Remembering that God is the Gardener

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” –Proverbs 3:5-6

We learn in Mosiah 3:19 that we must put off the natural man for he is an enemy to God and will be until we yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit and become as a saint full of Christ Like virtues. We need to become even as a little child, totally trusting and willing to submit entirely to the will of his father. Even as it is with the child, so should it be with us—supreme and unequivocal faith in our Heavenly father and in His plan for us. 

We pray all the time that the “Lord’s will be done” and not ours. So why is it that we get all bent out of shape when “our plan” or our wills don't work out?

I think it may be because we forget that God is the Gardener. He knows of our eternal potential and as we submit our wills to Him, He will help us become who He knows we can and should be. He can see the end from the beginning. 

The whole purpose of this life is to be tested, have experiences and revive a physical body. Just because things don't turn out the way we plan doesn't mean things will never work out.

It is my belief that many times even great things don't work out at certain times in our lives so that the best things can at the right times. 

It all comes down to remembering to trust our best and truest friend—Jesus Christ. 

May we never forget what He suffered in a garden more than 2,000 years ago, so that He might perfectly know how to help us grow now. 

Of Burdens and Blessings (Mosiah 23-24)

I love reading Mosiah chapters 23-24 in the Book of Mormon because they help me remember how good the Lord is and that just when we think He is disinterested or doesn’t care about us or what happens in our lives, if we can push through and remain faithful we can and will be blessed beyond anything we can imagine. 

We need to trust Him most when it is hardest. We can’t let go of His hand just as the mists of darkness arise and swirl threatening around us. 

That is particularly the moment when we must walk by faith and not by sight. Its as we push through to the other side, the Lord helps us gain a greater vision of who He is and who He wants us to become. The people in this story were blessed because of this burden and trail. The Lord strengthen them which, in turn made their burdens light, the blessing being, after the burden or trail had past, what remains was a stronger, more deeply committed individual.

In Mosiah Chapter 24 it states:

13) "And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.

14) And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

 15) And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord."