is! Every day we, like our mother Eve, are able to experience the lessons God has prepared for us, all because she wanted to be like Him, knowing good from evil. Knowing is not enough, but having faith is. If I ever get to meet mother Eve on the other side of the veil, I am hoping to save a special heartfelt compliment for her. I am so grateful that she made a choice that make all of my choices possible. Did she ever regret her decision? No, and neither do I.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Similar to my experience, I often wonder how well the world receives the gift that was given to us by our Mother Eve, because of her transgression. After Adam and Eve were commanded not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, Lucifer beguiled our mother and she “saw that the tree was good for food, and that it became pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make her wise….” Based on what she knew at the time, “she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and also gave unto her husband with her, and he did eat.” (Moses 4:12)
Immediately following their meal, the eyes of Adam and Eve were opened. Not only did they realize that they had been naked, they knew they had not responded to God’s warning and they hid out of fear. I find it interesting that they tried to hide the nakedness of their skin as well as the openness of their disobedience. But that is another subject, entirely. They found inadequate cover for both and then the Lord provided a better solution. Once they were prepared, they were driven out from the garden.
It may be too easy to judge our first parents based on appearances. Adam and Eve were disobedient, but they were not fully accountable without a prior knowledge and understanding of good and evil. They transgressed, yes, but they did not sin. However, their choice to eat the fruit introduced the potential for sin into the world and made it possible for them and their children to be tested. Both Adam and Eve discovered the effects of their decisions and suffered for them. And yet, while there was a cost to be paid, both were glad for their choice afterward. Eve said, “Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.” (Moses 5:11) While she did not possess knowledge before, she recognized afterward that her choice, though it would come with a cost, would be worth it.
In Prince Caspian, of the Chronicles of Narnia, C. S. Lewis wrote about this peculiar dichotomy. Near the end of the story, Aslan the Lion tells Prince Caspian of his less than reputable ancestral line. Prince Caspian then wishes that his lineage were less tainted. Aslan replies to Caspian, "You come of the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve…. And that is both honor enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth. Be content." Disobedience may not be honorable, but good should not be discredited due to a lack of perfection.
As I have thought about Adam and Eve’s decision that brought both sin and happiness into the world, I have discovered some beautiful lessons that are worth honoring and not forgetting.
Fidelity in Marriage
While Adam and Eve lived in the garden, God commanded that they stay together and that Eve remain with her husband. (Moses 4:18) The same applies to Adam. While there weren’t a lot of other options in the garden, other than to not be close, their faithfulness to each other is largely the reason that Adam was persuaded to eat of the fruit. After leaving the garden, nothing else had preeminence for Adam and Eve, except for God. If couples struggling with marital issues today would remember the counsel given by God, “Therefore shall a man … cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh,” (Moses 3:24) and “thy desire shall be to thy husband,” (Moses 4:22) many marriages could be saved. It is when we turn our hearts away that we are in the most danger.
Raising Families
God has a great love for mothers. Of all the titles he could have chosen for Eve, mother was the most important. “And Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living; for thus have I, the Lord God, called the first of all women, which are many.” (Moses 4:26) Adam called his wife Eve, but Moses makes it clear that the title, “mother of all living,” originated with God. Because of her choice, God also told Eve,” I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception.” (Moses 4:22) While bearing children would not be easy, and raising them would be difficult, Eve recognized that we are meant to have joy, and so much of that joy comes from having children, teaching them the ways of the Lord, and enjoying with them the blessings that come from obedient living.
Seeking Help through Prayer
“And Adam and Eve, his wife, ceased not to call upon God.” (Moses 5:16) Raising a family is a lifelong effort with many unknown variables that can influence our happiness. With so much out of our control or experience, we would be wise to call upon God for help to raise His children. When we lack wisdom, He is willing to give us help liberally if we ask in faith. (James 1:5) After they were driven from the garden, Adam and Eve began to call “upon the name of the Lord, and they heard the voice of the Lord from the way toward the Garden of Eden, speaking unto them, and they saw him not; for they were shut out from his presence.” (Moses 5:4)
Again, it is easy to judge the tone of this verse by its conclusion, as though it were a bad thing. Remembering that the decision of all of us in the grand council in heaven was to leave Father’s presence so that we could be tested, we should not condemn Adam or Eve for their choice. They chose to do what we all chose to do, which is to learn by being tested. When we have faith, and repent of our sins, it is as though we never sinned.
The important lesson for me is that Adam and Eve continued to listen to the voice of the Lord God, even when they could not see him. They prayed. He answered. Praying with faith is important if we seek the Lord’s help. However, following the answers He gives us to our prayers is just as important. Adam and Eve set a clear example for us to follow.
Teaching from the Scriptures and by the Holy Ghost
After the Holy Ghost came upon Adam and Eve, they “blessed the name of God, and they made all things known unto their sons and daughters. (Moses 5:12) “And thus the Gospel began to be preached, from the beginning, being declared by holy angels sent forth from the presence of God, and by his own voice, and by the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Moses 5:58) “and a book of remembrance was kept, in the which was recorded, in the language of Adam, for it was given unto as many as called upon God to write by the spirit of inspiration; and by them their children were taught….” (Moses 6:5)
What a beautiful thing to realize that as many of Adam and Eve’s children who chose to pray to God were given answers that were worth remembering and recording. All they had to do was ask. They then passed on what they had learned to their children.
Each of us has the opportunity to be taught directly by the Holy Ghost. Those who are confirmed after baptism are invited and directed to receive the Holy Ghost. He is ready to teach us as long as we are ready to listen and follow.
Becoming Like God as We Choose to Follow Him
Knowing that we, each of God’s children, would fall to temptation and the conditions of mortality, our Father provided a Savior, even Jesus Christ, who would redeem us from the fall. The prophet Lehi taught that this redemption makes us free. Because we are not bound to the conditions of death that were introduced by eating the forbidden fruit, we are free to choose the pathway of our future.
Lehi taught, “Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself. And now… I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit….” (2 Nephi 2:27-28)
I may wonder at why things happened they way they did, or if there could have been another way. Then I content myself to remember that “all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things. Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.” (2 Nephi 2:24-25)
The greatest happiness in our lives comes when we choose to be like God. We choose to become like Him when we choose good over evil. No matter how small the decision, each choice will carry us closer to or further from God. What a gift this choice is! Every day we, like our mother Eve, are able to experience the lessons God has prepared for us, all because she wanted to be like Him, knowing good from evil. Knowing is not enough, but having faith is. If I ever get to meet mother Eve on the other side of the veil, I am hoping to save a special heartfelt compliment for her. I am so grateful that she made a choice that make all of my choices possible. Did she ever regret her decision? No, and neither do I.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Monday, March 29, 2010
Oh Brother
If you don’t know him, I’d like you to meet my older brother, Burke. Let me introduce you to a champion basketball player who speaks Japanese, has a background in CAD design, loves to travel, specializes in IT support, and manages an electronic vault for his national company. He likes digital scrapbooking and web page design, loves adventure, and above all, he’s a family man. Burke is very well-rounded and fun loving. Not only is he someone I have looked up to all my life, he is confident, friendly, charismatic, energetic, and very dependable. My only fault with him is that he got the lion’s share of good looks between the two of us. Well, I got over that, and I still love him. Grin. Recently his example has given me even more to admire.
Burke has spent the last several months learning to deal with cancer. It has been challenging for me to watch, and much more challenging for him to face. His first set of treatments was unsuccessful, and we are now waiting to hear the results of the second attempt. Typical of my brother, he has been very positive and calm. He has a lot of faith. He has also experienced a lot of discomfort without complaint. Family members have rallied around him, but there are some challenges where you feel helpless to do anything. This has been one of them. I have felt like I couldn’t do more than listen and pray.
My present anxiety for my brother has caused me to think about one of my personal heroes, Mahonri Moriancumer. He is an example of great faith that has taught me a lot about prayer. Fortunately he was a writer, and it was important for him to keep a record of his life. Were it not for this brief account of his experiences, we may never have known about this man. It was said of him that his words were so great that they were overpowering for man to read them. (Ether 12:24) One thing that is significant in his record is his relationship with his brother.
It is not the relationship of the two brothers that intrigues me as much as the example of their faith, prayers, and how those prayers were answered. I believe in this there is a significant lesson to be learned if we desire to return to God.
For reasons that remain unknown, we would only know Mahonri as “the brother of Jared” were in not for a modern source. While Jared is named in the record, and his brother is not, we know even less about Jared. Both lived a few thousand years ago in the Western Hemisphere. Before coming to this continent, however, they were contemporaries of Nimrod in the Old Testament and lived in Babel which later became Babylon. These two brothers left Babel with their friends and family and became a large nation of people.
At the time that God confounded the languages when the sons of men built the tower of Babel, Jared was worried for their families and friends, that they would be confounded too. The account does not say how Jared knew this, or why he was worried. It does not clearly say why God was disappointed in His children. What it does say is that the Lord “swore in his wrath that [the people] should be scattered upon all the face of the earth; and according to the word of the Lord the people were scattered.” (Ether 1:33) Somehow Jared had warning of this, yet it is his response that was significant.
Jared believed in God enough that he knew where to turn for help in his troubles – he understood the power of prayer. What is curious about the account is who he preferred to do the praying. It was his brother. Again, his reasons are not known, but we do know that the brother of Jared was “a man highly favored of the Lord,” so Jared asked him to appeal to the Lord for help. It was as if he said, “Oh brother, can you help me?” Jared said, “Cry unto the Lord, that he will not confound us that we may not understand our words.” (Ether 1:34) His brother did so and the Lord answered his prayer. Similarly, he prayed for their friends and their families, and they were not confounded.
Having had successfully received the desired answers to prayer, Jared again asked his brother to pray, saying, “Go and inquire of the Lord whether he will drive us out of the land, and if he will drive us out of the land, cry unto him whither we shall go. And who knoweth but the Lord will carry us forth into a land which is choice above all the earth: And if it so be, let us be faithful unto the Lord, that we may receive it for our inheritance.” (Ether 1:38) Jared’s request suggests that there was some concern that they would have to leave. It also suggests that he had enough faith in God to believe that he would provide a way. What that way was, he could only hope. However, Jared did have the desire to be faithful and he was again rewarded.
When the brother of Jared prayed again, the Lord told him to gather their possessions and make preparations to leave and He would lead them to a land that was choice above all other lands of the earth where they would become a great nation. The part of the Lord’s response that intrigues me the most is a simple sentence that explains why he would do such a thing. He said, “And thus I will do unto thee because this long time ye have cried unto me.” (Ether 1:43)
The Lord led this group of family and friends through a part of the wilderness where man had not yet been before. He spoke to the brother of Jared in a cloud, and gave directions where they should travel. These directions led them to a great sea where they pitched their tents for four years. At the end of those four years, the Lord again spoke to the brother of Jared in a cloud for three hours. It is unique that, during that conversation, the Lord chastened the brother of Jared for not remembering to call upon the Lord in prayer.
I have often wondered at this passage because it appears to be a strange contradiction. Here is a man who knows how to pray and is highly favored of the Lord. Not only did he pray and successfully receive answers to his prayers, but the Lord continually spoke to him to direct him. So what happened? Was the brother of Jared the type of person who would suddenly forget what the Lord had done? Perhaps, but I am not certain.
Four years seems a long time to camp on the beach. I wonder if this group of family and friends felt they had arrived at the promised land or if they were waiting for additional instructions, whenever it happened to be that they came. The record does not say. If, however, they were not convinced that they had arrived, then the sea would have seemed an interesting obstacle for them, one larger than they had faced to that point. At least it was enough to stop them for four years. Whether they were satisfied with a partial blessing as an answer to their prayers, or they saw the sea as an obstacle to their goal, I can find a personal application.
I know in my own life that I have had a pattern of prayer that has been consistent since I was little. I have prayed morning and night and often throughout the day. Yet there have been times that I have forgotten to pray with real intent. I haven’t forgotten Father. I have just forgotten to make a concerted effort to show him that I was serious. If my needs seem to be taken care of, it is easy to ease up in my intensity. Living on a beach may not be such a bad thing, unless it keeps you from praying for help to get to a better land or place.
There have also been other times that I have had obstacles placed in my way. For a long time I may consider the obstacle or trial, wondering how I am going to overcome it. Like the sea, it may seem impossible to cross or go around. Then, after some time, I decide to pray and ask for help. As often as I have prayed, the Lord has directed me. He hears and answers prayers. Repeatedly in the scriptures, he reassures us, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” (Matthew 6:7-8) For whichever reason the brother of Jared did not remember to call upon God, when he repented and cried unto the Lord, the Lord again heard and answered his prayers.
There are some interesting lessons we can learn at this point from Jared and his brother. Both provide valuable insight on our own requests to the Lord. As we follow their example, we may increase the likelihood of receiving similar answers.
Jared was conscientious of the Lord’s warnings and took them seriously. He knew that God could help with his troubles, and he believed in prayer. Jared had the desire for his family and friends to be faithful so that the Lord could bless them. He believed that the Lord would provide a way for their deliverance.
The brother of Jared was highly favored of the Lord. The Lord answered his prayers because he cried unto the Lord for a long time. Perhaps the importance was not the duration of a single prayer, but the duration of a heart-felt habit. Because of his faith, the Lord spoke to the brother of Jared and gave him directions that led him where man had not been before. This in and of itself is an act of faith.
After their stay at the beach, the Lord told the brother of Jared that he would take them across the ocean to another land, and that they would need to build barges to travel in. The barges were to be water-tight and could not have windows. They were to have an opening in the top and in the bottom for functional reasons such as letting in fresh air.
After the brother of Jared had completed making the barges, he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, I have performed the work which thou hast commanded me, and I have made the barges according as thou hast directed me.” (Ether 2:18) Simply put, he was diligent in making sure that he had done everything the Lord had asked of him before asking for another blessing. Since blessings are predicated upon obedience, the brother of Jared wanted to do everything possible to increase the likelihood that the Lord would help him. But then he discovered a problem.
The barges built to the specifications the Lord had given to the brother of Jared did not allow for any light when the openings were sealed. This would have made for a long journey in the dark. When the brother of Jared asked the Lord what to do, His response was, “what will ye that I should prepare for you that ye may have light when ye are swallowed up in the depths of the sea?” (Ether 2:25) The Lord expected him to be part of the solution.
To that point, the brother of Jared was used to receiving unique answers to prayer. While languages of other people had been confounded, his group’s had not. When they traveled through the wilderness where no one had been before, the Lord was their guide. As the brother of Jared pondered what he wanted the Lord to do for him, he again came up with a possibility that was unique. He fashioned sixteen stones out of molten rock that were transparent and white. And then he prayed.
“O Lord, thou hast said that we must be encompassed about by the floods. Now behold, O Lord, and do not be angry with thy servant because of his weakness before thee; for we know that thou art holy and dwellest in the heavens, and that we are unworthy before thee; because of the fall our natures have become evil continually; nevertheless, O Lord, thou hast given us a commandment that we must call upon thee, that from thee we may receive according to our desires.
“Behold, O Lord, thou hast smitten us because of our iniquity, and hast driven us forth, and for these many years we have been in the wilderness; nevertheless, thou hast been merciful unto us. O Lord, look upon me in pity, and turn away thine anger from this thy people, and suffer not that they shall go forth across this raging deep in darkness; but behold these things which I have molten out of the rock.
“And I know, O Lord, that thou hast all power, and can do whatsoever thou wilt for the benefit of man; therefore touch these stones, O Lord, with thy finger, and prepare them that they may shine forth in darkness; and they shall shine forth unto us in the vessels which we have prepared, that we may have light while we shall cross the sea.
“Behold, O Lord, thou canst do this. We know that thou art able to show forth great power, which looks small unto the understanding of men.” (Ether 3:2-5)
Following that moment of prayer, something wonderful occurred. The Lord stretched forth his hand from the cloud and touched the stones with his finger, and the veil was taken from off the eyes of the brother of Jared. As unique of an occurrence as it would have been to have seen the finger of God, the part I feel is most unique is the fact that the veil was removed from his eyes. It was the veil of unbelief that withholds our memory of premortal things; the veil that separates us from God. Similar to the veil of the Israelite tabernacle or temple, it is light enough that it can be lifted when the time is right. It may be lifted when our faith is sufficient.
After seeing this sight, the brother of Jared fell to the ground out of fear because he did not expect to see the finger of the Lord. When the Lord asked if he saw more, he replied that he did not and then asked the Lord to show Himself to him. Just as the brother of Jared described that God’s commandment for us to pray for our desires, the Lord granted the brother of Jared his desire and showed Himself unto him, and said, “Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you. Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ.” (Ether 3:13-14) The brother of Jared saw the Lord in spirit as he would appear when born on the earth over two thousand years later. The Lord then showed him all the inhabitants of the earth from the beginning to the end, and withheld them not from his sight. (Ether 3:25)
Again, to me it is less important what the brother of Jared saw, and more important that he did see because he could not be kept from within the veil any longer. Regarding these things, the prophet Moroni invites us to follow the same pattern of prayer. He invites us to cast off our doubt and fear and have faith like unto the brother of Jared.
“Come unto me, O ye Gentiles, and I will show unto you the greater things, the knowledge which is hid up because of unbelief. Come unto me, O ye house of Israel, and it shall be made manifest unto you how great things the Father hath laid up for you, from the foundation of the world; and it hath not come unto you, because of unbelief.” (Ether 4:13-14) His invitation is not to the prophets, but to Israel and the Gentiles alike. It is to all, which implies that it is within the reach of all to do. It is also not a matter of if, but of when.
Moroni continues, “Behold, when ye shall rend that veil of unbelief which doth cause you to remain in your awful state of wickedness, and hardness of heart, and blindness of mind, then shall the great and marvelous things which have been hid up from the foundation of the world from you—yea, when ye shall call upon the Father in my name, with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then shall ye know that the Father hath remembered the covenant which he made unto your fathers, O house of Israel.” (Ether 4:15)
There is a certain amount of irony in the fact that the people of Babel were trying to reach God. It was their approach that failed. The brother of Jared not only reached the Lord, but he invited the Lord to reach toward him and touch the stones he had made. It was not the sky that separated the tower of Babel from the Lord, it was the veil of unbelief. It was something more intangible and less visible than even a veil.
So as I pray for my own brother, and consider the example of the brother of Jared, I wonder, “What is it I lack yet? What does it mean to have faith as the brother of Jared? What would it take for my requests for my brother to be heard and answered?” This is worth pondering. In part, it may be more than believing that God can answer our prayers and grant according to our desires. It may be more than believing that he can do all things. What would I need to change in my life if having more faith also meant making sure that what I ask for is aligned with what God wants? Here is a simple clue of how to find such faith.
When Jesus visited the people on the American continent after His resurrection, he prayed, and they prayed with Him. In the Book of Mormon we read, “And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus prayed unto the Father, he came unto his disciples, and behold, they did still continue, without ceasing, to pray unto him; and they did not multiply many words, for it was given unto them what they should pray, and they were filled with desire.” (3 Nephi 19:24) When we turn our hearts to the Lord, we turn our desires so they are properly aligned. When we are filled with His desire, then the Holy Spirit can teach us what to pray for and what not to pray for. Trusting in the Holy Spirit takes a lot of faith. Learning when to pray for our desires and when to yield takes a lot of restraint. It is an exercise in faith, trusting that God will deliver us. When we choose to follow the Lord, and we choose to follow His Spirit, the answer may not be what we want, but it will always be better.
Look again at the story of the brother of Jared. From the Lord’s perspective, He said He would scatter all the people on the face of the earth. He didn’t change His mind with Jared or his brother. The family and friends of the two brothers were still scattered, but they weren’t confounded. Something that seemed like a terrible thing, turned out not to be so bad because the Lord was with them. He spoke to them, He directed them, and He answered their prayers. He didn’t set them on a cruise liner for a vacation voyage across the sea for 344 days. Instead he put them in a place that was doable, though not exactly comfortable or desirable.
As they traversed the ocean, we learn that “when they were encompassed about by many waters they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them forth again upon the top of the waters.” (Ether 6:7) This was by design so that they would turn their hearts to God. The brother of Jared had not remembered to call upon the Lord at one point. The Lord provided an experience that would help ensure that that mistake was not repeated a second time.
My prayers for my own brother have not ceased. Perhaps I need to cry unto the Lord for 344 days. Perhaps it is the habit of heart-felt prayer that is more important.
For me, the story of the brother of Jared is less about an obstacle of water, and more about a veil of unbelief. It has less to do with merely praying for what we want, and learning how to pray in a way that will help us to rend the veil. Whether it is your own trial, or that of your brother’s, these experiences are designed to help us lift the veil and behold the Lord.
It is a great comfort when you can turn to someone like a brother and ask them to pray for you. Praying is especially comforting when you know the key to successful prayer.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Burke has spent the last several months learning to deal with cancer. It has been challenging for me to watch, and much more challenging for him to face. His first set of treatments was unsuccessful, and we are now waiting to hear the results of the second attempt. Typical of my brother, he has been very positive and calm. He has a lot of faith. He has also experienced a lot of discomfort without complaint. Family members have rallied around him, but there are some challenges where you feel helpless to do anything. This has been one of them. I have felt like I couldn’t do more than listen and pray.
My present anxiety for my brother has caused me to think about one of my personal heroes, Mahonri Moriancumer. He is an example of great faith that has taught me a lot about prayer. Fortunately he was a writer, and it was important for him to keep a record of his life. Were it not for this brief account of his experiences, we may never have known about this man. It was said of him that his words were so great that they were overpowering for man to read them. (Ether 12:24) One thing that is significant in his record is his relationship with his brother.
It is not the relationship of the two brothers that intrigues me as much as the example of their faith, prayers, and how those prayers were answered. I believe in this there is a significant lesson to be learned if we desire to return to God.
For reasons that remain unknown, we would only know Mahonri as “the brother of Jared” were in not for a modern source. While Jared is named in the record, and his brother is not, we know even less about Jared. Both lived a few thousand years ago in the Western Hemisphere. Before coming to this continent, however, they were contemporaries of Nimrod in the Old Testament and lived in Babel which later became Babylon. These two brothers left Babel with their friends and family and became a large nation of people.
At the time that God confounded the languages when the sons of men built the tower of Babel, Jared was worried for their families and friends, that they would be confounded too. The account does not say how Jared knew this, or why he was worried. It does not clearly say why God was disappointed in His children. What it does say is that the Lord “swore in his wrath that [the people] should be scattered upon all the face of the earth; and according to the word of the Lord the people were scattered.” (Ether 1:33) Somehow Jared had warning of this, yet it is his response that was significant.
Jared believed in God enough that he knew where to turn for help in his troubles – he understood the power of prayer. What is curious about the account is who he preferred to do the praying. It was his brother. Again, his reasons are not known, but we do know that the brother of Jared was “a man highly favored of the Lord,” so Jared asked him to appeal to the Lord for help. It was as if he said, “Oh brother, can you help me?” Jared said, “Cry unto the Lord, that he will not confound us that we may not understand our words.” (Ether 1:34) His brother did so and the Lord answered his prayer. Similarly, he prayed for their friends and their families, and they were not confounded.
Having had successfully received the desired answers to prayer, Jared again asked his brother to pray, saying, “Go and inquire of the Lord whether he will drive us out of the land, and if he will drive us out of the land, cry unto him whither we shall go. And who knoweth but the Lord will carry us forth into a land which is choice above all the earth: And if it so be, let us be faithful unto the Lord, that we may receive it for our inheritance.” (Ether 1:38) Jared’s request suggests that there was some concern that they would have to leave. It also suggests that he had enough faith in God to believe that he would provide a way. What that way was, he could only hope. However, Jared did have the desire to be faithful and he was again rewarded.
When the brother of Jared prayed again, the Lord told him to gather their possessions and make preparations to leave and He would lead them to a land that was choice above all other lands of the earth where they would become a great nation. The part of the Lord’s response that intrigues me the most is a simple sentence that explains why he would do such a thing. He said, “And thus I will do unto thee because this long time ye have cried unto me.” (Ether 1:43)
The Lord led this group of family and friends through a part of the wilderness where man had not yet been before. He spoke to the brother of Jared in a cloud, and gave directions where they should travel. These directions led them to a great sea where they pitched their tents for four years. At the end of those four years, the Lord again spoke to the brother of Jared in a cloud for three hours. It is unique that, during that conversation, the Lord chastened the brother of Jared for not remembering to call upon the Lord in prayer.
I have often wondered at this passage because it appears to be a strange contradiction. Here is a man who knows how to pray and is highly favored of the Lord. Not only did he pray and successfully receive answers to his prayers, but the Lord continually spoke to him to direct him. So what happened? Was the brother of Jared the type of person who would suddenly forget what the Lord had done? Perhaps, but I am not certain.
Four years seems a long time to camp on the beach. I wonder if this group of family and friends felt they had arrived at the promised land or if they were waiting for additional instructions, whenever it happened to be that they came. The record does not say. If, however, they were not convinced that they had arrived, then the sea would have seemed an interesting obstacle for them, one larger than they had faced to that point. At least it was enough to stop them for four years. Whether they were satisfied with a partial blessing as an answer to their prayers, or they saw the sea as an obstacle to their goal, I can find a personal application.
I know in my own life that I have had a pattern of prayer that has been consistent since I was little. I have prayed morning and night and often throughout the day. Yet there have been times that I have forgotten to pray with real intent. I haven’t forgotten Father. I have just forgotten to make a concerted effort to show him that I was serious. If my needs seem to be taken care of, it is easy to ease up in my intensity. Living on a beach may not be such a bad thing, unless it keeps you from praying for help to get to a better land or place.
There have also been other times that I have had obstacles placed in my way. For a long time I may consider the obstacle or trial, wondering how I am going to overcome it. Like the sea, it may seem impossible to cross or go around. Then, after some time, I decide to pray and ask for help. As often as I have prayed, the Lord has directed me. He hears and answers prayers. Repeatedly in the scriptures, he reassures us, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” (Matthew 6:7-8) For whichever reason the brother of Jared did not remember to call upon God, when he repented and cried unto the Lord, the Lord again heard and answered his prayers.
There are some interesting lessons we can learn at this point from Jared and his brother. Both provide valuable insight on our own requests to the Lord. As we follow their example, we may increase the likelihood of receiving similar answers.
Jared was conscientious of the Lord’s warnings and took them seriously. He knew that God could help with his troubles, and he believed in prayer. Jared had the desire for his family and friends to be faithful so that the Lord could bless them. He believed that the Lord would provide a way for their deliverance.
The brother of Jared was highly favored of the Lord. The Lord answered his prayers because he cried unto the Lord for a long time. Perhaps the importance was not the duration of a single prayer, but the duration of a heart-felt habit. Because of his faith, the Lord spoke to the brother of Jared and gave him directions that led him where man had not been before. This in and of itself is an act of faith.
After their stay at the beach, the Lord told the brother of Jared that he would take them across the ocean to another land, and that they would need to build barges to travel in. The barges were to be water-tight and could not have windows. They were to have an opening in the top and in the bottom for functional reasons such as letting in fresh air.
After the brother of Jared had completed making the barges, he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, I have performed the work which thou hast commanded me, and I have made the barges according as thou hast directed me.” (Ether 2:18) Simply put, he was diligent in making sure that he had done everything the Lord had asked of him before asking for another blessing. Since blessings are predicated upon obedience, the brother of Jared wanted to do everything possible to increase the likelihood that the Lord would help him. But then he discovered a problem.
The barges built to the specifications the Lord had given to the brother of Jared did not allow for any light when the openings were sealed. This would have made for a long journey in the dark. When the brother of Jared asked the Lord what to do, His response was, “what will ye that I should prepare for you that ye may have light when ye are swallowed up in the depths of the sea?” (Ether 2:25) The Lord expected him to be part of the solution.
To that point, the brother of Jared was used to receiving unique answers to prayer. While languages of other people had been confounded, his group’s had not. When they traveled through the wilderness where no one had been before, the Lord was their guide. As the brother of Jared pondered what he wanted the Lord to do for him, he again came up with a possibility that was unique. He fashioned sixteen stones out of molten rock that were transparent and white. And then he prayed.
“O Lord, thou hast said that we must be encompassed about by the floods. Now behold, O Lord, and do not be angry with thy servant because of his weakness before thee; for we know that thou art holy and dwellest in the heavens, and that we are unworthy before thee; because of the fall our natures have become evil continually; nevertheless, O Lord, thou hast given us a commandment that we must call upon thee, that from thee we may receive according to our desires.
“Behold, O Lord, thou hast smitten us because of our iniquity, and hast driven us forth, and for these many years we have been in the wilderness; nevertheless, thou hast been merciful unto us. O Lord, look upon me in pity, and turn away thine anger from this thy people, and suffer not that they shall go forth across this raging deep in darkness; but behold these things which I have molten out of the rock.
“And I know, O Lord, that thou hast all power, and can do whatsoever thou wilt for the benefit of man; therefore touch these stones, O Lord, with thy finger, and prepare them that they may shine forth in darkness; and they shall shine forth unto us in the vessels which we have prepared, that we may have light while we shall cross the sea.
“Behold, O Lord, thou canst do this. We know that thou art able to show forth great power, which looks small unto the understanding of men.” (Ether 3:2-5)
Following that moment of prayer, something wonderful occurred. The Lord stretched forth his hand from the cloud and touched the stones with his finger, and the veil was taken from off the eyes of the brother of Jared. As unique of an occurrence as it would have been to have seen the finger of God, the part I feel is most unique is the fact that the veil was removed from his eyes. It was the veil of unbelief that withholds our memory of premortal things; the veil that separates us from God. Similar to the veil of the Israelite tabernacle or temple, it is light enough that it can be lifted when the time is right. It may be lifted when our faith is sufficient.
After seeing this sight, the brother of Jared fell to the ground out of fear because he did not expect to see the finger of the Lord. When the Lord asked if he saw more, he replied that he did not and then asked the Lord to show Himself to him. Just as the brother of Jared described that God’s commandment for us to pray for our desires, the Lord granted the brother of Jared his desire and showed Himself unto him, and said, “Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you. Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ.” (Ether 3:13-14) The brother of Jared saw the Lord in spirit as he would appear when born on the earth over two thousand years later. The Lord then showed him all the inhabitants of the earth from the beginning to the end, and withheld them not from his sight. (Ether 3:25)
Again, to me it is less important what the brother of Jared saw, and more important that he did see because he could not be kept from within the veil any longer. Regarding these things, the prophet Moroni invites us to follow the same pattern of prayer. He invites us to cast off our doubt and fear and have faith like unto the brother of Jared.
“Come unto me, O ye Gentiles, and I will show unto you the greater things, the knowledge which is hid up because of unbelief. Come unto me, O ye house of Israel, and it shall be made manifest unto you how great things the Father hath laid up for you, from the foundation of the world; and it hath not come unto you, because of unbelief.” (Ether 4:13-14) His invitation is not to the prophets, but to Israel and the Gentiles alike. It is to all, which implies that it is within the reach of all to do. It is also not a matter of if, but of when.
Moroni continues, “Behold, when ye shall rend that veil of unbelief which doth cause you to remain in your awful state of wickedness, and hardness of heart, and blindness of mind, then shall the great and marvelous things which have been hid up from the foundation of the world from you—yea, when ye shall call upon the Father in my name, with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then shall ye know that the Father hath remembered the covenant which he made unto your fathers, O house of Israel.” (Ether 4:15)
There is a certain amount of irony in the fact that the people of Babel were trying to reach God. It was their approach that failed. The brother of Jared not only reached the Lord, but he invited the Lord to reach toward him and touch the stones he had made. It was not the sky that separated the tower of Babel from the Lord, it was the veil of unbelief. It was something more intangible and less visible than even a veil.
So as I pray for my own brother, and consider the example of the brother of Jared, I wonder, “What is it I lack yet? What does it mean to have faith as the brother of Jared? What would it take for my requests for my brother to be heard and answered?” This is worth pondering. In part, it may be more than believing that God can answer our prayers and grant according to our desires. It may be more than believing that he can do all things. What would I need to change in my life if having more faith also meant making sure that what I ask for is aligned with what God wants? Here is a simple clue of how to find such faith.
When Jesus visited the people on the American continent after His resurrection, he prayed, and they prayed with Him. In the Book of Mormon we read, “And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus prayed unto the Father, he came unto his disciples, and behold, they did still continue, without ceasing, to pray unto him; and they did not multiply many words, for it was given unto them what they should pray, and they were filled with desire.” (3 Nephi 19:24) When we turn our hearts to the Lord, we turn our desires so they are properly aligned. When we are filled with His desire, then the Holy Spirit can teach us what to pray for and what not to pray for. Trusting in the Holy Spirit takes a lot of faith. Learning when to pray for our desires and when to yield takes a lot of restraint. It is an exercise in faith, trusting that God will deliver us. When we choose to follow the Lord, and we choose to follow His Spirit, the answer may not be what we want, but it will always be better.
Look again at the story of the brother of Jared. From the Lord’s perspective, He said He would scatter all the people on the face of the earth. He didn’t change His mind with Jared or his brother. The family and friends of the two brothers were still scattered, but they weren’t confounded. Something that seemed like a terrible thing, turned out not to be so bad because the Lord was with them. He spoke to them, He directed them, and He answered their prayers. He didn’t set them on a cruise liner for a vacation voyage across the sea for 344 days. Instead he put them in a place that was doable, though not exactly comfortable or desirable.
As they traversed the ocean, we learn that “when they were encompassed about by many waters they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them forth again upon the top of the waters.” (Ether 6:7) This was by design so that they would turn their hearts to God. The brother of Jared had not remembered to call upon the Lord at one point. The Lord provided an experience that would help ensure that that mistake was not repeated a second time.
My prayers for my own brother have not ceased. Perhaps I need to cry unto the Lord for 344 days. Perhaps it is the habit of heart-felt prayer that is more important.
For me, the story of the brother of Jared is less about an obstacle of water, and more about a veil of unbelief. It has less to do with merely praying for what we want, and learning how to pray in a way that will help us to rend the veil. Whether it is your own trial, or that of your brother’s, these experiences are designed to help us lift the veil and behold the Lord.
It is a great comfort when you can turn to someone like a brother and ask them to pray for you. Praying is especially comforting when you know the key to successful prayer.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
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