1 Nephi 17:41 “He prepared a way that they might be healed; and the labor which they had to perform was to look, and because of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished.”
As I was working on the manuscript for Patterns of Light, Step 7, this morning, I came to this scripture and these accompanying thoughts:
Have you ever tried to help a small child tie his shoes or button his shirt and had him fuss and resist your help, all the while insisting, “Me! Me do it!” Now, while it is true that the final goal is for the child to preform these tasks himself, there is a period of apprenticeship, so to speak, in which the adult must do the job over and over while the child waits and watches.
Step 7 is all about having the humility to allow God to do for us what we are finally willing to admit we cannot do for ourselves–and that is to perform a mighty change in our hearts. And what is our part, if any? What is our labor? It is but to look. Look where? Unto Him, of course. Simple, right? Easy, right? Well, it might be if it weren’t for our impatient pride.
The practice of humility always requires the acknowledgement and crushing of pride. Pride is why I act like a precocious and impatient child, resistant to doing things His way, according to His timetable. Why do I resist looking to Him, asking Him and waiting upon Him? Pride.
Prayerful thought: Dearest Lord, please help me to remember that You have prepared a way for me to be healed–and remain healed–and it is to acknowledge that compared to Thee, I am a little child. Please bless me with the humility to allow Thee to do for me what I cannot do for myself.
Leave a Reply