I think things happen for a reason. There are times when maybe a scripture hits us now verses last time we read it. Or bad things happen to us but they happen so that later we appreciate things even more. It starts then a chain effect that changes our lives depending on what we do what we get that impression or that advice etc.
Let's start off first with Joseph Smith and the passage he came across. James 1:5 "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."
In his words he says "Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did......."At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God."
I believe Joseph was ready at that time to feel what he felt with that scripture by feeling that it led him to kneel in prayer to God and ask the question that had been bothering him about what church was the right church to join. This led to an experience that changed his live and our lives forever! The powerful experience he had and how powerful God is. He wants the best for us and will be there to guide us when we feel lost and alone.
He was ready in that moment and he had to make a decision, because we have our agency to chose to change things and believe what we hear and see or not.
This brings me to how lately I've been not just reading the scriptures but learning to study them. To ponder and ask questions that I might better understand the things I read. I also start off with a prayer that Spirit will help me to understand the things I am reading and learn.
I've been feeling the Spirit as I read but last night I ran across a story I had vaguely remembered but what brought across how things happen to us but if they hadn't happened to us we wouldn't of made the choices we did after the suffer we might have gone through.
I know I've talked about this before but I will be relating to my ear infection incident.
I was reading in Acts Chapter 9 about a man Saul who was "yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord." One day he was journeying to Damascus and "suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven. And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutes thou me?"
What an experience! A bright light coming out of no where and hearing the voice of Jesus Christ telling you to "Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do." Once the light was gone he found that it had blinded him but he did what he was told. He was blind for 3 days but he waited like the Lord had told him until a man named Ananias to heal his sight.
(On a side note when the Lord is telling Ananias to go see that man, Ananias, at first was confused because he knew Saul had done lots of evil but the Lord said "He is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel."
Once Sauls sight was restored He arose, got baptized, ate, and straightway preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God." Saul had completely changed and by that change the bad people that followed him noticed and he was able to help save and bring people to Christ.
It just goes back to my ear I felt so broken and not myself and was feeling sick a lot and when I felt I was at a breaking point my ears were coming back to normal. And I knew what I was at that breaking point that once I was better I was changing my ways. I was going to strengthen my body and care for it the best I could. I had failed so many times at attempting to be healthier.
But having that feeling of being broken I knew I didn't want to feel that anymore and I fought so much harder at taken care of my body once I was back to normal.
I was ready to care about myself.
That change for me led to meeting new people and led to experiences of sharing the Gospel with people I had never done before which in return led to me studying the Gospel more then I had ever done before which leads me to where I am now and feeling The Holy Ghost daily in my life and becoming a happier person.
Lastly I will say that we still have the agency of making that change or not. I could of still choice not to become healthier and stronger, it would of been very easy to fall back into my comfort zone and not break my habits. I'm very grateful for the choice I made and where it has led me. It also is the same reason i'm grateful we moved to Oregon, it was hard and I could of said no and stayed in the great life we had but I wouldn't be the person I am today if we had stayed in my comfort zone.
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