Today in particular for some reason, these feelings of inadequacy and fear kept popping into my head. I worry about how bad things are going to get in these, the "last days." I want to be strong and of good courage, but sometimes I feel more like I will spend the last days hiding under a rock, just waiting for all the pain and sadness and wickedness to pass.
Tonight as I was reading my scriptures, though, I found my answer. That's the amazing thing about reading the scriptures, they will always have the answers you need.
I was reading in 3 Nephi, chapter 21, verse 10. The Lord says to his people,
"I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil."
Those words stuck out to me. I felt calm, and confident that God truly is in charge. He truly is greater than all the cunning and cheating and lying and persuasion of the adversary. And if we are on His side, we don't have to be afraid.
It wasn't a new thought. I remember the first time I'd felt exactly like this. I was 17 years old, and still in Young Women. But I'd skipped out on my class and gone to Relief Society with my best friend Marie. I remembered looking at some of the young mothers with their babies in the class and thinking, "Man, there is the chosen generation. They are going to have it way harder than we ever did." Then the thought struck me, "And I'm going to have to raise them!" I remember feeling panic. How would I ever be able to be a righteous mother in Zion if things were just going to get worse and worse?
Just like tonight, peace flooded over my fears as my Father in Heaven gently reminded me that He is in charge. And if He really is in charge, I only need to put my trust in Him. Things are going to get bad, well, worse than they already are. But God's wisdom is always greater than the cunning of the devil. He will always be the winner. If we trust in Him, we don't have to get overwhelmed. We can do all things with His divine help.
My brother and I, who lives in Utah, I in Texas, were talking over the phone and were searching for this verse in The Book of Mormon, as there's one similar in the D&C, and I found your blog. I, too, have always found this verse to be of great comfort. Trials, pain, and adversity are all testaments of the mercy of our Savior. I believe [in what I call] the doctrine of undue suffering. See Alma 60:13 for supporting reference to this principle. The Church IS true. The restored gospel IS true. Joseph Smith Jr, was/is a prophet of God. The Book of Mormon IS the Word of God. Press on, sister. Press on! In the name of the Great I AM, even Jesus Christ. Amen.
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