In seminary this week we spoke about desires. We spoke about identifying the difference between a righteous desire and a worldly desire. Coincidentally, I've spoken with a few people this week that have also brought this subject to my mind and I feel the need to write about it.
First off, identifying your righteous desires. Consider Abraham and the things he desired:
"And, finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; having been myself a follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the right belonging to the fathers." (Abraham 1:2)
-Live worthy of the Holy Ghost
-Seek after life-long learning
-Attend all my church meetings and fulfill my callings to the best of my ability
-Become a spouse, and then a mother of righteous offspring
-Soothe contention and attempt to resolve conflict peacefully
-Be open to personal revelation and be willing to act upon it
-Do all the things the Lord wants me to do
I do have all of these desires and I know that they are righteous. Thus, I can know that the Lord will help me to obtain them. If I ask Him for help and do all that I can, no righteous desire of my heart will go unrecognized. Let me quote a few scriptures to help our understanding:
“And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right,
believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you.” (3 Ne. 18:20.)
“But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
“When
thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even
in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be
obedient unto his voice; … He will not forsake thee.” (Deut. 4:30–31.)
The main point I wish to emphasize in these scriptures is that it takes more than good intentions to receive blessings from the Lord. Not only do you need the desires, you need to let them "work in you" (Alma 32:27) to the point where you are brought to action. It is not enough to just believe that we will receive. "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." (James 2:26). The only way that we can receive continual instruction from the Lord about how to live our lives and accomplish our righteous desires is if we accept that revelation/prompting and follow through with action.
Many may be tempted with saying "it is a hard thing" (1 Nephi 3:5) that is required of us, i.e. to come to action and do what we need to do to accomplish our righteous desires, but I remind you that "With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible." (Mark 10:27). Whatever it is you are struggling with, whether it be schooling, dating, your job, your church calling, if you have righteous desires concerning these things, the Lord will help you if you ask Him to help you. And, once you ask and He gives you direction, act on that direction. Remember Nephi:
"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." (1 Nephi 3:7 emphasis added)
I know that as we seek after the things of righteousness and stop waiting on the road to damascus, acting in faith, we can receive the desires of our hearts. This I know to be true.
Until next time,
-J
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