I've been thinking a lot about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. My lesson last week was on grace and I love that topic. It got me to think about a talk by Elder Holland called "An High Priest of Good Things to Come." In this talk he talks about a scripture in Hebrews 9, that says Christ is an high priest of good things to come (verse 11). He then goes on to testify that all those blessings and all those good things to come will come to those who have accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ and strived to live it as best as they can. But he never makes the promise of the timing. He says some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don't come until heaven. But they come. I believe this to be true, even though patience is not one of my virtues, I strive to be patient as I wait for those "good things to come."
Last year in October Conference (and you can see it in a talk I posted last year) that Elder Eyring gave a talk about hiding from God. He spoke of Liberty Jail and the cry that Joseph Smith made to Heavenly Father: "O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place?" (D&C 121:1) Elder Eyring went on to testify that God is never hidden but sometimes we are. And we hide ourselves for various reasons. Sometimes it is our ambition and our desires that hide us from God. Sometimes it is our disappointment of blessings not coming that hide us from God. But it is important that we hold on to hope and faith. We will have times that we will be waiting for blessings. We will be waiting for further instruction and guidance. We will be waiting for those "good things to come." We can either turn these moments into the greatest learning time of our life or turn them into the biggest temper tantrum we've thrown since we were kids.
I think if you asked every single person on the face of this earth "Has your life turned out the way you planned it?" and they would all answer: No. But those with wisdom and the patience to wait for the blessings of God should be able to answer that it has turned out much more magnificent than our mortal minds could have thought. I think anyone who is over the age of 25 and still in a single's ward definitely feels this. But even if you marry as planned, go to the college you planned, get the degree you planned on and in the timeframe you planned, there will come a day in your life that you will be thrown a curve ball. Things will not go "as planned." Again, you have the option to turn your faith to God and receive even greater blessings than you "had planned." Or you can refuse to see what God is trying to teach you and trying to offer you. You can turn your waiting place into a hiding place. In Hebrews 11:40 (JST) it reads, "God having provided some better things for them through their sufferings, for without sufferings they could not be made perfect."
I think of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego when they refuse to worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar set up. Because of this they were cast in the fiery furnace. But if we study the exchange before they were cast into the furance, before they knew they were going to be rescued, we can learn something about faith and hope. When they were brought before the King, he asked them, "Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?" He was essentially trying to get them to believe what he did, that only King Nebuchadnezzar could save. But we know that isn't true. We must not fear man more than God. And these three young men knew that. They answered the King and said: "If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thing hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve they gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up." In a talk entitled "But If Not," Brother Simmons says, "They knew that they could trust God--even if things didn't turn out the way they hoped. They knew that faith is more than mental assent, more than an acknowledgment that God lives. Faith is total trust in Him. Faith is believing that although we do not understand all things, He does. Faith is knowing that although our power is limited, His is not. Faith in Jesus Christ consists of complete reliance on Him." Brother Simmons makes powerful "God will" statements indicating what God will do for us. Each "God will" statement is ended by saying "but if not." He then ends his talk by stating this, "But if not, ... we will have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, knowing that if we do all we can do, we will, in His time and in His way, be delivered and receive all that He has."
Do we have that kind of faith? God will help me get into the college I want, but if not... God will help me receive the degree I want in the time that I want, but if not... God will help me marry the individual of my dreams (I have it all planned out, you know), but if not... God will bless me with perfect, obedient children, but if not... God will deliver me from persecution and ridicule, but if not... "But if not" are hard words to say, but if we truly mean them, just as the words "Thy will be done" our faith can grow from a small mustard seed into something great than can not only bless us, but bless others for generations to come.
The last scripture that I want to mention is found in 1 Nephi 11. Nephi has been praying to understand the dream that his father had about the Tree of Life. An angel appears to him to teach him. During their conversation, the angel shows him Jesus Christ being born to Mary. Now, Jesus Christ could have entered the world by any means possible. But to enter the world like us, a small, tiny human being born in the most humble of circumstances? The angel asks Nephi what this means. I love Nephi's response! "I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things."
Why did my mom have 3 stillborn children? I don't know why, but I know that God loves His children. Why has my friend and countless others not had the joy of bearing children when that is one of their strongest desires? I don't know, but I know God loves His children. Why are there so many who are looking for work but can't find it? I don't know, but I know God loves His children. Why are there so many throughout the church, as well as the world, who are longing to be married but aren't? I don't know, but I know God loves his children. I have a feeling that the general answer to these questions has something to do with the scripture that was quoted earlier, "God having provided some better things for them through their sufferings, for without sufferings they could not be made perfect." (Hebrews 11:40).
The answer of "I don't know, but I know that God loves His children" is not some easy way out. It is accepting that while we don't have the answer to everything, we are sure of the love of God. It is putting our faith in that love that allows us to move on, to learn what we need to learn, and to go forward blessing the lives of those around us. I think of Sam in the movie Charly. At the end when he is speaking at his wife's funeral, he says, "It is in that love that I trust now." If we place our trust, our faith, and our hope in the love of God, or more importantly our Savior Jesus Christ (because that is the respresentation of the love of God), we will be blessed with more faith and more trust and more hope and the greatest of all: charity.
I know that what I have written here is true and I would hope that this reaches someone out there who needs this message. Even if that time is far down the road. I love my Savior Jesus Christ and I believe in His teachings and I have written these things in His name. Amen.
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