In the society we live in today, we want things and we want them now. With a couple touches to a screen you can have anything delivered to you within a day or two. You don't even have to get up off of the couch. This can be wonderful, but it can also give us the mentality that we can do that in all aspects of our lives which can leave us feeling frustrated and distant from our Heavenly Father. Why isn't He answering? Why is He so silent when I tell him what I need? He created the world which includes Amazon. Why can't He be more like them and give me what I want when I want it?
Through all of these questions I sometimes feel that I have been abandoned and left to my own devices. I may be upset with Him for not helping me. I am not the only one who feels this way. Week after week I hear of stories from people in my ward about this struggle. But today, a story from the scriptures came to my mind. I kept thinking about the brother of Jared during our lesson today. The Lord told him to make boats. He knew he was supposed to make boats and went and did so. We all have this moment in our lives when we are given a prompting and just say okay and go about doing it. But, just like with the Brother of Jared, problems soon come. The Brother of Jared soon realized that there would be no way to get air if their boats were "tight like unto a dish." How could they breathe? Surely, Heavenly Father had thought of this... If He could show a people how to make a boat that was completely different than they had ever seen He knew they would have to get air. I'm sure the Brother of Jared thought about this and may have even questioned why Heavenly Father had asked him to make a boat without giving him all of the answers. Then, as they continued building and following the Lord's instructions the Brother of Jared realized they would not have light. We are taught that the Brother of Jared then went to Heavenly Father again to ask what they should do. If it were me I probably would have rolled my eyes and sighed as I had to once again ask what we should do. But, with this question the Brother of Jared is not given a direct answer.
There are times we ask and ask for something and get no reply. We ask for a new job, for a spouse, for more friends, for things to just work out! We want those quick answers like the Brother of Jared got with his first question. We don't want the silence we get more often than not that leaves us to think through things and work them out on our own. Did the Brother of Jared get upset and ask why Heavenly Father couldn't just answer Him?? I don't know... But, I know in my own life I do. And apparently everyone else does as well. So, how do we become like the Brother of Jared and find answers for ourselves? We have to follow the little promptings of the spirit and just believe. I saw a quote today that said, "God can't bless us unless we're giving Him something to grow." We cannot just give him a list of things we would like and sit and wait for Him to give them to us. We must give Him something He can work with.
As the Brother of Jared searched for something that could give light I'm sure he paced and threw thoughts at others to see if they thought it would work. He may have even kicked a few stones as he walked and tried to figure it out. Maybe one day as he was pacing he kicked a stone and the spirit whispered that it might work. He had to act on that prompting and believe in Heavenly Father enough to bring stones to Him and ask Him to touch them to bring them light on their journey. With that action, and that belief he was able to supply light on their long journey to the promised land.
With that faith, he was able to see the finger of God. I may not see the finger of God literally, but I know that I see the hand of God spiritually in my life. I get little nudges, promptings, and assurances as I go. Things are not perfect. Things are not easy. But, I have Him in my life. Even after the Brother of Jared saw the finger of God, his journey was not easy. They were tossed and turned through the seas, and those times when they opened the air hole only for water to come rushing in would have terrified me. Did he and his people question if this was what they were really supposed to be doing or if they made the right decision to go? Maybe. Again, I would have!
So, after heaven has opened and Heavenly Father has spoken to you, when things get tricky in the middle of the journey the trick is continuing to give him something to grow. We cannot order what we want out of life like we order our groceries and expect them to be here the next day. As hard as this is for me, I do find comfort in the words of others as well as the stories in the scriptures. I have a testimony of our Heavenly Father's love for us and His guidance in each and every one of our lives as we work through the beginning, MIDDLE, and end of our mortal journeys here on earth.
