Christ can do more than a friend can do.
Rather than just listening to our sorrow and pain, he experiences them with us.
We can't overcome them on our own, but His strength is sufficient to carry us through.
The prophet Alma taught us about Christ:
"And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people
And he will take upon him death, that he may loos the bands of death which bind his people;and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.
Now the Spirit knoweth all things; neertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressiosn according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me."
Alma 7:11-13
One young women wrote the following story:
Last night a great miracle happened for me. About 2:30AM I woke up with the most intense pain in my knees. It could have just been growing pains but it felt like there was fire underneath my kneecaps. Sleep was impossible. I tried for several minutes to just ignore the pain, but got to the point that if I didn’t do something about it, I was going to go mad. I rolled out of my bed onto my knees to pray. My knees were screaming, but I wanted to ask the Lord’s forgiveness for breaking my fast in order to take a Calcium tablet. (Today was Fast Sunday and I had started my fast before going to bed a few hours earlier)
It was agonizing to walk to the kitchen and even worse to stand by the sideboard, because it hurt so bad to straighten my knees. I guess I was whimpering and making a whole lot more noise than I thought, because Dad came into the kitchen to see what was wrong. He had been out doing the irrigation and was just going to bed when he heard me get up. What a relief it was to see him! I was in so much pain and didn’t know what to do. Immediately, Dad started making me toast while I went to sit down on the couch. The moment after I sat down, all of the blood drained from my head. The cold, prickly sensation of being “asleep” engulfed my whole head and arms, and I felt myself go pale. It was nerve-wracking because this was the first time I’ve ever been light headed. Plus, my legs wouldn’t stop shaking and I felt like I had lost control of the lower half of my body. Soon Dad brought the toast and waited patiently as I slowly ate it at the kitchen table. He looked so tired and it was a big sacrifice for him to stay up with me that whole time, because he had to get up in a few hours for an early bishopric meeting. I knew he was concerned though and he sincerely tried to figure out the source of the problem. I had been really stressed the past week, and Dad figured that between dehydration and the stress build up, my body was just backfiring.
After two pieces of toast, two full cups of water, and two ibuprofens, I was ready to limp back into bed. Before we retired, Dad prayed with me that I might be at peace. I felt his love as he thanked Heavenly Father for me and petitioned that I might be blessed. It was exactly what I needed to have the courage to fight the pain for the rest of the night. In tears, I gingerly walked back to bed and tried to get comfortable. Laying there I prayed and prayed, trying to muster all the faith I could. My knees hurt so badly! Thinking about what Dad had said about stress, I tried to release all my burdens and give them to the Lord. The scripture, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you …For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:28-30) came alive to me at that moment. I pictured Christ standing beside me with an oxen yoke around his neck. Because of his atoning sacrifice, we were going through this together. My burden was too heavy for me. In my mind, I very literally pulled each worry one by one from off my shoulders and handed it to my Heavenly Father, who then placed it on the stronger, more able shoulders of Christ.
“Heavenly Father I am so stressed about my essay. I have so much to do; I can’t handle it. Please take it.”…whether I said it audibly or just in the spiritual world I was in, I will never know…“I’m worried about the Senior Float, too. I don’t know if we’ll have time to finish it and make it good.”…Heavenly Father willingly took that one too…“I’m worried about my assignment to coordinate the chaperons for Homecoming. Please let this work out.” On and on I went, through every thing that was overwhelming me, until my yoke was light and I had poured everything onto my great Companion’s loving, patient back. I literally found rest to my soul! Within a few minutes, I noticed my left knee was quiet; I couldn’t feel any pain there at all. My right knee throbbed a little, but I was finally able to turn over and fall asleep.
I woke again at 5:00am to go to the bathroom and get another drink. It was so remarkable; my knees felt as good as ever! I was sure to get back on my knees and thanked Heavenly Father for this great miracle. I restarted my fast and thoroughly enjoyed my Sunday (it was Mom’s birthday!). Now it is as if it never happened. To me, this experience was just as grand and glorious as any miracle performed by the Savior in the New Testament. He healed me too and commanded the evil spirits to leave my knees. I know it was no coincidence that Dad was awake at that moment to help me. It was he that detected the symptoms of dehydration and stress-overload, and I desperately needed his comfort. That night, I learned the reality of the power of the atonement, even in something as little as blessing me to able to sleep. I know my Heavenly Father loves me and that my Savior is there, yoked to carry the burdens of life with me if I will come unto Him.
- Elder Bednar: The Atonement and the Journey of Mortality https://www.lds.org/liahona/2012/04/the-atonement-and-the-journey-of-mortality?lang=eng&query=enabling+power+of+the+atonement
- The Pearls story http://www.motivateus.com/stories/pearls.htm
- Jesus Christ--Gifts and Expectations Ezra Taft Bensonhttp://speeches.byu.edu/act=viewitem&id=90
"On one occasion when the Savior was walking among a crowd, a woman who had been long sick touched his garment. He perceived that strength had gone out of him. The strength that was his had strengthened her. So it may be with each of us. Let me urge you to desist from making cutting remarks one to another. Rather, cultivate the art of complimenting, of strengthening, of encouraging. What wonders we can accomplish when others have faith in us. No leader can long succeed in any society without the confidence of the people. It is so with us in our daily associations. Said the Lord to Peter, “Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you, that he might sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren” (Luke 22:31–32). Declared Paul, “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak.” And then he adds, “and not to please ourselves” (Romans 15:1).
It is a responsibility divinely laid upon us to bear one another’s burdens, to strengthen one another, to encourage one another, to lift one another, to look for the good in one another, and to emphasize that good. There is not a student in this assembly who cannot be depressed on the one hand, or lifted on the other, by the remarks of his associates.
Gordon B Hinckley “Let not your Heart be Troubled” http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=1065
“Consecrate Thy Performance” Neal A. Maxwell
In striving for ultimate submission, our wills constitute all we really have to give God anyway. The usual gifts and their derivatives we give to Him could be stamped justifiably “Return to Sender,” with a capital S. Even when God receives this one gift in return, the fully faithful will receive “all that [He] hath” (D&C 84:38). What an exchange rate!
Meanwhile, certain realities remain: God has given us our lives, our agency, our talents, and our opportunities; He has given us our possessions; He has given us our appointed mortal spans complete with the needed breaths (see D&C 64:32). Guided by such perspective, we will avoid serious errors of proportion. Some of these are far less amusing than would be hearing a double quartet and mistaking it for the Tabernacle Choir!
No wonder President Hinckley has stressed our being a covenant people, emphasizing the covenants of the sacrament,tithing, and the temple, citing sacrifice as the “very essence of the Atonement” (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley [1997], 147).
THEY ALSO LAUGH TOGETHER AND SHARE JOYS...
What does Christ like about you? What does He like doing with you?
How/When has He shared his JOY with you? When have you brought him JOY?
GOOD JOB! You are more of a great friend to Christ than you sometimes realize.
“The Abundant Life” Joseph B. Worthlin https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2006/04/the-abundant-life?lang=eng
John 10:11...I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
D&C 101:35 And all they who suffer persecution for my name, and endure in faith, though they are called to lay down their lives for my sake yet shall they partake of all this glory. 36 Wherefore, fear not even unto death; for in this world your joy is not full, but in me your joy is full.
Mosiah 2:41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.
He delights in you!
Invitation: Think of what you can do to enjoy today with Christ. What is one thing that you could do together that would make both of you feel happy? Go do it.
No comments:
Post a Comment