"...O Lord, wilt thou give me strength, that I may bear with mine infirmities. For I am infirm, and such wickedness among this people doth pain my soul. O Lord, my heart is exceedingly sorrowful; wilt thou comfort my soul in Christ. O Lord, wilt thou grant unto me that I may have strength, that I may suffer with patience these afflictions which shall come upon me, because of the iniquity of this people. O Lord, wilt thou comfort my soul, and give unto me success..."
This is a prayer that I think many of us has said often. How often do we pray for strength? How often do we pray for comfort and patience?
Do you know that your prayers are answered? They are. I can promise you that.
All you need to do is exercise just a particle of faith like Alma teaches the Zoramites. That is enough. "Even if you can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you." Even if your faith is as small as a little seed, plant it. Plant that seed in your heart and nourish it. "And now, behold, will not this strengthen your faith? Yea, it will strengthen your faith; for ye will say I know that this is a good seed; for behold it sprouteth and beginneth to grow."
I have had many prayers where I just don't know what to do and I can't handle it anymore. Sometimes it seems like I am not getting answers. Sometimes I am unclear on what the answer is. But, as I have tried to have diligence, faith and patience like Alma said, my prayers have always been answered. The answers never come when I want them to, but they come when they need to. Heavenly Father has a perfect time table. Trust it. Maybe you aren't ready for the answer yet. That has been my case sometimes. Then, when I am ready for it, Heavenly Father will give it to me. Sometimes answers come parts at a time. We learn precept upon precept.
I have learned something recently thanks to a friend. She used this analogy that went something like this...You are on a road trip and you feel that you need to get off at the Dallas exit. So you think, okay, Heavenly Father needs me in Dallas. So you get off at the Dallas exit. Then you come to a fork in the road and you feel very strongly to go right. But Dallas is to the left, and you felt so strongly that Dallas was where you have to be. But really, Dallas wasn't your destination, it was just a direction. Often times I confuse my directions with destinations. Sometimes because I received revelation that this is where I need to be, that this is what I need to be doing, I think that this IS where I need to be. This is my destination, but really, it's only a direction. It was a way I needed to go on my path. It was something I had to do, and then, I can move on, and continue on my path. Don't confuse your directions with destinations. Don't doubt your promptings because you never know your path. Never postpone a prompting either as Thomas S. Monson teaches. Last week I had a prompting and it was all I could think about. I knew I had to do it, but I was scared. I finally did it and then, I realized that through that, I received an answer to a prayer. If I hadn't acted on my promptings, I may have never received that answer to that prayer and I would still be sitting here in wonder.
Like I said before, whatever you are going through right now, you can handle it. It might be hard, but it will be worth it in the end. You will be grateful for your challenges. He will guide and direct you. As things get crazy, one thing never changes, and that is that Heavenly Father loves you. He is your shadow by day and your pillar by night. He is my only delight. Follow Him. Choose to follow Him. I promise you it will be worth it.
Remember that if you can't see...maybe it's because you need more light. You have to have light in order to see. There is a dawning of a brighter day ahead. Through faith you will begin to inherit.
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