Mosiah 26

(March 11, 2014)
One thing that has been hard for me to adjust to is the idea that what we want isn’t what we get even when what we want so obviously seems right.  Even harder, sometimes we are not to even work for what we want, even though what we want may seem like it is right.  Alma, in light of his son’s situation, almost certainly wanted his son to be saved.  He thought to work for it, he attempted to skirt his duty, but when it was placed firmly on his shoulders he did what the Lord told him to do.

How hard that must have been for him!  It must have seemed to him that he was condemning his son to eternal damnation by his actions.  But, ironically enough, his obedience paved the way for the accomplishment of his righteous goals shortly thereafter.  I think that is more common than we think – the Lord stands ready to give us so much of what we want in righteousness, but insists that first we demonstrate our full and complete loyalty to Him.  Then, and only then, we see the miracles in our lives and those we love unfold.