Sabbath Devotional :: Improving Faith in Christ

With all the unrest in the world today, we can easily get caught up in the sadness or frustrations we see. As we each deal with these, if we are not careful, we can find it easy to lose sight of the true purpose of our earthly existence.

I find wisdom in a devotional talk given by BYU professor Robert Daines on June 20, 2000. These are my insights into his words.

Brother Daines speaks of three areas of concern:

– Our relationship with Deity, spouses and others

– Maintaining balance

– Making important decisions

He says that “answers and direction to each of these general dilemmas can be found in sacred places and sacred records.”

One sacred place that can bless us is sacrament meeting, where we have the opportunity to renew all our sacred covenants, and repent of our misdeeds. While there, we are strengthened by one another and regenerated by counsel during talks. As we share our testimonies, we can hear what we need to hear in order to continue our lives with peace, if we are in tune. “The sacrament hour can become an hour to totally recommit.” We can carefully think of things we can do to come closer to Christ. This action carried out during the week improves our reliance and faith in Christ. As I was listening to the speakers recently, I found myself led to make notes of revelation and insight that have strengthened me in my understanding of his sacrifice for me. I find myself thinking about how I can incorporate changes in my life. Another sacred space is the temple. As we attend the temple for ourselves and for others, we can receive answers to prayers. We retreat from the world for a time. The peace and sense that we are serving others as well as ourselves is amazing to me. We can leave the temple as better people, ready to more fully live our lives and remember eternal promises.

In addition to sacred places we can get direction from sacred records. Our relationship with our Heavenly Father and the Savior is developed as we search the scriptures. They “help us find increased joy and a sense of spiritual connectedness that will provide direction in meeting the concerns and challenges of our life.” Brother Daines shares this from President Kimball: “I find when I get casual in my relationships with divinity and when it seems no divine ear is listening and no divine voice is speaking, that I am far, far away.” We have to get past living our lives casually. Brother Daines says, “It is my heartfelt witness to you [that] as you live obediently [and] work proactively, doors of professional and family opportunity will be opened for you. . . . Christ knows you and understands your personal challenges today. You will not be left alone.” Isn’t that important to all of us?

In 2 Nephi 32:2, Nephi speaks of the “Doctrine of Christ.” As he shares his parting counsel to his people and us, this is preeminent in his mind. He wants our relationship with Christ to be one of faith. We are to believe in him, trust him, obey him, and follow him. The question we can ask ourselves is are we doing that? Or are we leaning on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6)?

This year is the 200th anniversary of Joseph Smith’s receiving the First Vision. Let us take this special year as a time of personal renewal as we search sacred records — especially the Book of Mormon. As it says in 2nd Nephi 32:3, “Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.”

Daily sup from the scriptures; don’t just nibble. These sacred records will give us the direction we need to deal with our vicissitudes and demands. I challenge you to read the three verses that follow the verse I just quoted (read 2 Nephi 32:4-6). Act, don’t wait to be acted upon, do something more. I know that improving our faith in Christ entails action to increase understanding. Action will lead to the personal revelation we need to deal with our personal challenges. As Brother Daines states, “Answers and support will come to us as we actively seek them.”