“He whose name this church bears has promised that He will be in our midst, lead us along, go before us, and even fight our battles. He has further counseled, ‘Be not afraid of your enemies, for I have decreed in my heart … that I will prove you in all things, whether you will abide in my covenant, even unto death, that you may be found worthy’ (D&C 98:14).” Elder Neal A. Maxwell
How can the Lord help you to overcome fear?
As I read today's chapters I thought about your question... how does the Lord help me overcome fear...
ReplyDeleteSomething in Alma 57:21 clicked! The young men overcame fear by obeying and observing to perform every word of command with exactness. When I observe the commandments of God with exactness (according to my limited understanding - which I believe God gives credit for) this increases my faith in the truth of His commands - I have confidence, and therefore less fear about whatever fear-inducing elements may surround me.
Think, for example, about the rules and regulations surrounding the call to serve a mission. When a missionary obeys and performs every word of command with exactness, faith increases, and fear ebbs away. We cheer them on as a righteous army - as we observe their faithful adherence to the rules. They might get weary and wounded - like the stripling warriors - but the joy of the whole army is great, and we are "astonished at their preservation" and "ascribe it to the marvelous power of God" that they survive and succeed. The trigger is their dedication to follow exact instructions, with trust and with firm (educated) minds.
A pretty powerful lesson in defeating fear.