Faith Vs. Doubt : the winner is.....?

Most of us at some time or another have doubted.  Whether it be doubting ourselves, our abilities, others, or any one of a million things-- we have had moments of doubt.  But what good did that ever do us?  Honestly, did doubt ever help us win a race?  Ace a test?  Get a job?  In all the self-help books out there, is doubt listed as a great asset to building character, developing skills, or appreciating self-worth?  No, no it's not.  

And there is a reason why. 

Doubt is the oppressor of all our good intentions.  It sticks to our mind like mud, and is just as helpful. 

Then why would anyone ever doubt?  That is the ultimate question.  I can tell you why I doubt--  sometimes I think that I'm too small in the big scheme of things for me to really matter-- or even that what I do is going to really matter.  Sometimes I honestly forget that God knows a plan for me to do it-- and so I forget to try to figure out what that plan or way is.  Sometimes I am so overwhelmed by what lies before me, that I take it more seriously than I should.  Sometimes, I let the seeds of doubt take strong root over my mind...... but that is just the 'mud' talking. 

But I'm not alone.   There were (a long time ago-- but not in the next galaxy), four brothers who were in a tough situation.  And their prospects of coming out of it-- alive-- were not so good.  In fact, in the Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi chapter 3, verse 31 it says: "...Laman and Lemuel again began to murmur, saying: How is it possible that the Lord will deliver Laban into our hands?  Behold, he is a mighty man, and he can command fifty, yea, even he can slay fifty; then why not us?"    These brothers were men-- not young children, and yet they were overcome by doubt.  They had allowed the 'mud' to cloud their thinking.

We need to take the 'mud' seriously if we are going to overcome it. 

Faith, on the other hand, works miracles.  It channels the Power of God into our mortal selves, and brings us to a higher playing field.  When we allow faith to work within our hearts, we are also forming a partnership with God--  and that is when the miracles start to happen.

In  the Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 3:7  it says: "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."  *

If God gives a commandment, God is going to make a way for it to be possible.  Our part is to have faith that this is so.  God loves us, He wants us to succeed, but we must have faith in this-- because when we have faith, He can channel His grace, His glory, into our hearts.  When we are working to do our best to have faith-- and not give power to the muddy doubts-- we are able to think more clearly, take stock of our possibilities, and move forward with our lives to make the most of them.



*If you have a Book of Mormon handy, check out the location of these two scriptures-- you will find they are on page 6 and 7..... facing each other, eternally as polar opposites.

  

Honesty

Honesty is being true, speaking truth, and acting true.  It doesn't actually cover all of that in the BYU-I Honor Code-- it mostly is about not cheating, not making up references, and giving credit where credit is due.   

 

But here's the thing: honesty is so much more.  It is about having what is in your heart and mind match with what is coming *from* you-- written word, spoken word, or actions-- and having all of that match what you know to be right and true.    There are times when I've been immensely overwhelmed with things in life, and I have thought: does it *really* matter if I just  _______?   So, depending on how in tune with the Spirit I am, will determine who I am listening to-- Satan or the Holy Spirit.  

 

The Holy Spirit does not lie.  It can't.   But if we choose to listen to the other guy, well...... he lies all the time.  But he is tricky about it-- because he knows we are smart, so he doesn't always outright lie, he weaves truth and lies together; he mixes it up.  And if we are leaning into his temptations, we are giving him control-- over many parts of our lives, including our own honesty-- remember even Adam and Eve went and hid in fear-- so they were trying to conceal things too.  The Holy Spirit, by contrast, likes us to share -- that we may share one another's joys, but also that we may share one another's burdens, too.

 

I think real honesty comes in those moments when we are living what we know to be good and true, and when those moments come, they come with joy-- joy of not only knowing that we are acting with true and honorable integrity, but also I think we feel the joy that comes from our Savior who is thrilled when we are following Him.  He knows what we need, and when we are acting in accordance to that truth, we feel the joy that He has for us.  The more we act honestly with what we know to be right and true, the greater our opportunity for joy.  

Between You and God

Between You and God

by J. Wester

A new twist on my favorite quote by Mother Theresa

 

 

There may be a day when all the seeds you plant will either rot, wither, or get eaten;

Plant anyway.

 

There may be a day when you are asked to do something above and beyond your skills;

Try anyway.

 

There may be a day when a friend needs more than you think you can give;

Give anyway.

 

There may be a day when no one smiles back at you;

Smile anyway.

 

There may be a day when you fear the coming day;

Greet it anyway.

 

There may be a day when you give your heart away and it may be broken;

Love anyway.

 

There may be a day when your faith in humanity is shaken to the core.

Hope anyway.

 

There may be a day when you wonder if prayers are answered;

Pray anyway.

 

There may be a day when you are struggling to know if God knows you;

Believe anyway.

 

 

"You see, in the final analysis, it's between you and God;

It was never between you and them anyway."