FAITH VS. FEAR

Blessings from heaven are the greatest things that we can receive in this life. However, sometimes we prevent those blessing from entering our life through disobedience and fear.

Although it is very hard at times to be believing and maintain our faith in the Lord, we must try to perfect our obedience and rely more in the Lord. King Benjamin taught how we need to become and trust in the Lord. “For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.” (Mosiah 3:19.) If we do not submit to all things that the Lord sees fit to inflict upon us, we are not relying fully upon the Lord.

We as members of the church have been told many times from the ancient to the latter-days that we need to repent. The Prophets have taught that if we are righteous we will be blessed. “And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.” (Mosiah 2:22.) Life may be hard and trials may come to us that we would never imagine but we must keep the faith, we must endure. Enduring to the end is not something we focus on when we get old and close to dieing. Enduring is from beginning to end and most of us are in the middle. We need to endure today so that tomorrow will be brighter. “Yea, the words of my Beloved are true and faithful. He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.” (2 Nephi 31:15.)

One of the greatest gospel principles I have learned is found in verse 10 of the 82nd Section of the Doctrine and Covenants. It reads, “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.”

Do we really believe that our obedience will empower us to receive all of the blessings that Heavenly Father has to offer? If we do then we must be more obedient! When we have testimony of this principle, we will be seeking to be more obedient because we understand that the more we obey, the more we will be blessed. This is not just a principle for the disobedient, the righteous can always find more ways to perfect themselves whether it be through service, more earnest scripture study and prayer, laboring in the kingdom, attitude, acquiring more Christ-like attributes, etc.

If we are doing what the Lord says then he is bound to bless us and if he is bound to bless us then why do we fear, why do we stress, and why do we worry. We should have faith and confidence that the Lord will come through in his promises. We cannot let the Lords timing weaken our faith. If we are living our life right, whatever happens to us is for our own good. “And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?” (Doctrine and Covenants 122:7-8.) Be positive and believe that these things are for our good. Let Heavenly Father mold you and make you more like him.

We have a choice to rely on the Lord or rely on ourselves. We have a choice to rebel and become bitter or we can chose to fight and do whatever it takes to be worthy of the blessings that we desire. We have a choice to live in faith or live in fear. When we allow fear, worry and stress to enter our lives, it is a sign that we are no longer relying on the Lord. When we are relying upon ourselves, we are giving up on the Lord. We feel a sense of desperateness and fear because things are not working out as we had planned.

Three verses teach us how fear prevents us from receiving blessings in our lives and prevents us from relying on the Lord. “Verily I say unto you there were fears in your hearts, and verily this is the reason that ye did not receive.” (Doctrine and Covenants 67:3.) “Fear not to do good. Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.” (Doctrine and Covenants 6:33, 36.) We cannot allow our fears to prevent us from receiving the blessings of our Heavenly Father. We cannot afford to fear. We need to have confidence in ourselves in that the Lord will bless us with the capabilities we need. We must be careful of being too hard on ourselves as this draws us further from our Heavenly Father.

Those who are wise learn from others mistakes. Learn from Oliver Cowdery’s mistake with fear, “Behold, it was expedient when you commenced; but you feared, and the time is past, and it is not expedient now.” (Doctrine and Covenants 9:11.) When we do not act when the Lord provides us with an opportunity to benefit either ourselves or someone else we miss the blessings and the experiences that could have been. We need to choose now to be fearless and act on the impressions from God. If we do not obey the personal revelation that the Lord gives us, it not only delays but also, it makes it harder and sometimes impossible to follow the revelation and instructions that He may instruct us with later.

The Lord has taught us “if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.” (Doctrine and Covenants 38:30.) It is important to be prepared now because the spirit cannot be present where there is fear. “Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come.” (Doctrine and Covenants 68:6.)

Moroni has taught us how we can avoid fear, “Behold, I speak with boldness, having authority from God; and I fear not what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear.” (Moroni 8:16.) If we will focus on others problems, our problems will go away. We can find happiness in making other people happy. The more that we love others the more we are able to love our Father in Heaven, and the more we love our Father in Heaven the more we will be able to love other people.

“Verily I say unto you my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted; yea, rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks.” (Doctrine and Covenants 98:1.) “Wherefore fear not even unto death; for in this world your joy is not full, but in me your joy is full.” (Doctrine and Covenants 101:36.) We have a choice to make, fear or joy. Leave the fear to the wicked and let your hearts be comforted in gratitude toward the Lord.

We will experience many trials and challenges throughout our lives. If we rely on the Lord by doing the things that we have been taught such as, personal scripture study, prayer, temple attendance, etc, we will be able to make it through those hard times. Sometimes it is only our attitude that needs changing and sometimes we need to focus on only being more obedient. If we are not happy and if something is not right in our life then we must turn to the Lord. We must learn to persevere because the Lord will prevail!

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.” (Matthew 11:29.) Our souls will receive rest when we take the Lords yoke upon us. This means that when we are living as disciples of Jesus Christ we will receive this rest, which is a feeling of peace and freedom from worry and stress. The Lord has promised us this rest.

Sometimes all we can do is be faithful and obedient and in due time, the Lord will visit us with his blessings. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” (3rd Nephi 13:33.)

When we believe and when we are obedient, the Lord will bless us when the time is right. Remember what Jesus said, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” (Mark 9:23.)

As we live a life of obedience with faith in the Lord fearing nothing, worrying and stressing over nothing, may we apply the Lord’s teachings found in Doctrine and Covenants 90:24. “Search diligently, pray always and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another.”