Show Me The Way

 

George's favorite Christmas movie is "It's a Wonderful Life".  

As we watched it on Christmas Day this week and George Bailey was caught in his difficult situation and facing potential prison time for the missing $8,000 he becomes wildly desperate.  All he had done was believe in people and try to live a good life.  Yet here he unjustly stood.  

He yells and screams at his employees and family.  He breaks things.  He heads to the bar for a drink and then wrecks his car.  He contemplates suicide. 

My heart goes out to him. All of us have had mortal moments when we give into the pulls of the natural man or woman.  When emotion rules and not our spirit. I've had way more than I would like and some have lasted for long stretches of time much to the displeasure of those close to me. Sometimes it's because I have disregarded or broken commandments.  Sometimes it's because I have simply been beaten down and worn out. 

But in the midst of the fear, anger, injustice, frustration and self-contempt, George utters these words:

"Dear Father in Heaven, I'm not a praying man, but if you're up there and you can hear me, show me the way. I'm at the end of my rope. I... Show me the way, O God."

I'm at the end of my rope. Show me the way.

It can be almost guaranteed that at some point we will each find ourself at the end of one rope or another.  

And even if praying isn't new to us it may be that our prayers have become much more of telling Him how bad it is.  

How much we are hurting.  

How much we wish we hadn't done what we had done. Or that others hadn't done what they had done.

In anger we may cry out, "but I don't deserve this" or "it's not fair".  And we can be right and God will handle it. One of my daughters taught me that.  He's a good one to be angry at because it keeps us in contact and he can handle it.  He still loves us perfectly. 

But can we finish with that last part, "Show me the way?"  Can we then be still and look and listen for answers? 

George Bailey is sent Clarence, an angel who helps him see the value in his life by seeing what life would have been like without him. Why he matters.  Why it is worth facing whatever awaits to make it right.

1 Ne 3:7 has a very well known scripture.  "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."

Yes, it's a scripture about obedience, but it also contains a profound and comforting promise for us all. 

The way forward has been prepared.  We don't have to create it, just ask and find it.  Even if we have disregarded former commandments.  Even if we have messed things up terribly.  Even if we don't believe we can handle or fix it or do it.  

The way is prepared from exactly where we stand today at this moment.  But we have to ask in faith, "Lord, show me the way."  And then we have to go and do what he is commanding us to the best of our ability.  

We have to ask Him, because our limited mortal sight is flawed.  And because He loves us most and knows what we need and what our next steps should be.  

Show me the way.  And I will take the first step.  

And I believe that just like George Bailey, our way will probably involve angels- both earthly and heavenly.  Provided by a Heavenly Father who loves us deeply.