Helaman 4

(November 7, 2015)

                There is no way that any mortal man could make it through a single day without the serendipitous help from the Lord.  There are simply too many things we don’t know that end up mattering too much.  If I take this route to work this morning, and leave at this time, I have an easy and smooth commute.  If I leave a few minutes earlier or take a slightly different route, I end up in a fatal car crash.  Determining which route and which time requires complex information that I simply cannot know.

                So we guess in mortality – a lot.  And many times those guesses are fine – we are safe regardless of which route we take or what time we go.  But other times we are vulnerable to catastrophe and the only thing that is in position to save us is the gentle promptings of the Lord.

                When we become proud of ourselves and our accomplishments, these promptings diminish.  Now we are not led to say the certain thing we needed to say in the trial, or call  the person we need to speak to at the precise time.  What was once under the control of the Lord to our benefit suddenly becomes more random (though the Lord remains in charge of everything).  Instead of all working together for our benefit, we are left to our own strength.

                I’ve been in that position, and it is terrifying.  The world can be crashing down around my ears but if I am close to the Lord I know the pieces will land where they need to (and I will be kept safe, or if not it will be for the best).  But the slightest bump in the road when I am not close to the Lord I realize can leave me swerving out of place and into catastrophe.