I remember once in college when I was going to a difficult test and felt very overwhelmed. Before I left my kitchen, I decided to open my scriptures and read whatever came up. I opened to 2 Nephi 22. It is a very short chapter, but still one of my favorites. It says,
And in that day thou shalt say: O Lord, I will praise thee; though thou wast angry with me thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedest me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation. Therefore, with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall ye say: Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unot the Lord; for he hath done excellent things; this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.
I sat in the chair, feeling peace wash over me as if I had been drawing water out of the well of salvation- literally. Yet, rather than being the cry for help I thought I needed, I found I was led to praise the Lord instead. The ensuing peace was a result of God's mercy.
Nephi reminded me of this power and has led me on a search to understand what it means to praise the Lord. When Nephi and his family enter the boat bound for the promised land, his brothers begin to be very rude. Then, they tie him up, and no amount of coaxing will get them to let him go. Their parents are about to die, their baby brothers cry, Nephi's wife and children plead. Nephi's arms and ankles swell and are very sore. The waves toss the boat around and almost swallow it up before Laman and Lemuel decide to set Nephi free- to save their own lives. I'm sure it was dramatic. All I need is crying kids around me to make me lose my cool. But not Nephi, of course. In 1 Nephi 19: 16, he says,
It seems almost as if Nephi has learned a great game to deal with the heaps of trials he confronts. It's like Pollyanna and her great game of finding the good in situations, but infinitely more powerful. Nephi's game finds its strength in looking to God and praising him no matter what comes. Not just looking for the good, but recognizing the unchangeable nature of that being who created us. Knowing Him well enough to have a deep and abiding reverence for his actions and purposes. Feeling awe at his greatness and glory and gratitude at being a part of his plan regardless of our current circumstances. Praising the Lord even when the actions of others bring us pain and sorrow and injure those we love.
How simple it is to praise the Lord while sitting in a pew at church, far away from daily cares. But how often do I strive to praise the Lord throughout a regular day? Nephi continues to give us very good reason to do so. After he is released in verse 21, he says,
If we cease to praise the Lord in the midst of our trials, we will not be worthy to wield the Liahona. We will receive no revelation, regardless of whose fault it is that we encounter difficulty.
The day I read that passage, I told myself I would try to praise the Lord all day. As I grumbled through my different tasks, I realized that I had no idea of how to praise the Lord: the practical side of the issue was lost on me. So, the next day, I studied what it meant to praise the Lord, and I came up with a short list of things I can do when I feel like grumbling. Instant praising.
1. Sing hymns that speak of the greatness of God and praise him
2. Count your blessings
3. Think of scripture stories or stories in our history where the Lord has delivered his people
4. Remember times in your life when the Lord has been there for you
5. Search for the hand of God in your life that day or the day before
6. Go to a place where you can be alone and pray
7. Listen for the birds; look at the clouds or the mountains and the trees. Sometimes it helps to just step outside. Get out of your current situation if you feel like grumbling and look for God in a new place.
8. Recognize how much you need him and depend on him
9. Think of the temple and how you have felt there. Take yourself through one of the ordinances in your mind. Remember especially the promises
I'll be working on this for a long time to come. It is not something to do once, or just on Sundays. It is a habit that will allow me to avoid many of the difficulties of this life and keep a positive outlook regardless of what happens around me. I think it will have to start as a game before it becomes my automatic reaction to any difficulty I encounter. If Nephi can do it while tied up on a tossing ship, I can do it in front of my kitchen sink, right?
Nephi reminded me of this power and has led me on a search to understand what it means to praise the Lord. When Nephi and his family enter the boat bound for the promised land, his brothers begin to be very rude. Then, they tie him up, and no amount of coaxing will get them to let him go. Their parents are about to die, their baby brothers cry, Nephi's wife and children plead. Nephi's arms and ankles swell and are very sore. The waves toss the boat around and almost swallow it up before Laman and Lemuel decide to set Nephi free- to save their own lives. I'm sure it was dramatic. All I need is crying kids around me to make me lose my cool. But not Nephi, of course. In 1 Nephi 19: 16, he says,
Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmer against the Lord because of mine afflictions.
It seems almost as if Nephi has learned a great game to deal with the heaps of trials he confronts. It's like Pollyanna and her great game of finding the good in situations, but infinitely more powerful. Nephi's game finds its strength in looking to God and praising him no matter what comes. Not just looking for the good, but recognizing the unchangeable nature of that being who created us. Knowing Him well enough to have a deep and abiding reverence for his actions and purposes. Feeling awe at his greatness and glory and gratitude at being a part of his plan regardless of our current circumstances. Praising the Lord even when the actions of others bring us pain and sorrow and injure those we love.
How simple it is to praise the Lord while sitting in a pew at church, far away from daily cares. But how often do I strive to praise the Lord throughout a regular day? Nephi continues to give us very good reason to do so. After he is released in verse 21, he says,
Behold, I took the compass, and it did work whither I desired it. And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord; and after I had prayed the winds did cease, and the storm did cease, and there was a great calm. And it came to pass that I Nephi, did guide the ship, that we sailed again towards the promised land.
If we cease to praise the Lord in the midst of our trials, we will not be worthy to wield the Liahona. We will receive no revelation, regardless of whose fault it is that we encounter difficulty.
The day I read that passage, I told myself I would try to praise the Lord all day. As I grumbled through my different tasks, I realized that I had no idea of how to praise the Lord: the practical side of the issue was lost on me. So, the next day, I studied what it meant to praise the Lord, and I came up with a short list of things I can do when I feel like grumbling. Instant praising.
1. Sing hymns that speak of the greatness of God and praise him
2. Count your blessings
3. Think of scripture stories or stories in our history where the Lord has delivered his people
4. Remember times in your life when the Lord has been there for you
5. Search for the hand of God in your life that day or the day before
6. Go to a place where you can be alone and pray
7. Listen for the birds; look at the clouds or the mountains and the trees. Sometimes it helps to just step outside. Get out of your current situation if you feel like grumbling and look for God in a new place.
8. Recognize how much you need him and depend on him
9. Think of the temple and how you have felt there. Take yourself through one of the ordinances in your mind. Remember especially the promises
I'll be working on this for a long time to come. It is not something to do once, or just on Sundays. It is a habit that will allow me to avoid many of the difficulties of this life and keep a positive outlook regardless of what happens around me. I think it will have to start as a game before it becomes my automatic reaction to any difficulty I encounter. If Nephi can do it while tied up on a tossing ship, I can do it in front of my kitchen sink, right?
In the scriptures I am studying right now (2 Chronicles 20) the king of Judah finds out that there is a great army gathered to march on Judah. He is outnumbered and proclaims a fast. Then when all the people are gathered together, he leads them in praising God. He even had the Levites sing praise to the Lord.
ReplyDeleteThe result was that he was told "Be not dismayed; for the battle is not yours, but God's" The next day they went to the battle site and found all the armies arrayed against them slain. The armies were victims of infighting amongst themselves.
We think sometimes that singing the hymns of praise are just a way to kill time in the meeting. (sometimes we even sing as if that was the purpose) The truth is that this is one of the ways that we invite the Lord's power, authority and witness into our lives.