"Only one who has fought against these ominous waves is justified in telling us--as well as the sea--to "be still." Only one who has taken the full brunt of such adversity could ever be justified in telling us in such times to "be of good cheer." Such council is not a jaunty pep talk about positive thinking though positive thinking is much needed in the world. No, Christ knows better than all others that the trails of life can be very deep and we are not shallow people if we struggle in them. But even as the Lord avoids sugary rhetoric, he rebukes faithlessness and he deplores pessimism. He expects us to believe."
--Jeffery R. Holland
Faith can move mountains...but don't be surprised if God hands you a shovel.
--Jeffery R. Holland
"Yeah, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yeah behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land for which we will praise his name forever...Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel. Who could have supposed that our God would have been so merciful as to have snatched us from our awful, sinful, and polluted state?...yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name. Now if this is boasting, even so will I boast; for this is my life and my light , my joy and my salvation, and my redemption from everlasting wo."
--Alma 26: 12, 16-17, 35-36
Well, these quotes, though separate, are all connected for me. It only makes sense to me, that my loving Father in Heaven, would expect me believe. He would expect me to believe, and seize that shovel to move my mountains. And in doing so, find joy in the work, because I'm on the path He wants me to be on. The path of happiness. The path where I will struggle until my brains fry out but be so much stronger because of it. The path where I can smile through the pain because I know there is always hope for me and for the future. For the people I love and for all those I don't even know. There is hope for us all. Because Christ has saved us from our "awful, sinful, polluted state." Which is a beautiful thing. He has it all under control. And that is why I want to praise Him. That is why I could never say too much of how wonderful my God and Savior are. There aren't enough words in any language to properly convey the miraculous nature and phenomenality of this truth. Even when I make up words like phenomenality it's not enough. It's never enough. He has done too much and I am grateful. I have been reduced to tears of pure gratitude because of his merciful hand.
So if we cannot say even the smallest part of what we feel toward Him--if we cannot speak too much of His glory--why waste our breath on those words with unkind nature. The words expressed without love, in vengeance, anger, or jealousy. The words that uplift no one and hinder all involved. Would we not be better off to abandon those conversations for ones that would make our Father up above proud of us?
