"And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true."
(Alma 32:21)
Miracles happen, but they shouldn't be our primary source of faith. In fact, miracles are a manifestation of faith. We see miracles all around us when we have faith in Jesus Christ. God loves each of us and knows us personally, and He is much more involved in our lives than we can comprehend.
Some miracles are impossible to deny. For example, Alma was visited by an angel. Years later, he recounted this experience to his sons and admonished them to live righteously.
As impressive and life-changing as this experience surely was, Alma, who offers the Book of Mormon's most complete dissertation on faith, does not attribute his faith to the visitation of an angel. He teaches us an important lesson. Whether or not we have seen mighty miracles, we can have faith in Jesus Christ, and that faith must be developed in the same way for each of us.
Faith is not a 'perfect knowledge', nor is it a passive, abstract concept. Faith implies action, and, as the prophet Moroni taught, we receive no spiritual witness until our faith is tested (Ether 12:6).
We demonstrate faith by living gospel principles. If you keep the Word of Wisdom, you have faith in that important principle. If you don't pay a full tithe, you are demonstrating a lack of faith in that commandment.
Knowledge and blessings come over time as faith and obedience are consistently exercised. For example, I know how the Word of Wisdom blesses my life because I live it.
This doesn't mean we will understand everything in this life. We're not supposed to, so don't get discouraged if you feel like you aren't 'getting it'. As President Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught—
"The gospel is not a secret. It is not complicated or hidden. It can unlock the door to true happiness. It is not someone's theory or proposition. It does not come from man at all. It springs from the pure and everlasting waters of the Creator of the universe, who knows truths we cannot even begin to comprehend. And with that knowledge, He has given us the gospel—a divine gift, the ultimate formula for happiness and success."
Unshakable faith creates immeasurable joy. President Thomas S. Monson said, “My beloved brothers and sisters, fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith.”
How can we demonstrate faith in Jesus Christ? Comment below.
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| Faith is like a little seed; when planted, it will grow. |
Some deny that miracles happen. That doesn't mean miracles don't exist; it simply means these people are spiritually blind and cannot see the miracles around them.
Some miracles are impossible to deny. For example, Alma was visited by an angel. Years later, he recounted this experience to his sons and admonished them to live righteously.
As impressive and life-changing as this experience surely was, Alma, who offers the Book of Mormon's most complete dissertation on faith, does not attribute his faith to the visitation of an angel. He teaches us an important lesson. Whether or not we have seen mighty miracles, we can have faith in Jesus Christ, and that faith must be developed in the same way for each of us.
Faith is not a 'perfect knowledge', nor is it a passive, abstract concept. Faith implies action, and, as the prophet Moroni taught, we receive no spiritual witness until our faith is tested (Ether 12:6).
We demonstrate faith by living gospel principles. If you keep the Word of Wisdom, you have faith in that important principle. If you don't pay a full tithe, you are demonstrating a lack of faith in that commandment.
 |
| Trust in Jesus Christ; He knows you personally. |
This doesn't mean we will understand everything in this life. We're not supposed to, so don't get discouraged if you feel like you aren't 'getting it'. As President Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught—
"The gospel is not a secret. It is not complicated or hidden. It can unlock the door to true happiness. It is not someone's theory or proposition. It does not come from man at all. It springs from the pure and everlasting waters of the Creator of the universe, who knows truths we cannot even begin to comprehend. And with that knowledge, He has given us the gospel—a divine gift, the ultimate formula for happiness and success."
Unshakable faith creates immeasurable joy. President Thomas S. Monson said, “My beloved brothers and sisters, fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith.”
How can we demonstrate faith in Jesus Christ? Comment below.
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