Elder Richard G. Scott says, “faith is not illusion, nor magic, but a power rooted in eternal principles.”
One of those eternal principles is showing a willingness to trust in God, and in His power to deliver us no matter what our circumstances may be.
Trust in God. In the scriptures, we have countless examples of those who placed their trust in God.
Esther demonstrated faith and trust when she showed courage to petition the King to save her people, knowing that doing so could be fatal. Daniel continued to pray even after he knew that the penalty for doing so was to be thrown into a den of lions. Lehi courageously led his family into the wilderness trusting in the Lord’s power to deliver them from the hands of their enemies. Shadrack Meshack and Abednego proved faithful in keeping the Lord’s commandments even though they knew they would be thrown into the fiery furnace.
All of these stories parallel one another in the sense that each person showed a willingness to faithfully trust in God, even when their own lives were at risk. They trusted in His power to deliver them as they followed His will and kept His commandments. And the Lord did deliver them from physical harm.
Elder Scott goes on to say, “Motivating faith is centered in trust in the Lord and in His willingness to answer your needs. For “the Lord … doth bless and prosper those who put their trust in him.” The consistent, willing exercise of faith increases your confidence and ability to employ the power of faith. You can learn to use faith more effectively by applying this principle taught by Moroni: “Faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.” Thus, every time you try your faith, that is, act in worthiness on an impression, you will receive the confirming evidence of the Spirit. Those feelings will fortify your faith.”
However, trusting in God, and exercising faith in Him, also means that we are trusting in His will, even when the outcome is not what we would expect or desire. We make the choice to hold true to our conviction that our Heavenly Father loves us and His will is for our ultimate, eternal well-being.
Thus, faith is a choice, it’s an action.
Five years ago, my sister in law lost her son of 14 months. It was a tragic time for our family. Gavin’s death was unexpected. My sister in law struggled deeply. She asked herself why when she prayed so intently, with all of the love she had, why had a miracle not taken place? Why did Heavenly Father take her son when He had saved others? For a moment, in deep despair, she questioned her faith. Yet, a quiet peace came as she took fresh courage in accepting the Lord’s will. She told me, “I had a choice to make, and I chose to believe”. And that action made all the difference.
She chose to follow King Benjamin’s counsel to, “Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.”
To me, the action of faith is what allows us to courageously take those first steps into the darkness and to trust that our loving Heavenly Father will eventually light our pathway.
When coupled with humility, our faith in our Savior is what picks us up after we have fallen and gives us the strength to repent.
Our faith gives us hope when all hope seems lost. And, it is what allows us to see the light at the end of the tunnel even when we don’t know how long or how dark that tunnel may be.
Faith is a gift, it is a miracle. Acting in faith brings blessings.
Some years ago, I reread some journal entries that I had written as a 13 year old girl. One entry contained my thoughts on the Plan of Salvation. As a 13 year old girl, I had great faith that we would someday have the opportunity to be with those we love after we die because our Savior conquered death. I didn’t know it at the time that I wrote the entry, but my faith on that very subject would soon be tested. For, only two entries later, I had written about the tragic accident that would claim the lives of two of my cousins.
Their deaths would prove to be perhaps the most difficult trial I had yet experienced. My whole world was rocked when I awoke the next morning to find that my parents had left my sisters and I to go to Utah to be with my aunt who was in the hospital and who had just lost two of her children. My mind was racked with guilt concerning an argument I had had with my young cousin, Micheal the day prior to his death. My stomach was twisted in knots, for several days I couldn’t sleep, and I yearned for peace. I felt impressed at the time to act in faith and ask for a priesthood blessing. For the first time in my life, I felt the power of the priesthood heal my unseen wounds. I learned then, that our faith has the power to call down the very powers of heaven.
The miracle of faith is that even in our darkest hour, we can feel the warmth of the spirit reminding us that all is not lost.
The miracle of faith is that it does not need to be perfect. It “is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if we have faith, we hope for things which are not seen, which are true.”
On one occasion, the Savior encountered a great multitude of people who were listening to a discussion between His disciples and the scribes. He then asked the scribes, “What question ye with them?”
A certain man, kneeling down to Him, answered that he had asked the disciples to cast an evil spirit out of his son, but “they could not.” The father begged Him, saying, “But if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.
“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
“And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.”
The Savior then rebuked the evil spirit and charged it to “come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him.” (Mark 9:14-29)
I love that. “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” What humility is contained in that phrase. As a parent I can imagine how this man was despairing over the condition of his son. And, with all of the feeling of loving father who wanted the best for his child, he begs for the Savior‘s compassion. He musters all of the faith he has within him, and then upon recognizing that he falls short of perfection, he asks the Lord to help make his faith stronger.
How many times in our lives must we do that very thing? When a spouse has lost employment, and we have no idea how we will be able to afford to live, and yet we make that choice to faithfully pay our tithing--help thou mine unbelief. When an illness alters the life of a loved one and we faithfully petition the Lord for courage to accept His will--help thou mine unbelief. There are countless trials we must face in the lifetime, and no matter what we are called to face, we can have courage in knowing that our faith need not be perfect, but that we can choose to believe with whatever amount of faith we can muster and trust that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have the power to increase our faith. Help thou mine unbelief.
I heard once that when it feels as though you are at the end of your rope, that’s when you must tie a knot and hang on. I’d like to add to that. When you’re at the end of your rope, tie and knot and hang on with faith believing that blessings come to those who faithfully put their trust in the Lord and who show a willingness to endure to the end NO MATTER WHAT.
Several months ago, my pregnancy had caused a considerable amount of anxiety for the welfare of my child. When I was nearly consumed by my anxiety, I wrote the following experience down in my journal.
“Last night, as I was feeling a little anxious, I had the thought of surrendering my burden to the Lord, because "his yoke is easy and his burden is light". In my mind, I envisioned myself actually handing over a mound of my "burden" and placing it upon His ever capable shoulders. I was in that moment just before falling asleep, but I remember it feeling very real, like I had just handed my burden over, quite literally, to the Lord. It felt physical, like I could feel the relief quite literally. Perhaps that's why I feel so much more comfort today. Perhaps that's why I can talk about it without crying today.”
I had faith in my Savior and in His ability to deliver me from my emotional burden.
After I got home from the dr. appointment in which I found out that my baby most likely had a genetic disorder, I turned to the scriptures. (Ether Chapter 2), I noticed that the chapter began with the Jaredites preparing for the crossing of the great waters. To me, the "great waters" represented our trials. We prepare for the trials we are to face by staying true to our covenants and by doing those things we have been taught to do which build our faith and trust in God. As we read the scriptures, attend the temple, say our prayers etc., we are preparing for our crossing of "the many waters". In verse 15, the Lord tells the brother of Jared "And these are my thoughts upon the land which I shall give you for your inheritance; for it shall be a land choice above all other lands." We know two things from these words, 1) the trial of crossing the water comes from the Lord. Our trials, when not a trial of consequence due to our agency, are given to us from the Lord. 2) Our trials, if we remain faithful, will result in beautiful blessings. The brother of Jared was promised a choice land, a land that would be free from bondage and captivity so long as the people remained faithful and continued to serve God.
In verse 16, the brother of Jared is commanded to go to work. Our trials aren't meant to be easy. They are meant to test us, to see what we're made of, to help us grow, and to ultimately help us reach perfection. But, first, we must go to work-- faith is an action. In this chapter, work meant building barges. In our day, work may be of the more spiritual kind. However, no matter how we work through our trials, we ought to do as the brother of Jared did, and that is to continually ask the Lord what he would have us do. The brother of Jared is concerned about the lack of light. He doesn't want to cross the water in darkness. Neither should we expect to cross our own "waters" in darkness.
22: O Lord, behold I have done even as thou hast commanded me; and I have prepared the vessels for my people, and behold there is no light in them. Behold, O Lord, wilt thou suffer that we shall cross this great water in darkness?"
The brother of Jared knew that the Lord was the source of all light. In faith, he asks the Lord to be his light in the darkness.
Ether 3: 4 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.
No matter our trial, our sorrow, our heartache, or our tears, the Lord can be our light in the darkness. We can attain the comfort that comes from the Holy Ghost and from submitting our will to the Lord's will. If we have the faith to believe that the Lord knows us, he loves us, and he wants us to be successful, then we can also have the comfort of knowing that all things will be for our benefit, even our dark days can have light.
Brothers and sisters, may we stand firm in our faith. I add my testimony to the words to the hymn, When Faith Endures:
I will not doubt, I will not fear;
God's love and strength are always near.
His promised gift helps me to find
An inner strength and peace of mind.
I give the Father willingly
My trust, my prayers, humility.
His Spirit guides; his love assures
That fear departs when faith endures.
I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
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