Be Not Troubled

 

The early church faced heavy persecution.  They were chased from their homes, physically assaulted and tar-and-feathered.  They were cheated, falsely accused and arrested.  The seemingly endless tormenting, badgering and slandering wore them down.  How exhausting that must have been, for trying to follow their God.

I imagine it was with a pretty heavy heart that Joseph approached the Lord in prayer at this time.  To his great joy he received a revelation reminding the Saints of the bigger picture.  The Savior would come again but there would be great difficulties first.  Prophecies would be fulfilled.  

So the Saints could shift their perspective and remember the calamities were also signs that His word could be trusted. 

There would be times of war, iniquity, people living without love, turning their hearts away from God as they listened to people more than His word.  There would be sickness covering the land and people killing one another.  It sounds a lot like our day, doesn't it?

And then he says:

34 And now, when I the Lord had spoken these words unto my disciples, they were troubled.

Yeah.  Me too.  I think those can all be troubling things.  They certainly aren't fun!

35 And I said unto them: Be not troubled, for, when all these things shall come to pass, ye may know that the promises which have been made unto you shall be fulfilled.

Now here is where I got to learn today.  Because I am always looking for one more thing I might be missing, when I read "be not troubled" I read it as "Thou shalt not be worried about this".  So I immediately started to chastise myself for not having the faith to just not worry.  🤦‍♀️ The 

But George said he thinks it means instead "Don't worry about it because I've got this." 

Elder Rasband agreed with him, "The next promise is “Be not troubled.” No matter how much wickedness and chaos fill the earth, we are promised by our daily faithfulness in Jesus Christ the “peace of God, which passeth all understanding.” And when Christ comes in all power and glory, evil, rebellion, and injustice will end."

He says it's a promise.  That the very troubles that shake us can also ground us, as they are evidence that He is coming.  So take heart.

Elder Rasband continues, "If we actively trust in the Lord and His ways, if we are engaged in His work, we will not fear the trends of the world or be troubled by them. I plead with you to set aside worldly influences and pressures and seek spirituality in your daily life. Love what the Lord loves—which includes His commandments, His holy houses, our sacred covenants with Him, the sacrament each Sabbath day, our communication through prayer—and you will not be troubled."

How comforting it is that the Lord knows what troubles us.  And that he has guided us in knowing how to respond.