Faith

Today, I am not doing a scripture blog of my reading. It am writing about a topic that was heavy on my mind.

I was troubled recently as an individual related an experience where they demonstrated great faith, and while doing so, received a witness of the Spirit of feelings of assurance and peace that things would work out as hoped for. Things did not work out as hoped for or as the individual was assured of. It was devastating to the individual.

I found myself unable to answer the question. The question being, why would the Lord provide peace and assurance as one demonstrated great faith having great hope in things not seen? Why would He provide such peace and assurance and then not sustain this granted assurance with the desired outcome. The individual claimed that they would have been better prepared for the outcome if no assurance or peace was given.

With that, I began to search the scriptures for answers. As I pondered this dilemma, the following are the thoughts that came to me. The first being –

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Old Testament Isaiah 55:8 - 9)

The first answer is that we do not understand all things. Our logic and perspective is greatly less than the Lords. Our limitations are apparent as Paul taught -

“…we walk by faith, not by sight…” (New Testament 2 Corinthians 5:7)

A veil of forgetfulness was placed on our minds at birth leaving us with the burden to develop faith. In fact, the development of faith is one of the main purposes of coming to earth. Without this veil, none would be able to develop and demonstrate faith. We understood this -


“When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy…” (Old Testament Job 38:7)

In fact the very first principle of the gospel is –

“…Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ…” (Pearl of Great Price Articles of Faith 1:4)

What is faith? We come to understand that -

“…if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.” (Book of Mormon Alma 32:21)

What I find interesting is the Lord promises us that if we have faith or hope for things which are not seen, which are true (true being the Lord Jesus Christ), he promises the Gift of the Holy Ghost and –

“…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance…” (New Testament Galatians 5:22 - 23)

“THEREFORE being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…” (New Testament Romans 5:1)

He promises that whenever we demonstrate faith we will receive peace through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Helaman records that as Nephite army with his two thousand young stripling warriors

“…did pour out our souls in prayer to God, that he would strengthen us and deliver us…” (Book of Mormon Alma 58:10)

He says that -

“…the Lord our God did visit us with assurances that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that he did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith, and did cause us that we should hope for our deliverance in him.” (Book of Mormon Alma 58:11)

Were all the souls in the Nephite army delivered? No. But nonetheless they did receive assurance and peace because of the faith. That is being justified by faith, they received peace and assurance.

I sense the purpose of life is to develop and demonstrate faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He promises that he will grant great faith with peace and assurance no matter what the outcome is. The outcome is not necessarily issue. What we are commanded to do is have faith in Jesus Christ, the desired or “hoped for” outcome will depend on the mind and will of the Lord. I am reminded of His words –

“And …he that hath faith in me to be healed, and is not appointed unto death, shall be healed.” (Doctrine and Covenants Section 42:48)

From these words I sense that faith is required to receive the desired outcome, conditional upon the mind and will of the Lord. In this case, if one is appointed unto death, no matter what faith is demonstrated, Lord is not going to grant that which he knows is not in our best interest for the interest of others – and yet he promises to grant peace and assurances. In my mind this may involve welfare matters, health, employment, our family issues, and so forth.

Paul taught –

“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God…” (New Testament Hebrews 11:3)

The Lord said -

“I, the Lord God, created all things, of which I have spoken, spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth…” (Pearl of Great Price Moses 3:5)

And –

“…the Gods watched those things which they had ordered until they obeyed.” (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 4:18)

Even though all things were created spiritually by faith, did all things obey?


“Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me… I caused that he should be cast down…” (Pearl of Great Price Moses 4:3)

Even with great faith, the outcome is not always the things hoped for.

“…faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.” (Book of Mormon Ether 12:6)

He has always said –

“My people must be tried in all things, that they may be prepared to receive the glory that I have for them…” (Doctrine and Covenants Section 136:31)


In a recent talk, Elder David A. Bednar told this story
“Several years ago there was a young father who had been active in the Church as a boy but had chosen a different path during his teenage years. After serving in the military, he married a lovely girl, and soon children blessed their home.
One day without warning their little four-year-old daughter became critically ill and was hospitalized. In desperation and for the first time in many years, the father was found on his knees in prayer, asking that the life of his daughter be spared. Yet her condition worsened. Gradually, this father sensed that his little girl would not live, and slowly his prayers changed; he no longer prayed for healing but rather for understanding. “Let Thy will be done” was now the manner of his pleadings.
Soon his daughter was in a coma, and the father knew her hours on earth were few. Fortified with understanding, trust, and power beyond their own, the young parents prayed again, asking for the opportunity to hold her close once more while she was awake. The daughter’s eyes opened, and her frail arms reached out to her parents for one final embrace. And then she was gone. This father knew their prayers had been answered—a kind, compassionate Father in Heaven had comforted their hearts. God’s will had been done, and they had gained understanding. (Adapted from H. Burke Peterson, “Adversity and Prayer,” Ensign, Jan. 1974, 18.)
Discerning and accepting the will of God in our lives are fundamental elements of asking in faith in meaningful prayer. However, simply saying the words “Thy will be done” is not enough. Each of us needs God’s help in surrendering our will to Him.
“Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other” (Bible Dictionary, “Prayer,” 752–53). Humble, earnest, and persistent prayer enables us to recognize and align ourselves with the will of our Heavenly Father. And in this the Savior provided the perfect example as He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, “saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. … And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly” (Luke 22:42, 44).
The object of our prayers should not be to present a wish list or a series of requests but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is eager to bestow, according to His will and timing. Every sincere prayer is heard and answered by our Heavenly Father, but the answers we receive may not be what we expect or come to us when we want or in the way we anticipate. This truth is evident in the three examples I have presented today.
Prayer is a privilege and the soul’s sincere desire. We can move beyond routine and “checklist” prayers and engage in meaningful prayer as we appropriately ask in faith and act, as we patiently persevere through the trial of our faith, and as we humbly acknowledge and accept ‘not my will, but Thine, be done.’” (Liahona, May 2008,Elder David A. Bednar Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles)
The greatest test and demonstration of faith will come after one has demonstrated great faith, had hoped and prayed for a desired outcome, one who had received the peace and assurance from faith, and then failed in receiving the desired outcome. The demonstration of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ under these conditions, as one who –
“…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.” (Book of Mormon Mosiah 3:19)

“…becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord…” (Book of Mormon Mosiah 3:19)

In my mind this is the greatest test one may pass through. Let's not forget the faith of Job, who having lost all, even his family, health, and wealth was able to muster -

"...I know that my redeemer liveth..." (Old Testament Job 19:25)