Faith is hard work. Perhaps the hardest. To keep believing when all of your instincts, all of your experience, and all of your senses tell you not to believe. It is the deepest test of all to "doubt not, but be believing." Such is our present situation. When one commits to a path, trusting that it is the right thing at that time, there is the danger of trying to "finish the sentence," so to speak. In other words, although an impression may come to do something, it's important to not read into the confirmation more than was actually said. I like to call this writing a paragraph when only a sentence was provided.At the same time, we are expected to "walk by faith," and to "bring to pass much righteousness...wherein we are agents unto ourselves." Perhaps the great test of mortality is to endure in faith regardless of what that faith leads to.
I think I am often like Thomas. He wasn't there when the Savior first appeared in resurrected form. He'd never before experienced a meeting with a resurrected being. How many of the other disciples would've had a similar response to the one Thomas had? I too sometimes want to see before I will believe.
And thus the test. To believe and then to see. To offer everything without knowing everything. To say as did Adam and Eve, "we know not save the Lord commanded us."
I say, as did the father whose son had been possessed by an evil spirit, "I believe, Lord; help thou mine unbelief."
For the first time in my life I believe I am truly understanding what it means to have enough faith to rely fully on a sentence without writing my own paragraph. It is both humbling and powerful. You do have such a wonderful way of expressing yourself.
ReplyDeleteI was waiting to see what Ensign to read the whole talk in. I want more of that message it was very good.
ReplyDeleteScott you are so eloquent. I really feel when you write.
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