Faith

[bluebell]

1 hour ago, summer22 said:

Thank you so much for the welcome and for your kind words. I agree with you that it is no kind of life...I know that Heavenly Father does not want me to live in fear. I want so much to live out of faith...it is just like you said...I am trying to control everything because I have taken the "do all you can do" to an extreme...I don't know what Heavenly Father expects of me and where He will take over so I do ALL that I can do and I know I go overboard...I just don't know where the balance is.

I wasn't the person who thought of this (and sadly i can't remember who it was, maybe John Bytheway?  Brad Wilcox?  I don't know) but whenever i think of that verse in 2 nephew 25, i always follow it with Alma 24:11

"And now behold, my brethren, since it has been all that we could do (as we were the most lost of all mankind) to repent of all our sins and the many murders which we have committed, and to get God to take them away from our hearts, for it was all we could do to repent sufficiently before God that he would take away our stain—"

And then i think of 3 Ne. 12:26

"And blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost."

So, using those scriptures, all I can do is to have faith in Christ and repent, and hunger and thirst after following Him even though i'm not perfectly doing so, (because someone who is hungering and thirsting after something does not possess it yet, they just want it really bad!).

When I interpret 2 Ne 25:23 I say in my head "By grace am I saved after.... I have faith in Christ, repent of my sins, and desire to follow Him."  That helps me not take that scripture to the extreme (like satan would like us all to do).  Because, really and truly, that's all I can do to affect my salvation.  Nothing else I do affects it.  If i do those things I stay in my baptismal covenant and am saved.  It's pretty plain and simple.
 

And as an aside-I used to believe that God didn't do anything for us that we could do for ourselves.  Because of some experiences I've had (one in particular where God clearly helped me out even though I could have handled it on my own and was completely prepared to) i've come to realize that that is one of those platitudes that get's passed around so much among believers that we forget it's only someone's opinion of how God acts and not necessarily correct.

Edited June 30, 2016 by bluebell

[summer22]

2 hours ago, bluebell said:

I wasn't the person who thought of this (and sadly i can't remember who it was, maybe John Bytheway?  Brad Wilcox?  I don't know) but whenever i think of that verse in 2 nephew 25, i always follow it with Alma 24:11

"And now behold, my brethren, since it has been all that we could do (as we were the most lost of all mankind) to repent of all our sins and the many murders which we have committed, and to get God to take them away from our hearts, for it was all we could do to repent sufficiently before God that he would take away our stain—"

And then i think of 3 Ne. 12:26

"And blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost."

So, using those scriptures, all I can do is to have faith in Christ and repent, and hunger and thirst after following Him even though i'm not perfectly doing so, (because someone who is hungering and thirsting after something does not possess it yet, they just want it really bad!).

When I interpret 2 Ne 25:23 I say in my head "By grace am I saved after.... I have faith in Christ, repent of my sins, and desire to follow Him."  That helps me not take that scripture to the extreme (like satan would like us all to do).  Because, really and truly, that's all I can do to affect my salvation.  Nothing else I do affects it.  If i do those things I stay in my baptismal covenant and am saved.  It's pretty plain and simple.
 

And as an aside-I used to believe that God didn't do anything for us that we could do for ourselves.  Because of some experiences I've had (one in particular where God clearly helped me out even though I could have handled it on my own and was completely prepared to) i've come to realize that that is one of those platitudes that get's passed around so much among believers that we forget it's only someone's opinion of how God acts and not necessarily correct.

Love this! Thank you so much!!

[waveslider]

Before turning to drugs and relying upon psychology, I suggest that you look into this scripture a little deeper:

"2Nephi 25:23  For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do."

Perhaps, like many who feel so overwhelmed, that last phrase is misunderstood. Instead of thinking you need to do everything before letting Christ into the picture to offer grace, to do what you couldn't do, change the word, "after," for, "above." God can do everything without us, but he would rather us do things with Him the entire time we are doing them, not waiting until after we have completed things. It is after all we can do to have his guidance while doing His works, not after all the works we can do, then having Him step in. This is how the grace of our great mediator, Christ, works in our lives.

The world isn't going to self destruct if you let things happen the way they would if you did nothing. It is okay to realize God is in complete control, and has put you there to console others when they are allowed to make mistakes. You will also be pleasantly surprised when things don't go wrong, but instead work out perfectly in a completely different way than you have visualized. This happens more often than not.

Remember that controlling everyone was the adversary's plan. Letting people choose for themselves was Heavenly Father's plan. Doing your works under His guidance will completely take the burden off of your shoulders. Jesus said:

"Mathew 11:28 ¶Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Let Him be above you at all times, not waiting until after you burn yourself out to have Him above you. This is how you will build faith.

[summer22]

wave slider thank you SO much for this! It is a wonderful reply and I am just now seeing it, I am so sorry! Thank you so much, you are so right and this makes so much sense to me and gives much peace, thank you!

 

[waveslider]

On 9/9/2016 at 4:36 AM, summer22 said:

wave slider thank you SO much for this! It is a wonderful reply and I am just now seeing it, I am so sorry! Thank you so much, you are so right and this makes so much sense to me and gives much peace, thank you!

 

You are welcome. I used to have some of the same problems. As I read, pondered and prayed, I found that this simple misunderstanding of this one scripture verse was the root of my problem. Once I realized what it actually meant, everything seemed to fall into place so much easier. I have so much less stress in my life now, and things are turning out so wonderful in so many areas. I'm glad I could help out. It is great when we can truly lay our burdens upon our Savior and end up so much more close to Him, having the peace which He gives to us in our everyday lives.

[bsjkki]

I can understand your anxiety and it is something I have had to keep in check.  I had my father die suddenly from a heart attack when I was young and also two of my best friends died suddenly in a car accident in high school.  I've suffered from insomnia ever since.  I constantly live in a 'worst case scenario' way of thinking because the 'worst' trials in my life have blindsided me.  If I think of the worst thing that can happen, it won't happen--warped thinking.  I work on "letting go."  The story of the blind man in the scriptures really has helped me feel I don't have to live the gospel perfectly and have perfect faith so bad things don't happen.  His being blind was no fault of his parents or his 'sin.'  My husband explains, in this life, bad things happen not because God 'wills' us to suffer every sickness, trial or accident, but because natural courses and actions lead to things happening.  God helps us get through our trials as we have faith in him.  I find peace with my kids when I have realized their life is their journey.  I don't know where their journey will bring them, just like I don't know what the future holds for me.  Bad things will happen and I am still blindsided by tragedies I have not imagined, but when you realize you have absolutely no control of the vagaries of life, it is freeing.  I'm still working on it but I have found more peace. I also teach my kiddos, bad things will happen so don't 'bring it on' with bad choices. If they only listened.  

@Calm  I have a type 1 daughter too and navigating moods w/blood sugars has been very difficult for both of us--not thinking she will die during the night has been hard. I've had to let go of the diabetes anxieties but that has been especially hard.

Winston Churchill quote,  “It is a mistake to try to look too far ahead. The chain of destiny can only be grasped one link at a time.”   I interpret this to mean that even though the future is unknowable, I usually know what I should be doing today.