“And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.” [1]
Nephi’s example and teaching from the preceding verse are essential for any member of the church seeking reassurance of the basic rudiments of gospel living with its encumbrance of daily taking up the cross of Christ and following Him.[2]
In writing about heroes from the Book of Mormon, Russel M. Nelson tells us that “Nephi was a multifaceted genius. Endowed with great physical stature, he was a prophet, teacher, ruler, colonizer, builder, craftsman, scholar, writer, poet, military leader, and father of nations. Nephi had a sincere desire to know the mysteries of God. He became a special witness and trusted prophet of the Lord… Appropriately, his final testimony closed with the words that could be known as his signature: “I must obey.” [3]
Very few prophets of the past have spoken with such genuine intensity to the denizens of our day. Nephi's life, calling and dedication to the Lord were destined to be a blessing not only to his own people but to generations and generations of God’s children.
Like Nephi, the Apostle Paul also reassures us: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” [4]
Our Heavenly Father loves all his children. He wants to guide and direct us along paths of peace and safety. He also understands that we cannot be guided in arrogance or directed in pride. When we are enduring the tests and trials of our lifetimes, when things just aren’t going well, we can and should understand that our loving Father is leading us through life experiences that will both bless and better us. With the prayer of faith and a determination to obey, we can recognize what the Lord requires of us and be assured that the way has already been prepared for us.
Henry B. Eyring has challenged us that when we are experiencing a severe trial, we should ask ourselves the following question: “‘Am I trying to do what the Lord would have me do?’ If you're not, then adjust your course. But if you are, remember the boy outside the walls of Jerusalem who…said, ‘I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.’” [5]
No obstacle in life is insurmountable when God commands and we obey. President Eyring continues…. “The Lord will always prepare a way for you to escape from the trials you will be given if you understand two things. One is that you need to be on the Lord's errand. The second thing you need to understand is that the escape will almost never be out of the trial; it will usually be through it. If you pray to have the experience removed altogether, you may not find the way prepared for you. Instead, you need to pray to find the way of deliverance through it.” [6]
Joseph F. Smith assures us that if “the Latter-day Saints are content to obey the commandments of God…our heavenly Father is bound by his oath and covenant to protect them from every opposing foe, and to help them to overcome every obstacle that can possible be arrayed against them, or thrown in their pathway.” [7]
Whoever we are and no matter how difficult our situation, the Book of Mormon offers us the reassurance that whatever our Father commands us to do to qualify for the blessings of eternal life, it will not be beyond our capacity to obey.
Bill Wylson
[1] 1 Nephi 3:7
[2] See Luke 9:23.
[3] Nelson, Russel M., Heroes from the Book of Mormon, Deseret Book Company, 1995.
[4] 1 Corinthians 10:13.
[5] Eyring, Henry B., To Draw Closer to God, Deseret Book Company, 1997.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Smith, Joseph F., Gen. Conf., April 1883. JD 24:176.
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