From studying the experience
found in Ether of the Jaredite people in my Book of Mormon class, we concluded there are three types of
answers we receive from the Lord when seeking His guidance.
1. No
air answers
2. No
light answers
3. No
steering answers
A little refresher:
The Jaredite people have been saved and have been
promised a land of choice (Ether 2:7). In order to reach this Promised Land,
they built 8 barges which were “tight like unto a dish; and the ends thereof
were peaked; and the top thereof was tight like unto a dish; and the length
thereof was the length of a tree; and the door thereof, when it was shut, was
tight like unto a dish” (Ether 2:17). Not knowing how long they would be living
in the barges (344 days, yikes!) the Jaredites had some concerns…
Being “tight like unto a dish,” the Brother of Jared inquired of the Lord as to how they would breathe within the vessels. To which the
Lord replies, “Behold, thou shalt make a hole in the top, and also the bottom; and
when thou shalt suffer for air thou shalt unstop the hole and receive air”
(Ether 2:20). Boom! Perish not!
These are the types of answers I like! No air answers. They
are the easiest and the ones we often expect or desire. We go to the Lord with
a question or seeking direction and for Him and boom it’s there!
2.
The brother of Jared’s next inquiry was concerning having
light in the dish-tight vessels. The Jaredites crossing the waters in complete
darkness?…naw.
The Lord replies, “What will ye that I should do that ye
may have light in your vessels? For behold, ye cannot have windows, for they
will be dashed in pieces; neither shall ye take fire with you, for ye shall not
go by the light of fire.”
So…that just ruled out my two ideas…we know the brother
of Jared took stones to the Lord and desired He should touch them that they
would provide light, but the point it this is the next type of answer the Lord
will give us. The no light answer.
During these times it can be frustrating because it can
feel as though He is not listening at all.
He is! My biology teacher once said that these times when
we feel we are receiving no answer are the times we must thank the Lord for His
trust.
It may be evidence that our will is becoming more like
His and so He trusts us to make the right decision.
Brigham Young said:
If I do not know
the will of my Father, and what He requires of me in a certain transaction, if
I ask Him to give me wisdom concerning any requirement in my life, or in regard
to my own course, or that of my friends, my family, my children, or those that
I preside over, and get no answer from Him, and then do the very best that my
judgment will teach me, He is bound to own and honor that transaction, and He
will do so to all intents and purposes.
What a wonderful thought! He trust me to decide what to
do and with that decision He will honor it and help me along!
3.
The third inquiry was to how they would steer the ship. The
Lord’s answer here is the hardest to receive for me in my life. The “just trust
me” no steering answer.
“And it came to pass that the Lord God caused that there
should be a furious wind blow upon the face of the waters, towards the promised
land” (Ether 6:5).
The Lord will provide a way, but when we receive this no steering answer it is difficult
to let go, to trust that it will all work out.
For me these answers come when
my life feels all out of order and I am clinging to any sort of control I may
still have. I fight and fight to remain in charge of my life, but it seems the
Lord answers in Bane’s ominous voice, “Do you feel in charge?” No. It’s time to
pass the reigns to someone who is.
President Eyring once compared this type of situation to the
ride at Disneyland called “Autopia.” On this ride you sit in a car and no
matter how hard you steer to the left or right the car remains on track,
literally.
When we keep the commandments and remember our covenants
our lives are a lot like this. We can hold on to the steering wheel if it makes
us feel better but ultimately the Lord will take us to our destination.
Throughout our lives, as we seek the guidance of a loving
Heavenly Father, we will receive all three types of answers. Whether we are told
directly like in the no air answers, told to figure it out like in the no light
answers, or told just to trust Him like in the no steering answers, they are
all evidence of His love for us. I know
prayer is real. I know that the real miracle of prayer is not that we found our
lost keys, or made in through a hard trial, or that we passed a biology exam,
the miracle is that we talked with God, that He hears us and answers us! Like
the Jaredites who arrived safely, we too will arrive at out Promised Land when
we honor His answers to our prayers.
