Alma 32:28
I was sitting in my bed watching Netflix when a friend of mine called me, somewhat distraught. She needed advice in regards to a guy. I gave her my best advice, but then she explained that she was a little afraid of the prospect of marrying someone without "knowing" he was the one.
Certainly many thoughts entered by head. "You're just out of high school, don't worry about it." "Just enjoy your life and let it run its course." "I know about as much on marriage as I know about inter-dimensional travel!" Although true, it would not have helped her. She didn't need to worry about it, but she was worried. I felt that giving her my perspective would be the best thing I could do. Then in my mind came a verse.
"Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves--It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me."
This is Alma 32:28, from The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. "The word" to which he refers is the word of God. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we read this scripture and apply it saying, "We can tell the word comes from God because it makes us feel good!" That was the extent of my usage, anyway. That night it came to me in a different way.
Think of a decision you must make in your life. Now read this simplified, dumbed down version of Alma's beautiful formula:
"Let's compare [Choice A] to a seed. If you let a seed be planted in your heart, if it's a good seed, if you don't give up on it because of fear, fear that will make you resist the goodness in it, behold, it will begin to swell within your heart; and when you feel these swelling motions, you'll say to yourself--Self, this is a good seed, or this choice is good, for it's beginning to enlarge my soul; in fact, it's helping me understand things in my life, basically,it's beginning to be delicious to me." (Obviously not rewritten by a prophet (and that's why the Bible isn't perfect (two paragraphs before page 58)).
This is a formula for making good choices. Certainly prayer and scripture study are key tools for receiving guidance in choices, but in the words of Elder Richard G. Scott, "If you feel that God has not answered your prayers,...carefully look for evidence in your own life that He may have already answered you. Two indicators that a feeling or prompting comes from God are that it produces peace in your heart and a quiet, warm feeling."
The choice is sometimes up to us alone. God says, "I've taught thee a lot. Now thou must make a decision based on what thou knowest to be right." He has given us Alma 32:28 as a formula.
Whether the decision is big like marriage, huge like the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, or as simple as which part-time job to take, this formula will help you. Trust yourself for you are a child of God and everyday you have the potential to become more like Him. Trust the good in you and go forward with faith.
Certainly many thoughts entered by head. "You're just out of high school, don't worry about it." "Just enjoy your life and let it run its course." "I know about as much on marriage as I know about inter-dimensional travel!" Although true, it would not have helped her. She didn't need to worry about it, but she was worried. I felt that giving her my perspective would be the best thing I could do. Then in my mind came a verse.
"Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves--It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me."
This is Alma 32:28, from The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. "The word" to which he refers is the word of God. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we read this scripture and apply it saying, "We can tell the word comes from God because it makes us feel good!" That was the extent of my usage, anyway. That night it came to me in a different way.
Think of a decision you must make in your life. Now read this simplified, dumbed down version of Alma's beautiful formula:
"Let's compare [Choice A] to a seed. If you let a seed be planted in your heart, if it's a good seed, if you don't give up on it because of fear, fear that will make you resist the goodness in it, behold, it will begin to swell within your heart; and when you feel these swelling motions, you'll say to yourself--Self, this is a good seed, or this choice is good, for it's beginning to enlarge my soul; in fact, it's helping me understand things in my life, basically,it's beginning to be delicious to me." (Obviously not rewritten by a prophet (and that's why the Bible isn't perfect (two paragraphs before page 58)).
This is a formula for making good choices. Certainly prayer and scripture study are key tools for receiving guidance in choices, but in the words of Elder Richard G. Scott, "If you feel that God has not answered your prayers,...carefully look for evidence in your own life that He may have already answered you. Two indicators that a feeling or prompting comes from God are that it produces peace in your heart and a quiet, warm feeling."
The choice is sometimes up to us alone. God says, "I've taught thee a lot. Now thou must make a decision based on what thou knowest to be right." He has given us Alma 32:28 as a formula.
Whether the decision is big like marriage, huge like the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, or as simple as which part-time job to take, this formula will help you. Trust yourself for you are a child of God and everyday you have the potential to become more like Him. Trust the good in you and go forward with faith.
Comments
Post a Comment