Choose Happiness

2 Nephi 2

We know that we must pass through sorrow to know joy.  But all of us know people who don't pass through sorrow; they stay and wallow in it, become bitter, and are joyless in their lives.  Why?  Why do some people face the greatest obstacles and tragedies and come through stronger, kinder, more empathetic, and happier while others are crushed by the same obstacles and tragedies?

v. 27 Wherefore, men are ^afree according to the ^bflesh; and ^call things are ^dgiven them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to ^echoose ^fliberty and eternal ^glife, 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 ^hmiserable like unto himself.

The answer lies in who you choose to follow.  Following Christ brings happiness; following the lies of Satan make you miserable like unto himself.

v. 28 And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great ^aMediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit;

These are the simple steps to following Christ:

1.  Look: He set forth the perfect example of how to live one's life in happiness.  Learn of Him, know Him, and follow that example.

2.  Hearken:  "Hearken" means more than listening.  It means giving one's full attention.  Keep his commandments.  Commandments are not restrictions, they are guidelines that lead to happiness.

3  Be faithful:  Be faithful to His words.  Where do you find His words?  In the scriptures.  Read the scriptures, feast upon them, turn to them in your darkest hours.  Help for every problem can be found there.  Reading scriptures invites the Spirit which gives you peace and comfort even in the midst of the darkest days of your hardest trials.

4.  Choose.  Choose righteousness, choose happiness, choose to live your life according to HIS will.

v. 2 9 And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the ^aevil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of the devil power to ^bcaptivate, to bring you down to ^chell, that he may reign over you in his own kingdom.

Ah, there is the final key to the puzzle.  Choose to follow the will of the Spirit over the will of the flesh.  Easy to say, but so hard to do, at least at first.  But it gets easier, much easier, because of the intercession of Jesus Christ, because of His atonement.  Because He heals us.  

Think about why we turn to the will of the flesh, why we sin:  It is because there is some hurt, some need that we are trying to fill in our lives.  We try to mask the pain through immediate gratification; some people go to extreme lengths to make it stop hurting.  But as long as we try to kill the pain according to the will of the flesh, the relief is only temporary.

When we turn to our Savior and apply His atonement in our lives, He heals us.  He takes away the loneliness, the self-doubt, the guilt, the pain.  We have no more desire to do evil, because we're not trying to kill the pain anymore.  We have passed through sorrow.  We are free to experience true joy.

Agency

2 Nephi 2

v. 15 And to bring about his eternal ^apurposes in the end of man, after he had ^bcreated our first parents, and the beasts of the field and the ^cfowls of the air, and in fine, all things which are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the ^dforbidden ^efruit in ^fopposition to the ^gtree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter. 

v.16 Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should ^aact for himself. Wherefore, man could not ^bact for himself save it should be that he was ^centiced by the one or the other.


One of the greatest gifts God has given us is the freedom to choose our actions.  Christ invites all men to come unto Him; He stands ready, waiting, with open arms.  He stands at the door and knocks, but He waits for us to open.  No one is forced to follow Him.  No one is forced to accept His gift of repentance and the atonement.

v. 22 And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.

v. 23 And they would have had no ^achildren; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no ^bjoy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no ^csin.

v. 2 4But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who ^aknoweth all things.

v. 25 ^aAdam ^bfell that men might be; and men ^care, that they might have ^djoy.

The only path to happiness is through sorrow.  When God "cursed" Eve, He said He would "greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children." (Genesis 3:16).  And to Adam, God said, "^bcursed is the ground for thy sake; in ^csorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life." (Genesis 3:17)

Mothers, isn't it true, that our children have the power to bring us so much sorrow?  How many nights have you spent walking the floors with worry, or crying yourself to sleep because of the mistakes of your children?  I just want my children to be happy, and my heart breaks when I see them make decisions that lead to heartbreak for them.  

And yet, is there any greater joy than that found in your children?  Their antics, their smiles, their giggles, their hugs and unconditional love.  The pride you feel in their accomplishments.  The joy when they learn and grow and are happy.

It is better that we should pass through sorrow, better than innocence and ignorance. 

Opposition In All Things

2 Nephi 2

v. 10 And because of the intercession for ^aall, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be ^bjudged of him according to the truth and ^choliness which is in him. Wherefore, the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given, unto the inflicting of the ^dpunishment which is affixed, which punishment that is affixed is in opposition to that of the happiness which is affixed, to answer the ends of the ^eatonement—

Because of the intercession for all men, Jesus Christ is uniquely qualified to judge us, "according to the truth and holiness which is in him."  When He took upon himself all of our sins and sorrows, He became the one person to understand us completely and uniquely.  He understands the circumstances that lead us to the choices we make. 

And let's be honest, the reason we sin is because we are trying to overcome some hurt inside us.  We're trying to fill some hole in our heart, and we mistakenly turn to the promises of the world to fill it.  The ways of the world will always fail us; turning to our Savior and letting Him heal us is the only true way to happiness.

This verse also introduces the doctrine of opposition.

v. 11 For it must needs be, that there is an ^aopposition in all things. If not so, my first-born in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.

This makes immediate sense when you think about it, and it changes the way you look at life.  Suddenly, trials and difficulties and even past mistakes are no longer "bad" things.  On the contrary, it is only by passing through unhappiness that we can experience happiness.  Have you ever noticed how people who have had extreme difficulties have a greater appreciation for life, how they are more compassionate, how they find joy in the smallest things?  They find joy that other people miss.

Understanding this principle helps me understand the fall of Adam and Eve better.  Often, we think of the garden of Eden as a wonderful paradise where everything was perfect and Adam and Eve lived in happiness.  Their every need was provided for them.  They didn't have to work.  They didn't have any sorrows.  They were completely innocent.

But understanding the principle of opposition, we know that the absence of sorrow doesn't mean happiness.  The absence of sorrow means the incomprehension of happiness.  The fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil did not just give them knowledge, it gave them specific knowledge: the knowledge of opposites.  

The idea of living in the garden of Eden makes me cringe.  No knowledge.  No work.  No progress.  Spending my days endlessly picking fruit and petting pretty animals?  Good grief, every day would feel like an eternity.  

Intercession

2 Nephi 2

v. 8 "Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth,"


Our church is a missionary church.  Why?  Because it is essential for all the inhabitants of the earth to know these things.  How are people to know if we don't tell them?  We're not trying to force our religion on anyone.  In fact, most of us are a little shy in sharing the gospel for the simple reason that we don't want to step on toes.  But, if we do share the gospel with you, there's a reason for it: We care about you.  The gospel makes us happy, and we want to share that with you.  What kind of friend would I be if I didn't at least give you the choice?

"...that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, ^asave it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah,"

When I read this, I think about the curse that came to Laman and Lemuel when they rebelled against God.  The curse was that they were cut off from the presence of the Lord.  By the fall of Adam, we are all cursed to be cut off from the presence of the Lord.  But through the atonement of Jesus Christ, we may in the flesh approach God and dwell, in various degrees, in His presence again.

"...who ^blayeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the ^cresurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise."

Here Jacob is talking about Jesus Christ overcoming physical death through the resurrection.  I find it interesting (and somewhat confusing) that he intertwines physical death and spiritual death in the same verse.  I think his sons must have been similarly confused, because he goes on to explain in greater depth later in this chapter.

v. 9 "Wherefore, he is the firstfruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make ^aintercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved."

In trying to understand "intercession" better, this verse led me to Isaiah 53:

v. 4 ¶Surely he hath ^aborne our ^bgriefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

v. 5 But he was ^awounded for our ^btransgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his ^cstripes we are ^dhealed.

I love this verse.  It is so sadly beautiful, a reminder of what He went through for me, and a promise that I can be healed.

v. 6 All we like ^asheep have gone ^bastray; we have turned every one to his ^cown way; and the Lord hath laid on him the ^diniquity of us all.

I love the imagery in this verse.  We are like sheep, and we have all gone astray.  We have turned to our own way, and our way is what causes us to get lost.  The atonement (literally at-one-ment) brings us back to God and returns us to His way.  His way is the good way, the only way that brings happiness in this life and the life to come.

I have this image in my mind of me, a wayward wandering child, walking away from God, and my Savior, Jesus Christ running after me.  He takes my hand and gently, lovingly leads me back to my Heavenly Father.  Every step He leads me in the right direction brings me closer to God.  And the journey there, with my hand in His, is a happy, pleasant one.

The Law

2 Nephi 2

v. 5 "And men are instructed sufficiently that they ^aknow good from evil."

All men know the difference between good and evil instinctively.  A child knows it's wrong to steal a candy bar or hit a sibling.  A business man knows it's wrong to lie to close the deal.  A housewife knows it's wrong to gossip about a neighbor.  Everyone is born with the light of Christ, or a conscience.

"...And the ^blaw is given unto men."  What is the law?  The knowledge of good from evil.

"... And by the law no flesh is ^cjustified; or, by the law men are ^dcut off."

We are cut off because we transgress the law, or rather we all sometimes choose evil over good.  We all sin.

"... Yea, by the temporal law they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish from that which is good, and become miserable forever."

Temporal refers to the physical.  We are physically cut off from God because in this life, we are not in His presence.  Death is the physical barrier that keeps us from God.  It is a barrier that we cannot overcome on our own.

We are also cut off from God by the spiritual law when we sin.  Sin is a spiritual barrier that keeps us from God.  It too is a barrier that we cannot overcome on our own.

 v. 6 "Wherefore, ^aredemption cometh in and through the ^bHoly ^cMessiah; for he is full of ^dgrace and truth.

Redemption from both the consequences of temporal and spiritual law comes through our Savior, Jesus Christ.  He overcame both death and sin.

grace–noun

1. elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion, or action.

2. a pleasing or attractive quality or endowment.

3. favor or good will.

4. a manifestation of favor, especially by a superior: It was only through the dean's grace that I wasn't expelled from school.

5. mercy; clemency; pardon: an act of grace.

6. favor shown in granting a delay or temporary immunity.

7. an allowance of time after a debt or bill has become payable granted to the debtor before suit can be brought against him or her or a penalty applied: The life insurance premium is due today, but we have 31 days' grace before the policy lapses. Compare grace period.

8.Theology .

a. the freely given, unmerited favor and love of god.

b. the influence or spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them.

c. a virtue or excellence of divine origin: the Christian graces.

d. Also called state of grace. the condition of being in God's favor or one of the elect.

9. moral strength: the grace to perform a duty.

 

v. 7 "Behold, he offereth himself a ^asacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto ^bnone else can the ^cends of the law be answered.

2 Nephi 2

This passage is so full, so meaty.  Yesterday, I read through it, just to get a taste of it on my palate.  Today, and maybe tomorrow or more, I want to go over it again, savor it, chew on it a little.

v.1-2  Lehi is speaking to his son, Jacob.  He points out that Jacob has suffered many afflictions, but he assures him, that God will "consecrate [his] afflictions for [his] gain."

First of all, it is comforting for anyone going through afflictions to understand the law of compensation, or the fact that God will consecrate your afflictions for your gain.  You are not suffering needlessly.  There is a purpose and a blessing attached.

Secondly, these verses set up the doctrine of opposition that will follow.

v. 3  How will Jacob be blessed?  "Wherefore, (1)thy soul shall be blessed, and (2) thou shalt dwell safely with thy brother, Nephi;  and (3) thy days shall be spent in the service of thy God."

Wherefore ties into the previous verse and indicates causation.  Three blessings are mentioned, that his soul will be blessed, safety, and he will serve God.  I don't automatically think of serving God as a blessing, but rather as a vehicle for blessings to follow.  And yet, it is a blessing in itself, a way of life that brings joy.  A time-tested way to overcome your own sorrows is to serve someone needier than you.

v. 3  "Wherefore, I know that thou art redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer; for thou hast beheld that in the fullness of time he cometh to bring salvation unto men." 

Again, wherefore indicates causation.  We see that because Jacob turned to the Lord in his afflictions instead of turning away and letting his heart become bitter, he received the blessings previously enumerated.  And because he received those blessings, he is redeemed because of his faith in Jesus Christ.

v. 4 Here Lehi points out that because of Jacob's great faith, he is blessed just as much as if he had been present personally to receive the ministering of Christ.  "...for the Spirit is the same, yesterday, today, and forever." 

We are like Jacob in that we are not personally present during Christ's ministry.  Yet, like Jacob, through our faith we can receive the same blessings.  "...salvation is free."  All men may come and receive salvation, if they desire it, if they accept it.  It is a gift, but God does not force His gift on anyone.

Faith, Hope, and Charity

Moroni 7

v. 12 Wherefore, all things which are ^agood cometh of God; and that which is ^bevil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to ^csin, and to do that which is evil continually.

v. 13 But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do ^agood continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and ^benticeth to do ^cgood, and to love God, and to serve him, is ^dinspired of God.

v. 14 Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is ^aevil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil.

I love the simplicity of these verses, and the ones that follow.  How do you know what is good?  How do you recognize truth?  All things which are good come of God.  Everything which entices you to do good is inspired of God.

I think people are put off when they hear members of the Mormon church say "I know that this church is true."  It makes it sound like an exclusive country club, and that members only have access to the truth.  But that's not right.  Truth and godliness are all around us, everywhere, and can be found in the most unlikely of places.  Whenever I discuss faith or religion with anyone, I always look for common ground, for that shared light and truth that we have.  I find truth in the natural kindness of people, in the beauty of nature around me, in the order of science and the universe, and in the way sacred places make me feel.

That said, the reason I am a Mormon is because my religion to me is a never failing source of truth and goodness.  It is a place where I come and meet God and feel closer to Him and know Him better.  I have not yet run into a principle that has caused me to fight against God or entice me to sin.  My religion leads me to want to be a better person and to always do good continually.

v. 40 And again, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you concerning ^ahope. How is it that ye can attain unto faith, save ye shall have hope?

v. 41 And what is it that ye shall ^ahope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have ^bhope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life ^ceternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.

v. 42 Wherefore, if a man have ^afaith he ^bmust needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope.

v. 43 And again, behold I say unto you that he cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be ^ameek, and lowly of heart.

v. 44 If so, his ^afaith and hope is vain, for none is ^bacceptable before God, save the ^cmeek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and ^dconfesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity.

It seems that my studies have been so focused on faith lately that I've forgotten that faith is but one part of three important principles.  Faith, hope, and charity are necessary to each other, like three legs of a stool.  Hope is necessary before you can have faith.  Interesting, but hope seems easier than faith.  Yes, I hope to sit at the right hand of God.  Yes, I hope to be healed, in this life or the next.

v. 45 And ^acharity suffereth long, and is ^bkind, and ^cenvieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily ^dprovoked, 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.

This is a great checklist, a measuring stick if you will.  How am I doing?  The more I develop these qualities, the more charity I have and the more capacity I'll have to hope and to have faith.  If I feel my faith is lacking, then I can simply come here and see where I am weak.  Which leads me back to my studies yesterday -- I can humble myself and let God lead me to make my weaknesses strong.

v. 46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—

v.  47 But ^acharity is the pure ^blove of Christ, and it endureth ^cforever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

v. 48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, ^apray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true ^bfollowers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall ^cbe like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be ^dpurified even as he is pure. Amen.

Faith Is Things Which Are Hoped For And Not Seen

Ether 12

v.3 ...^dby ^efaith all things are fulfilled—

v. 4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with ^asurety ^bhope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which ^chope cometh of ^dfaith, maketh an ^eanchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in ^fgood works, being led to ^gglorify God.

The fruits of faith are hope for a better world.  All right, the burden of my chronic illness weighs heavily upon me right now, so I might think of a better world as one with better health.  A better world would also mean more peace and love in my home, more joy in my family, success and accomplishment through writing, deeper and more meaningful friendships, greater knowledge and understanding.  A better world is one where I have done something to make it better.

Faith maketh an anchor to the soul.  Anchoring, meaning grounding, keeping me in place.  Where would I wander?  In the valley of darkness and despair, away from my relationship with God and Christ.  

Sure:

1. free from doubt as to the reliability, character, action, etc., of something: to be sure of one's data.

2. confident, as of something expected: sure of success.

3. convinced, fully persuaded, or positive: to be sure of a person's guilt.

4. assured or certain beyond question: a sure victory.

5. worthy of confidence; reliable; stable: a sure messenger.

6. unfailing; never disappointing expectations: a sure cure.

7. unerring; never missing, slipping, etc.: a sure aim.

8. admitting of no doubt or question: sure proof.

9. destined; bound inevitably; certain: sure death.

10. Obsolete . secure; safe.

Steadfast:

1. fixed in direction; steadily directed: a steadfast gaze.

2. firm in purpose, resolution, faith, attachment, etc., as a person: a steadfast friend.

3. unwavering, as resolution, faith, adherence, etc.

4. firmly established, as an institution or a state of affairs.

5. firmly fixed in place or position.

Faith leads you to ALWAYS abounding in good works.   Which goes back to a better world, doesn't it?  If I am always trying to do good things, then I will be building a better world.

Finally, faith will lead me to glorify God.  I think this goes beyond praising him verbally, or even in my heart.  Glorifying God means to bring glory to Him.  I have faith in Him that He knows what is best for me, and that by submitting to His will, I am becoming what He knows I can become.  I am the work of His hands, and becoming what He is molding me into will bring Him glory.

v. 27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their ^aweakness. I ^bgive unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my ^cgrace is sufficient for all men that ^dhumble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make ^eweak things become strong unto them.

I see a process here between these two verses.  God gives us a weakness.   We humble ourselves and have faith that He can help us overcome our weakness.  We have hope in our success, and then we work on it, sure and steadfast, always guided by our faith in Jesus Christ and our determination to keep our will in line with God.  He blesses us along the way, and we slowly see our weakness turned to strength.  The finished product brings glory to God.

Light in the Darkness

Ether 3

v. 1 And it came to pass that the brother of Jared, (now the number of the vessels which had been prepared was eight) went forth unto the ^amount, which they called the mount ^bShelem, because of its exceeding height, and did ^cmolten out of a rock sixteen small stones; and they were white and clear, even as transparent ^dglass; and he did carry them in his hands upon the top of the mount, and cried again unto the Lord, saying:

v. 2 O Lord, thou hast said that we must be encompassed about by the floods. Now behold, O Lord, and do not be ^aangry 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 ^bunworthy before thee; because of the ^cfall our ^dnatures 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.

v. 3 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 ^amerciful 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 ^bthings which I have molten out of the rock.

v. 4 And I know, O Lord, that thou hast all ^apower, and can do whatsoever thou wilt for the benefit of man; therefore touch these stones, O Lord, with thy ^bfinger, 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 ^clight while we shall cross the sea.

v. 5 Behold, O Lord, thou canst do this. We know that thou art able to show forth great power, which ^alooks small unto the understanding of men.

Everybody passes through dark times, trials and tribulations.  That is the nature of this life. "A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance." Ecclesiastes 3:4  If you don't know bitter, you can't know the sweet.

So, I have to ask myself, have I done enough to prepare myself for this journey, for the storms that I knew would come?  And what am I doing now to provide light during these dark times?

I'm responsible for providing the light.  It's up to me to look for it and find it, and if I do, the Lord will bless it.  I suppose that's one of the lessons I am to learn from this. 

My lighted stones are:

My husband

My children

Prayer

Scripture study

My writing

My friends

Good music

The flowers in my garden

The birds that visit me

The abundant sunshine outside

My internet supportive community

Stories from General Conference online

Good books

These are the things that bring me joy every day, that make me smile and feel happy, that make my burdens seem much smaller and less significant.  These things outshine my suffering and push it into the background of a very happy life. 

Your Faith Is Sufficient

3 Nephi 17

v. 7 Have ye any that are ^asick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or ^bleprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will ^cheal them, for I have compassion upon you; my bowels are filled with mercy.

v. 8 For I perceive that ye desire that I should show unto you what I have done unto your brethren at Jerusalem, for I see that your ^afaith is ^bsufficient that I should heal you.

v. 9 And it came to pass that when he had thus spoken, all the multitude, with one accord, did go forth with their sick and their afflicted, and their lame, and with their ^ablind, and with their dumb, and with all them that were afflicted in any manner; and he did heal them every one as they were brought forth unto him.

v. 10 And they did all, both they who had been healed and they who were whole, bow down at his feet, and did worship him; and as many as could come for the multitude did ^akiss his feet, insomuch that they did bathe his feet with their tears.

This is a very difficult passage for me to read.  I have been chronically ill for four and a half years now.  I have prayed for healing, and those who love me have prayed for me to be healed.  I know that God can do all things, and that He has the power to heal me.  But He has chosen not to.  Not yet.

And when I read this passage, I wonder, is my faith sufficient?  Would He have healed me by now if I had had enough faith?  People have hinted to me that the answer is yes.  "You just need more faith..."

I have enough faith to bear this burden as long as the Lord deems it necessary for me.  I have enough faith to be patient and long-suffering.  I have enough faith to find joy and meaning in my days in spite of my illness.  I have enough faith to go to one more doctor and try one more treatment.  I have enough faith to believe that this life is still worth living.  I have enough faith to believe that I am still valuable to the people in my life who love me.  I have enough faith to keep trying to make myself a better person, every day.

Maybe that is what will lead me to have enough faith when the time comes for me to be healed.

The Winds Will Surely Come

3 Nephi 14
see also Matthew 7

v. 24 Therefore, whoso heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a ^arock—

v. 25 And the ^arain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it ^bfell not, for it was founded upon a rock.

v. 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not shall be likened unto a ^afoolish man, who built his house upon the ^bsand—

v. 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell, and great was the fall of it.

I have loved this scripture ever since I was old enough to know adversity.  There is a comfort to it, knowing that if you hold fast to your Savior, you will be given the strength to withstand any storm that may pass through your life.  

Well, the storms are raging, and I can testify that this scripture is true.  My Savior strengthens me, He comforts me, He blesses me, He compensates me for blessings lost.

I wonder, what is it about doing the words of Christ that gives you that protection?  What does He ask of us?  Love God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself.  Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  Judge not.  Ask for good gifts.  Serve others, "for inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."  (Matthew 25:40)

Can you not see the life you are building when you follow Him?  A life filled with love and loving relationships.  A life filled with people who care about you and will remember you in your time of greatest need.   And even if people fail you, you still have a personal relationship with Christ that will carry you through your great difficulties.

The storms will come, the winds will blow.  Nobody gets a free pass.  Life is hard, and it was meant to be, because it is only in overcoming the obstacles and withstanding the storms of life that we learn and grow and become better people.  But I know that when I hold fast to my Savior and His teachings, I can hear Him whisper, "Peace, be still," to my heart.