Christ is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains by President Russell M. Nelson
What would you do if you knew you could not fail?
Have you heard this before?
I sometimes thought about it for a minute, then brushed it off because of course we can and will fail at some things.
But what about this quote:
“What would you do if you had more faith?”
And then the rest of the quote: “Think about it. Write about it. Then receive more faith by doing something that requires more faith.”
This isn’t saying that you won’t fail. But it does promise that if you act, you will gain more faith. And with more faith, you can have access to the power that will help you overcome the difficulties that you are facing.
Doctrine & Covenants 89
I can’t help but think of the pandemic as I read Doctrine & Covenants 89. It has been one of my favorite sections for many years, and lately I’ve found new meaning and hope in it. And honestly, I’ve been waiting all year to get to Section 89 in Come Follow Me.
Some things that stand out to me about Doctrine & Covenants 89:
It’s a “principle with promise.”
This also reminds me of Elder Bednar’s talk about principles.
“A gospel principle is a doctrinally based guideline for the righteous exercise of moral agency. Principles derive from broader gospel truths and provide direction and standards as we press forward on the covenant path.”
The Word of Wisdom does not tell us everything that is good and bad for us. It doesn’t mention a lot of things that we know are harmful to our bodies. It also doesn’t mention things that we know are good for our bodies. I think thats partially because many people have allergies or intolerances to certain foods that would be good for others (like I can’t eat bananas). Some things are left up to us to decide and judge. But the principle remains the same: take care of our bodies.
And just like Elder Bednar’s quote above says, principles allow for us to “exercise [our] moral agency.”
The Promises are amazing!
The promises for those that live according to the principles taught in Doctrine & Covenants 89 are amazing! There are both temporal and spiritual promises, and they can give us the blessings needed to thrive in this earthly life.
“What is He saying to those who abide by the Word of Wisdom? That we will have the promise of health, strength, wisdom, knowledge, and angels to protect us” (Ronald A. Rasband).
It is up to the Lord how and when He will give these blessings. And it will vary for everyone. But I know that I don’t want to disqualify myself from receiving these blessings!
What Would You Do if You Had More Faith?
Let’s go back to President Nelson’s talk from the beginning. “What would you do if you had more faith?” Do you have an health related mountains that you are wanting to climb or move? Would you be willing to change something to talk care of your body a little (or lot) better in order to have more strength, more energy, more protection?
I don’t know how the Lord will bless you for obeying the principle of the Word of Wisdom, but I know that He will bless you.