Crude Answers to Prayers
April 12th, 2022 by G.
Apologies to Elder Christofferson, but the old promises worked for me.
Sometimes absurdly so. The blessings were not always subtle. Sometimes it was blatant, in your face, crude. Like I decided to stop doing homework on Sunday and blew through a test that Monday in a course that had me on the mat up till then.
I think Saints should continue to ask for these sorts of blessings and put them to the test. God saying no is better than God saying nothing at all, because you haven’t asked. It is fear that keeps us from asking. Or even worse, sometimes a heretical and prissy belief that asking for earthy blessings is somehow unspiritual.
Elder Christofferson’s talk is excellent, by the way. It’s about the bloody messy reality of the gospel.
Zen
April 12, 2022
For me, it has been the opposite. For years, I was a single father, unable to finish my doctorate, for the life of me unable to date and working by doing tutoring and teaching adjunct. Nothing seemed to work out.
But now, it seems like everything has reversed. And where it first felt like God was working against me, now it feels he is blessing everything I touch. I always felt God’s care and concern, but He certainly has his own timing for blessings.
E.C.
April 12, 2022
Or you ask sincerely whether you should go on a mission, and the answer is, “No. I have a different mission for you.” Subsequent prayers of ‘are you sure?’ have been answered pretty clearly with specific instructions. I guess I need to learn patience . . . and ponder what that mission might be, exactly. On the other hand, I’m still single.
I know the no Sunday homework has helped my brother immensely in his crazy quest to take 16-18 engineering credits per semester for the last three years.
As for the tithing, my entire family is certainly blessed because of my father’s testimony of tithing. We have never been exactly money-rich, but the Lord opens windows and pours out food – so much that we literally have to give it away because we have no room.
Rozy
April 13, 2022
I totally identified with Elder Christofferson’s talk. Some blessings seem to come from keeping certain commandments, such as tithing, but others are no so clearly connected or immediate. I’ve learned to pray asking for something then including “Thy will be done.” Then I know whatever happens and the timing of when it happens is for the best. Patience is a godly virtue and takes a long time to fully develop, but I reflect on how patient God is with me. He doesn’t strike me down whenever I make a mistake or am rebellious. He just sits back and waits for me to repent and come back. I figure He knows what and when is best for me. Plus, some of our requests involve the agency of another person, and we know that God can’t force anyone.
I struggle with deciding what is pleading with the Lord, and what is whining and begging. If He knows what I need and want, why should I keep bothering Him about it when the answer is “Not yet” or “No”. Jospeh Smith learned the hard way to accept a no answer.
Zen
April 13, 2022
Blessings are promised.
Timing and form of blessings is up to the Lord and his wisdom.
Bookslinger
April 13, 2022
When, where, how — aye, there’s the rub.