Submitting to the Will of God

The burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord. -Mosiah 24:15-
 
The Lord could have removed the burdens of Alma and his people; instead, He strengthened them to bear “their burdens with ease.” Notice that they did not complain but submitted cheerfully and patiently to the will of the Lord. Write about the humility it takes to want immediate relief and yet be willing to have a burden lightened gradually.
That would be really hard. I have a friend, who is facing some health trials and has been for the last year. It is so bad that he cannot really go to work. I puts in just enough time each month to stay licensed, but it wears him out for a couple of days afterwards. He is a marathon runner, although he is unable to pursue his passion, because of this chronic illness. Despite a multiplicity of tests, the doctors still have no idea what is wrong, yet he stays optimistic. Could the Lord have removed it from him? Yes. I am sure he has had multiple priesthood blessings over the last year and I feel that he has the faith necessary for the Lord to heal him, but it has not happened.

What humility! On both accounts. It is one thing for me to believe that God has put me where I am today, or better said placed me with the family He did and in the location, because it is the best possible chance for me to return to live with Him. It is another thing to turn to Him whenever I am having a hard time or need support. I struggle with this step currently, as I always want to do it on my own. Then, it is even another level to not lose hope when the desired relief is not forthcoming. When God tells me that I am better where I am and that I need o go with it, I do not feel grateful. Now, I may do it, but it is with a grudging attitude, which doesn't help me very much. It may still help others, depending on what they need, but I don't get the same blessings as if I had done it voluntarily. Yeah, that humility thing needs some work.

What does it mean to submit to God? How do you submit?
Well, I think it means accepting that what God has in plan for me is the best thing that can happen. Other plans I have, while possibly noble and worthwhile, are not as good. Submitting also means understanding that His will is different from mine. If I do not seek out His will and then accept it, I am just letting things happen. I should no assume that just because it happened, it is what the Lord wanted. Sometimes things just happen. Instead, I need to actively find out what He wants with/from me. Then, if it is contrary to what I want for me, I have to submit, or allow His will to have precedence over my own. Without that knowledge and decision, it is not submission.

To submit, I have to place His will above my own. When I find out that His will is different, I have to make the decision to follow His desired path instead. Then, I have to actually do it. Half-hearted effort doesn't count either. To truly submit to the Lords will, I need to go at it with gusto. As it says, they did submit cheerfully. If I am doing something cheerfully, I don't half-heartedly go about the task. I tackle it head-on, finding ways to do it more efficiently and effectively. I have things I like to do, hobbies is a good word. When I am engrossed in a hobby, I take to it with gusto. I spend every spare minute (I can) researching, or developing the hobby at hand. That is how I need to be. I want to be healed, but if it is my duty to carry this the rest of my life (which is what will happen with an addiction without miraculous healing), I need to accept that and work at it full force.

How do you feel about submitting willingly and with patience to the Lord’s timetable of change?
I'm doing better. I still have a ways to go, but I think I am doing better. My wife can tell you that it wasn't too long ago I was saying, "I never want to relapse." Now, I still don't want to slip-up. It is still something very scary and I wonder how bad it will be next time, but I am now working on putting a plan in place. I also know that it will probably happen again. (That was still hard to write.) The important part is that I still move in the right direction. So, I think the patience is coming better.

The Lord's timetable could still be hard. I don't like the idea of being held back from progressing, even by my Heavenly Father. I do have to remember that if He is holding me back, it is for my benefit. Maybe I am rushing forward too quickly and not really recovering, or maybe it is for somebody else's benefit. I don't know. I just need to work on coming to accept that whatever rate He allows me to progress is the rate that is best for me. Period. End of story.

How can you gain the courage to keep trying until you are free of your burdens?
I think courage is going to come with knowledge and trust in God's plan, especially his plan for me. As my knowledge in the gospel, especially the principles applicable to addiction recovery, I will better come to realize that His will and plan really is best for me. Knowledge leads to strength. I have written previously that I believe the fear of the unknown to be one of my greatest and most debilitating of fears. As I reduce the unknown, I am better able to overcome it.

Now, I also understand that courage is not about a lack of fear. It is about facing the fear, even though it is there. Sadly, I think that fear is often portrayed as ignoring the fear. I think that is a way to overcome fear, but I think that is not courage. Courage is recognizing and accepting the fear, but going ahead and doing the thing anyway. As such, in order to have the courage to keep trying, I need to realize what fears I am facing, come to realize that they may not go away (although they could if the Lord knew it was best for me), and go forth with faith anyway.

As I go forward cheerfully, full of faith and courage, the Lord will lighten my burdens, even if he doesn't take them away. Just like the pioneers, who had to make the journey, but received help along the way. Now, this may seem silly, but I see no reason the Lord could not have transported them to the Salt Lake Valley, should He have chose to do so. He didn't though. Instead, He helped them bear up their burdens, so they could accomplish the task. He can do that for me too.