Answers to Prayers

     I saw a quote in our church building and it really stuck out to me and it was something that I never really thought of before. This post is mainly going to be the quote I read but I feel like it is really good and worth sharing on my blog. The quote has to do with receiving answers to prayers and I hope it might open a new perspective when waiting for an answer from God because I know it has for me.

    The quote is by Elder Richard G. Scott, one of the Twelve Apostles and he says the following,
     " It is vitally important to recognize that the Lord also responds a third way to prayer by withholding an answer when the prayer is offered.
     Why would He do that?
     " He is our perfect Father. He loves us beyond our capacity to understand. He knows what is best for us. He sees the end from the beginning. He wants us to act to gain needed experience.
     "When He answers yes it is to give us confidence.
     "When He answers no it is to prevent error.
     "When He withholds an answer, it is to have us grow through faith in Him, obedience to His commandments, and a willingness to act on truth. We are expected to assume accountability by acting on a decision that is consistent with His teachings without prior confirmation. We are not to sit passively waiting or to murmur because the Lord has not spoken. We are to act."

     I know oft times we say that God always answers our prayers, which is true. I never thought that Him withholding an answer from me was in fact, an answer to prayer. Sure that may sound contradicting a little bit but I really believe it is true. We must not sit around and wait for an answer to come, we must keep going forward with faith and act, then the rest of the answer will come when the Lord sees that we are ready.

Furnace of Affliction

    

There is a scripture in the Book of Mormon that I have come to love and that has helped me get through life's trials and look forward with an eye of faith. The scripture come from the 1st Book Of Nephi, Chapter 20 verse 10 and it reads, "For behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." The term refine in the dictionary means, " to bring to a fine or a pure state; free from impurities". A furnace is, as stated in the dictionary, "a place characterized by intense heat".
     If anyone know anything about metals, you know that it requires very intense heat to refine or to remove the impurities out of the metal to make them pure and next to perfect. The metals go through a process in the furnace where the intense heat cleanses and purifies each metal.
     In the gospel, each person goes through a process where the Lord refines us and makes become more pure. One of the ways He does that is by allowing us to have affliction and trials in our lives. These afflictions that come upon us are not there to punish us or to weaken our faith, rather to shape us into the best people we can become. An Apostle of the Lord, Elder Dallin H. Oaks observed that like intense heat refines metal and removes impurities, likewise affliction can refine and purify each of us, he says this, "Most of us experience some measure of what the scriptures call 'the furnace of affliction' (Isaiah 48:10; 1 Nephi 20:10). Some are submerged in service to a disadvantaged family member. Others suffer the death of a loved one or the loss or postponement of a righteous goal like marriage or childbearing. Still others struggle with personal impairments or with feelings of rejection, inadequacy, or depression. Through the justice and mercy of a loving Father in Heaven, the refinement and sanctification possible through such experiences can help us achieve what God desires us to become."
     Along with Elder Oaks I believe that the troubles and trials we all face in life can help shape us into who God wants us to become.  I know its not easy to go through trials and difficulties and I don't think they are meant to be. But I do know that if we push through our trials with patience and faith, continue in scripture study and prayer, knowing that everything will turn out okay in the end, then we can truly become pure and sanctified. Our afflictions can truly refine and purify us.

Knowledge

     The next Christlike attribute we need to develop is Knowledge. Jesus Christ was had all knowledge and wisdom. He knew the scriptures and He knew all He needed to know in this life to fulfill His purpose on earth. He grew up seeking, searching, pondering and applying what He learned from the scriptures and from His Heavenly and earthly parents to gain the wisdom and perfect knowledge that He had. Likewise, we are to obtain knowledge so we can be successful in this life.
     We have been commanded by the Lord to gain knowledge. In the scriptures we are told to "Seek learning, even by study and also by faith" (D&C 88:118). We need to seek knowledge, specifically spiritual knowledge. We are to study from the scriptures and the words of the Apostles and Prophets everyday. When we study in faith, with prayer, we will find answers to questions, and find help to any challenges we may be facing in life. We should do all we can to gain the knowledge we need to be eternally happy in this life and forever. By so doing we will live our lives as our Savior would have us live.
     Now, we must remember that when we are seeking knowledge, we will not know everything all at once. Knowledge comes over time. We learn little by little every day, line upon line, precept upon precept. We have the scriptures and living prophets to helps us gain the knowledge we need to know so we know how to worship, what to worship, and what we need to do to find success in this life.  Knowledge is one of the gifts of the Spirit and if we do all we can to seek and obtain the knowledge God wants us to obtain, then we will have "the advantage in the world to come" (D&C 130:18-19).
     I know that my spiritual knowledge is very small compared to others. But I do know that if we don't obtain knowledge, then we won't know how to get back to our Heavenly Father. I am so grateful for the scriptures and the words of the Apostles and Prophets that help me to learn and grow in my knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love reading the scriptures and hearing the knowledge others have of the gospel and I hope that one day I can become more knowledgeable in the ways of the Lord so I can help others obtain the knowledge they need to find true happiness and success in this life.