Given how much I see His hand in my life I know it shouldn’t but it surprises me sometimes how involved Heavenly Father is with my life. It seems whenever I’m struggling with something or even just having a conversation with someone, the next several days everything I read or see has to do with the topic! Sometimes I’ll go looking for gospel material related to the topic but most of the time it just pops up. My friend told me a few weeks ago that, “no matter how insignificant our worries/trials may be, He is still involved down to the last little thing.” It’s totally true too. We are His sons and daughters and He cares about us!! I just love knowing it!! This was the latest reoccurring topic.
A few weeks ago, I went to Provo with Heidi and Brad to drop Brad off at EFY…again. We got there a little early so we went to the temple and sat on the grass and talked. (I just have to say how much I love my friends! I don’t know what I’d do without them.) Heidi, Brad, and I are all about the same age so we are all going through the same things…relatively. We had an awesome discussion about our Father’s love, faith, and relying on Him in everything. We all shared some really personal things and encouraging stories to help the other realize just how much our Heavenly Father loves us. Brad texted us later to tell us that his staff meeting that night was “literally all about how God loves each of us….”
The next day in English, we read a BYU devotional called For when I Am Weak, Then Am I Strong given by Gerald Causse. Heavenly Father loves us. He knows us and because of that, he also knows our potential. We sometimes know how much we mean to Him and think highly of ourselves. There are also times where we are in a pit of “not being good enough.: Either way, Heavenly Father will send a trial our way to test us. Through my experiences, I have learned that’s the best time to remember to rely on the Lord. He loves me. He loves you. We need to constantly remember that we are sons and daughters of God. When we remember that Heavenly Father has the grand eternal perspective of things, it becomes easier to know just how special and amazing we are. I texted Heidi and Brad the article, because it just flowed PERFECTLY into our conversation from the previous day. Of course they responded with gratitude and more insight.
That night, in my scripture study, I read President Eyring’s talk entitled Mountains to Climb from April 2012 General Conference. “Trouble itself can be your way to strengthened and finally gain unshakable faith.” I’ve learned it doesn’t matter what kind of trouble. A heart transplant and/or rejection, loosing a loved one, moving away from home, heartbreak, loneliness, stress… It doesn’t matter. Whatever bad thing happens, that’s when faith is the most crucial.
Okay, now fast forward about a week. I was talking to a friend the other day about just life in general. She told me this amazing analogy her mom had told her recently.
“Look at this picture of a baby, you’re probably thinking it’s really cute.
Now what if I told you that the parents of this baby tossed it out the window of a 2 story building… I can imagine the horror on your face right now. You’re probably thinking “these are terrible parents!”
Now let me add in some crucial details to this situation. The parents tossed this baby out the window to land on a trampoline below, the house was on fire and they were trying save their baby. Now what do you think about these parents?”
Sometimes don’t want to be thrown out the window. We are comfortable in the situation we’re in, or maybe we are hesitant for change that could be coming. Other times we are certain that the flames will just calm down in time and that we’ll be fine. There are also the times where we don’t even know the building we’re in is on fire until it’s too late. I have experienced all of those things. As I have grown up I’ve learned that being chucked out of a burning building is usually the best way to go.
The next morning, I ran across this scripture in my studying: Doctrine and Covenants 58:3 &4 says, “Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation. For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore the day commeth that ye shall be crowned with much glory’ the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand.” Obviously we don’t know what is going to happen. One moment we’re perfectly happy and the next, the building is on fire and we have to get out.
And the a day or two after that, I read a talk from April 2017 General Conference called Confide in God Unwaveringly. In his talk, Elder Ullisses Soares explains that no matter what happens in life, we must look to God in all things. He knows the grand plan and the reasoning behind why things may happen. We must exercise the faith in Him to be able to understand and move on. “Without faith, we will end up losing the capacity to appreciate those designs of our God regarding the things that will happen later in our life.”
Last night’s study took me to Alma 32:6. It says, “…their afflictions had truly humbled the, and that they were in preparation to hear the word.” That cross-reverenced to several other scriptures. Ether 12:27. “And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.” Jacob 4:7 says, “Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by His grace, and His great condensations unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things.” And then Doctrine and Covenants 1:29, “And insasmuch as they were humble they might be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive knowledge from time to time.” Sometimes we have to go through really hard things in order to become humble so we may learn to listen to the Spirit and become better.
See? It all connects. We must have faith in our Father in everything. We must have faith that if the “building” we are in catches on fire, that we’ll be safely chucked out the window. We must have faith that after we are removed from the burning building, everything will be okay. I say this a lot, but I know it’s true: Heavenly Father has a plan. We do have our agency but ultimately, we need to follow Him. With our mortal imperfections we sometimes get off the path He has laid out. That’s okay though. Through recognition, humility, repentance, and faith we are able to find that plan again. I am so grateful for the blessing of faith. Life is hard. Some days are better than others but there are times I feel like I won’t make it. If I rely on my Father in faith with all I have, He will help me to overcome anything!!
