In my institute class this week we discussed some of the lessons that can be learned from the Jaredite people, who came to the Americas after the tower of Babel. One of the great things that can be learned from the Jaredites is that we should be willing to do what God has prepared for us. In Ether 1:38 Jared tells his brother to pray to the Lord to know if he will drive them out of the land and lead them to a promised land. They knew that God has blessings prepared for those who are righteous. In order to receive these blessings, however, we must follow the Lord's plan for us.
Later, when they are on the coast, the Jaredites are told to build barges to cross the ocean. As they build these barges, which are "tight like unto a dish", they must have realized they would have two problems traveling in them - no light and no air. However, rather than trying to fix these problems themselves as they built the barges, they built the barges as the Lord had told them and then went to him to find out what his solution would be.
How often we ignore this wise pattern. We try to come up with solutions for our own problems. Now, don't get me wrong, D&C 58:26 states that it is not meet that we be commanded in all things. I firmly believe this, that the Lord wants us to put work in ourselves, studying the scriptures and the words of the prophets. However, when we have problems, when we need to make life changing decisions, we should turn to the Lord. We need to be open to hearing what He wants us to do, and willing to take whatever path it may be.
This is one of my new major goals, to make sure I seek the Lord's counsel when necessary, to always have an open mind, and to be willing to do whatever the Lord may command me to do.
Sean, great insights. I think that so many times, we are expecting God to carry us where WE want to go, and not the other way around. Obviously, we can't take the other extreme and expect the Lord to carry us wherever He deems fit--that robs our agency.
ReplyDeleteThe compromise is something that takes the most effort of all, because it brings two distinct wills into harmony. There's no casting aside of one's will, whether our own or the Lord's. It takes real effort to prepare ourselves to be tuned in to what God wants, and then make that what we also want.
I love this Sean. I've been trying to figure out some future life plans and somehow must have forgotten to really rely on the Lord to help me make those decisions. This blog really helped remind me of the important things. Thanks for writing this!
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