Hope

As I stated in my last (and first) blog post: “My hope in writing this blog is to share some of the insights I receive pertaining to obedience to the Gospel each week.” Interestingly enough, the insight I have to share this week has to do with one of the words in that statement: Hope.

To start off, I must admit that this week did not start out great. Come Monday morning I was a complete mess, and I didn’t want to admit it. I had so much on my mind and began to feel a great deal of confusion. There was a lot I had bottled in; the weight in which I felt was so heavy, and all I wanted to do was cry (and mind you, I hate crying). I called my cousin/best friend, Becca, and we had a great conversation. It felt good to know someone was listening to me, and that I was not alone. And although Becca is an amazing friend, telling her was not enough. Talking about it was good, but I needed to do something about it. But what should I do?

My initial instinct was to pray and read my scriptures. So, on Tuesday morning as I was reading in Paul’s first epistle to the people of Corinth I came across a verse that struck my attention. In 1 Corinthians 9:10 Paul teaches:

“... he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.”

“Plow”? “Thresheth”? What does Paul mean in comparing such actions to hope? I decided to look into it. In summary, people back then did not have the machinery that we have today to “thresh,” or separate grain from a plant (such as wheat), with ease. One needed to use a flail (a tool consisting of a wooden staff with a short heavy stick swinging from it) so that they could separate the grains from their husks. In reflecting, I could see myself as the one who plows, interconnected with the grain being flailed. Proper plowing requires manual labor and hard work. Being the wheat requires being struck with a flail. Both sound painful and difficult, but there is good that comes from each.

The grain is the best part of the wheat, distributed for various good uses, and we cannot use grain to its full potential until it has been sifted through. What if the wheat, as a whole, represents who we are (as imperfect, carnal beings)? What if the grain represents the best parts of us, who the Lord knows we can become?

The manual labor is a representation to me that hope does take effort on our part, and more often than not that effort is met by difficult obstacles. The best things require patience, time, and a willingness to work hard so that we may reap the rewards of our efforts. I strongly believe that a part of Paul’s message is that through difficulty, hope is what we need to exercise in order to partake of Christ’s Atonement, the ultimate source of hope. Hope is a necessary part of faith (see Hebrews 11:1) and faith is a crucial part in receiving salvation (see Ephesians 2:8). As we are obedient in living Christ’s gospel, we apply hope and exercise faith that His promised blessings will be fulfilled. We will be able to be partakers of the blessings His gospel provides, as well as partakers in the miracle of His Atonement.

I learned so much from such a short passage, and what is written is just a portion of what I learned. I felt a deep sense of needed hope. I knew in that moment that the Lord was very mindful of me and that He loved me very much, and that was exactly what I needed. With renewed hope came motivation, and with motivation came action. I needed to do something, and now I am. I don’t have the answer to everything, but with hope in Christ and His Atonement I know that everything will be okay.

The Gift of Obedience

I have never been one to blog, nor did I ever think I would create one. Posting personal information, thoughts, and opinions has always seemed quite vulnerable and scary to me. We live in a world where many hide behind their computer screens, gladly criticizing the life and views of those around them, remaining unknown.

Writing a blog pertaining to my religious beliefs and the role that it plays in my life was an even scarier thought. Not because I was afraid to share my beliefs, but because I felt I could never portray the things I believe and know to be true into words. I still feel that way right now, but a religion course I am taking has inspired me to conquer my fear, accept my weaknesses, and write about what I love most: The Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is all encompassing. It can literally be tied to every aspect of our lives, and I have been learning that it should be. It's purpose is not to make us focus on the shame, guilt, and imperfectness of being human. We are not meant to be miserable creatures. Rather, the message of Christ's gospel is one of hope, forgiveness, redemption, and being made whole.

How we obtain those marvelous blessings of the gospel is something far too big for me to cover in one post. It is something I am still learning much about, and something I try to better every single day. So, how is it that we access the healing power of His Atonement? How do we experience true joy? How can we be made whole? The answer is simple, yet through our human weaknesses we make it complex. The answer is obedience. Obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Obedience to the commandments the Lord has given to us. Obedience to the will of the Father.

For my religion class we are studying the second half of the New Testament, covering Acts through Revelation. My hope in writing this blog is to share some of the insights I receive pertaining to obedience to the Gospel each week. The thoughts may be simple, but my hope is to invite the Spirit so that He may touch your hearts just as He has touched mine.

With all of that said, I will keep this introductory posts insight brief:

This week while studying in the book of Acts, I had the opportunity to read of the apostle Paul's conversion. Once known as Saul, he persecuted the Church heavily. While on the road to Damascus Christ appeared to Saul and asked  him "why persecutest thou me?" (Acts 9:4). In conversing with the Lord Saul asked what the Lord would have him do. In reply, Christ told him to "arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do" (Acts 9:6).

By going into the city as Christ commanded, Saul followed a specific commandment given unto him. I can't help but wonder what would have happened if Saul had not listened. What if he had not entered the city? What if he was not obedient unto the Lord? I may not have the answers, but what I do know is that I am grateful for the obedience of Saul in that moment.

Saul went on to be baptized, and became Paul, an apostle of the Lord. He preached the gospel to everyone he could, even when it meant risking his own life. He went on to write much of what is found in the New Testament of the Bible. He was imprisoned on many occasions, beaten, rejected, and ultimately martyred. His life was not easy, yet as I read his writings, the happiness and joy in which he felt is very apparent to me. But why? How is it that he found joy, even in the hardest of times? It all falls back on what got him there in the first place: obedience to the Lord. Paul was obedient, and strived to remain obedient. He knew the Lord, His Gospel, and had confidence in Heavenly Father's eternal plan.

Now, I can't help but ask myself one final question. I pray that you ask yourself the same question and reflect on it often, as I hope to do. In commanding Saul to enter into a city, the Lord commanded him to leave behind his old ways, to be made new. In doing so he became Paul, the disciple Christ knew he could be. The Lord knew of Paul's great potential, just as He knows of ours. If I want to become who the Lord knows I can be, if I want to obtain a fullness of joy, am I willing to do the same? Am I willing to "arise, and go into the city"?