Yesterday, was a difficult day. The combination of several circumstances left me feeling helpless, resentful, and angry (which are all extremely uncomfortable emotions for me). I've also felt growing pressure to finish this book and hit another writer's block this week. I went to sleep last night feeling somewhat defeated. However, this morning, I fell to my knees and pleaded for help to get back on track. That help came and I'm so grateful. As I researched and wrote this chapter, I gradually felt my hope and confidence returning.
I experienced
daily miracles during my experiences with visiting, family history work, and
temple worship. I regularly received confidence and ability beyond my own. I often
came home and shared these experiences with my family. I am so grateful for these
miracles and have made it a point to celebrate them each time they occur. My
favorite inspirational singer, Hilary Weeks, wrote a song that contains this same idea. It's title is “Love Your
Life” (from the Love Your Life CD, 2016) and I share part of the lyrics,
with her permission:
…Celebrate
the everyday miracles surrounding you and always assume the best
Do what you
can, give everything you have then give God the rest
…And
don’t be afraid to shine
…Go beyond
your fears
Explore new
ground
Be true to
yourself
And when in
doubt
Listen to
your heart as it whispers where you need to go and always look up
Make somebody
smile every chance you get and don’t forget
You’re
already enough
…And
give your dreams time…
Two quotes that inspire me are originally
attributed to Albert Einstein. The first is, “Coincidence is God’s way of
remaining anonymous.” A good friend shared a way of saying this that resonates
even more with me, “There are no coincidences. There are only
miracles where God chooses to be anonymous.” The second quote is even more compelling: “There are two ways to
live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as
though everything is a miracle.” I choose to believe that all good fortune is a
miracle. I have found that when I look for miracles, I find them scattered like
God’s fingerprints throughout my day. When in doubt, I always give credit to God. I have written
about some of these miracles and “divine intersections” in other chapters. In
this chapter, I will focus on the doctrine behind those miracles.
Ronald A.
Rasband explained, “Our lives are like a chessboard, and the Lord moves us from
one place to another—if we are responsive to spiritual promptings. Looking back, we
can see His hand in our lives…. They are not by accident but by God’s plan. We can see such heavenly intervention when
Nephi returns to get the plates from Laban. He 'was led by the Spirit, not
knowing beforehand the things [that he] should do' (1 Nephi 4:6)…. Did Alma just happen upon Amulek? No, it
was no coincidence that he went into the city by the way that would lead him to
this faithful man who would (feed him and) become his missionary companion…. He who fashioned this
world can calm the seas with His word and can steer both Alma and Amulek and
Nephi and Laban to be at the right place at precisely the right time. Likewise,
events and associations unfold in each of our lives that further God’s work on
earth…. What may appear to be a random chance is, in fact, overseen by a loving
Father in Heaven…. The Lord is in the small details of our lives, and those
incidents and opportunities are to prepare us to lift our families and others… Remember,
as the Lord said to Abraham, 'I know the end from the beginning; therefore my
hand shall be over thee'" (Abraham
2:8).
I have
mentioned several of these experiences from my own life in this book and he shared a few from
his. He continued, “Looking
back, I realize I did not orchestrate any of those moves; the Lord did, just as
He is orchestrating important moves for you and for those you love. What should you be
looking for in your own life? What are God’s miracles that remind you that He
is close, saying, ‘I am right here’? Think of those times, some daily, when the
Lord has acted in your life—and then acted again. Treasure them as moments the Lord has
shown confidence in you and in your choices. But allow Him to make more of you
than you can make of yourself on your own. Treasure His involvement. Sometimes
we consider changes in our plans as missteps on our journey. Think of them more
as first steps to being ‘on the Lord’s errand.’ …Heavenly Father can put us in
situations with specific intent in mind. He has done so in my life, and He is
doing so in yours…. Each of us is precious and loved by the Lord, who cares,
who whispers, and who watches over us in ways unique to each of us. He is
infinitely wiser and more powerful than mortal men and women. He knows our
challenges, our triumphs, and the righteous desires of our hearts….The Lord
loves to be with us. It is no coincidence that when you are feeling His Spirit
and acting on first promptings that you feel Him as He promised: ‘I will go
before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit
shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.’”
He continued with this explanation, “Now, where does our agency fit in a ‘divine
design’? We have a choice to follow or to not follow our Savior… Not all that
the Lord asks of us is a result of how strong we are, how faithful we are, or
what we may know. Think of Saul, whom the Lord stopped on the road to Damascus. He
was going the wrong direction in his life…. Saul was divinely redirected. When
he was known later as Paul, his apostolic ministry reflected what the Lord
already knew he was capable of doing and becoming, not what he had set out to
do as Saul. In the same manner, the Lord knows what each of us is capable of
doing and becoming. What did the Apostle Paul teach? ‘And we know that all
things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called
according to his purpose' (Romans
8:28). When we are
righteous, willing, and able, when we are striving to be worthy and qualified,
we progress to places we never imagined and become part of Heavenly Father’s ‘divine
design.’ Each of us has divinity within us. When we see God working through us
and with us, may we be encouraged, even grateful for that guidance. When our
Father in Heaven said, ‘This is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the
immortality and eternal life of man,’ He was talking about all of His children—you in particular. The
Lord’s hand is guiding you. By ‘divine design,’ He is in the small details of
your life as well as the major milestones. As it says in Proverbs, ‘Trust in
the Lord with all thine heart; … and he shall direct thy paths.’ I testify that
He will bless you, sustain you, and bring you peace" (“By
Divine Design,” Ensign, Nov. 2017).
Spencer W. Kimball explained, “God not only loves (us),
but he is ever mindful of (us) and of (our) needs…. God does nothing by chance,
but always by design as a loving father…. William Law observed: ‘It is said
that the very hairs of your head are all numbered; is it not to teach us that
nothing, not the smallest things imaginable, happen to us by chance? But if the
smallest things we can conceive of are declared to be under the divine
direction, need we, or can we, be more plainly taught that the greatest things
of life, such as the manner of our coming into the world, our parents, the
time, and other circumstances of our birth and condition, are all according to
the eternal purposes, direction, and appointment of divine Providence?’” (“Small
Acts of Service,” Ensign, Dec. 1974).
David A. Bednar explained, “Through personal study, observation, pondering, and prayer, I believe I have come to better understand that the Lord’s tender mercies are the very personal and individualized blessings, strength, protection, assurances, guidance, loving-kindnesses, consolation, support, and spiritual gifts which we receive from and because of and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Recall how the Savior instructed His Apostles that He would not leave them comfortless. Not only would He send 'another Comforter' (John 14:16), even the Holy Ghost, but the Savior said that He would come to them (see John 14:18). Let me suggest that one of the ways whereby the Savior comes to each of us is through His abundant and tender mercies. For instance, as you and I face challenges and tests in our lives, the gift of faith and an appropriate sense of personal confidence that reaches beyond our own capacity are two examples of the tender mercies of the Lord. Repentance and forgiveness of sins and peace of conscience are examples of the tender mercies of the Lord. And the persistence and the fortitude that enable us to press forward with cheerfulness through physical limitations and spiritual difficulties are examples of the tender mercies of the Lord. The Lord’s tender mercies do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Faithfulness, obedience, and humility invite tender mercies into our lives, and it is often the Lord’s timing that enables us to recognize and treasure these important blessings” (“The Tender Mercies of the Lord,” Ensign, May 2005).
I once gave a
lesson about prayer to the women in our congregation. Prayer is a powerful way
to invite miracles into our lives. Ezra Taft Benson testified, “God is mindful of us and ready to
respond to our prayers when we place our trust in Him and do that which is
right. There
is power in prayer. All things are possible through prayer. It was through
prayer that the heavens were opened in this dispensation” (“Pray Always,” Teachings of Presidents of
the Church: Ezra Taft Benson, 54). When he was just 14 years old, Joseph
Smith read this passage in James 1:5-6,
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not [upbraid means: to
criticize severely or find fault with]; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering…”
Ezra Taft Benson explained, “God does hear and answer prayers…. I know without any question that it is possible for men and women to reach out in humility and prayer and tap that Unseen Power; to have prayers answered. Man does not stand alone, or at least, he need not stand alone. Prayer will open doors; prayer will remove barriers; prayer will ease pressures; prayer will give inner peace and comfort during times of strain and stress and difficulty. Thank God for prayer. Even during hours of trial and anxiety, it is possible to draw close to the Lord, to feel of his influence and of his sustaining power—that one is never alone, if he will only humble himself before the Almighty. I am grateful for that testimony, for that assurance. God is mindful of us and ready to respond when we place our trust in Him and do that which is right. There is no place for fear among men and women who place their trust in the Almighty, who do not hesitate to humble themselves in seeking divine guidance through prayer. Though … reverses come, in prayer we can find reassurance, for God will speak peace to the soul. That peace, that spirit of serenity, is life’s greatest blessing” (“Pray Always,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson, 55).
In The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ,
Jesus visited the people on the American continent after his crucifixion. He taught, “And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing
that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you” (3 Nephi
18:20). Prayer and faith are two of my favorite topics in the Bible dictionary and they work together to produce miracles. The
Bible dictionary explains, “Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father
and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The
object of prayer is not to change the will of God but to secure for ourselves
and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant but that are made
conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on
our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work and is an
appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings” (“Prayer,”
Bible Dictionary).
The Bible dictionary explains,
“Faith is a principle of action and of power, and by it one can … influence any
number of circumstances when occasion warrants… Faith in Jesus Christ is the
first principle of the gospel and is more than belief, since true faith always
moves its possessor to some kind of physical and mental action; it carries an
assurance of the fulfillment of the things hoped for…. Although faith is a
gift, it must be… sought after… Where there is true faith there are miracles… and
all the gifts of God that He gives…” (“Faith,”
Bible Dictionary).
Neal L. Anderson described faith in a way that was extremely powerful for me. In fact, I printed it out and it has hung at eye level above my desk since 2015. He explained, “Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is not something ethereal, floating loosely in the air. ….Faith emits a spiritual light, and that light is discernible. Faith in Jesus Christ is a gift from heaven that comes as we choose to believe and as we seek it and hold on to it. Your faith is either growing stronger or becoming weaker…. The future of your faith is not by chance, but by choice” (“Faith is Not by Chance, but By Choice,” Ensign, May 2015). In the New Testament, Jesus taught, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you” (Matthew 17:20). I have often wondered how this could be physically possible. One day, I realized very clearly that figurative mountains of fear, doubt, and other struggles can be moved through faith in Christ.
I wrote about
grace in a previous chapter, but I wanted to save one part for this chapter. Shawna
Edwards lives in our previous neighborhood. She wrote a song called The
Miracle. These are the powerful words that bring tears to my eyes every time
I hear it, “Jesus is a God of
miracles. Nothing is at all impossible to Him. But I know this:
Of all His miracles, the most incredible
must be the miracle that rescues me.” She described in a blog post
how the lyrics came to her and closes with these powerful words, “The Atonement
of Jesus Christ really does rescue us – every minute of every hour of every
day.” (“The
Miracle,” Shawna Edwards Music, 15 Nov 2014). The Book of Mormon:
Another Testament of Jesus Christ explains this well, “Thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed. And I… knew
that God could not lie; wherefore, my guilt was swept away. And
I said: Lord, how is it done? And he said unto me: Because of
thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard nor
seen…. Wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made thee whole”
(Enos
1:5-8).
S.
Michael Wilcox explained a powerful way to pray that I am still trying to apply in my life. “The soul can be described as a vessel that
fills from time to time with various emotions, thoughts, memories, questions,
and so forth. The very phrase pour out suggests this visual image. I have found
it useful to see my soul as a vessel; I often ask myself what it contains
before I kneel before the Lord. There is a difference to my approach when I say
‘I’m going to pour out my soul to God’ rather than ‘I’m going to say my
prayers.’ The very phrase suggests there will be no holding back…. It is
helpful to me to understand or recognize exactly what is in my soul. I must be
totally honest with myself. Is it confusion, or doubt, or sorrow, or love, or
gratitude, or guilt, or shame, or worry?... I sense that unless we pour out, He
cannot pour in. We want to make sure we empty everything to make room for what
he will give us in return.” (Face to Face: Seeking a Personal Relationship
with God, 25-26).
I love these powerful phrases from the Doctrine and Covenants: “Pray always, that you may come off conquerer... that you may conquer Satan…” (10:5). “Pray always, and I will pour out my Spirit upon you, and great shall be your blessing... even more than if you should obtain treasures of earth…” (19:38). “Calling on the name of the Lord for the Comforter, which shall teach (you) all things that are expedient for (you) – Praying always that (you) faint not...” (75:10-11). My mom’s favorite scripture has always been, “Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good…” (90:24). Since it’s not always possible to pray on our knees, we can pray in our mind throughout the day. The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ wisely counsels, “Let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto Him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.” (Alma 34:27). The combination of faith and prayer invites miracles into our lives. The more we look for miracles with grateful eyes and hearts, the more we will see and feel them.
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