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All, I was thinking about Elder Andersen’s talk “Trial of Your Faith. He says the following:
Quote:How do you remain “steadfast and immovable” during a trial of faith? You immerse yourself in the very things that helped build your core of faith: you exercise faith in Christ, you pray, you ponder the scriptures, you repent, you keep the commandments, and you serve others.
I was wondering what everyone in the community thought about this. Have these things helped, hindered, or had no effect on your faith crisis?
I agree with the idea completely – with the caveat that some of those things are dependent on definitions and that it’s not about returning to a previous faith construction but about continuing to build and construct a personal faith. For example, what helped most people construct their faith included talking with others about faith and following their consciences and promptings regarding faith. That shouldn’t change in times of crisis, so, ironically, I agree that we need to do many of the same things we did previously. The issue is that, for many people, they can’t talk openly about a faith crisis at church, so they have to find a forum where they can talk about it in order to receive the “social support” to continue to build their faith.
We aren’t a substitute for the Church in ANY way – but we can function as a part of the Church for discussion of faith building. Ironically, in that sense, we are helping to do what he says needs to be done.
Quote:How do you remain “steadfast and immovable” during a trial of faith? You immerse yourself in the very things that helped build your core of faith: you exercise faith in Christ, you pray, you ponder the scriptures, you repent, you keep the commandments, and you serve others.
What if in the process of doing this you receive silence & no comfort? Then, you are asked to give a talk or teach a lesson on the influence of the HG?
In the mean time you hear people in F&T meeting talk about God helping them to find their car keys.
It is a difficult process & not as easy as it sounds. God answers our prayers & gives us comfort on his own time table. Sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly.
Most of the time God wants us (as members) to be His instrument to bring support & comfort. It is difficult for us to understand & put into practice what we
should due in God’s place.
Mike from Milton.
Quote:How do you remain “steadfast and immovable” during a trial of faith? You immerse yourself in the very things that helped build your core of faith: you exercise faith in Christ, you pray, you ponder the scriptures, you repent, you keep the commandments, and you serve others.
I agree with all the items in his list: faith, prayer, repentance, learn and ponder, commandments, serve others, etc.
I would like to point out that “steadfast and immovable” are good qualities if applied to the process,
NOTto the destination. Eternal progression requires that our faith constantly change and adapt/grow as we receive further light and knowledge. Eternal progression is halted when we refuse to change. That form of “steadfastness” is a form of pride as damning as anything else.
The cause of the faith crisis determines how you get past it. If it’s related to a life event like a death, illness, failed marriage, etc. all linked to not feeling any answer to prayer or support of the Spirit, then immersing yourself in prayer and the scriptures might help. Trying to build up and then rely on a sort of bank of spiritual experiences will help you to know that you’ve not been abandoned. But if it’s related to historical concerns, actions or leaders or other members now or in the past then you’re faced with the task of trying to decide if there’s truth to the claims and then deciding if it doesn’t matter or can be ignored. I can see people managing with my first scenario but the second is pretty hard. I’ve thought in the past that someone like Bushman can deal with what he know becuase he’s not only a believer but he’s been a bishop, stake president and now a partriarch with all the spiritual experiences that can go along with that. Quote:How do you remain “steadfast and immovable” during a trial of faith? You immerse yourself in the very things that helped build your core of faith: you exercise faith in Christ, you pray, you ponder the scriptures, you repent, you keep the commandments, and you serve others. Have these things helped, hindered, or had no effect on your faith crisis
Exercise faith in Christ – Helped.
Pray – I have found it much harder to pray, in part because I haven’t felt a lot comfort when I do and in part I don’t know if some of the answers I received in the past were as inspired as I thought they were at the time. I really want to believe God answers prayers but I’m very confused about His answers at times. Example, my Dad is not doing very well at all and his quality of life is going down at a pretty steady rate. Do I pray he gets better, when the issues he has just don’t as his age? Do I pray he is in no pain, but the burden of living is not what he wants? Do I pray that he dies, which I can’t do right now? I don’t know what to pray for as far as my faith crisis is concerned. Is the BOM REALLY true this time? Help me accept the BOM as inspired? What is real? Seriously, what do you guys pray for as far as your faith crisis is concerned?
Ponder the scriptures – I read fairly often but always in the back of my mind I’m thinking is this stuff made up, especially many parts of the D&C. I would say hinder or no effect right now.
Repent – For pain I cause others. Helps For things that I’m not sure Gods really cares about like tithing on gross or net, aspects of the WOW, having doubts, not doing 100% HT every month, the M word, not following the Prophet on every aspect to the letter, for wearing a blue shirt to conference, for not doing family search stuff. You get the picture. Some things I not sure if I need to repent from any more. That type of repenting probably hinders me right now.
Serving other – Helps a lot.
Good questions!!
I would like to add as a tangent that I no longer view life as a test of faith, or a test of obedience. Life isn’t a trick question with eternal consequences. It’s an adventure. We’re here to collect stories: of both heartache and disappointment as well as victory and new treasures.
Brian, I completely agree. The only thing I would add, when challenges come, we are suppose to learn from them & move on as best we can.
My philosophy about this life is exactly what you said:
Quote:It’s an adventure.
Mike from Milton.
Earl Parsons wrote:How do you remain “steadfast and immovable” during a trial of faith? You immerse yourself in the very things that helped build your core of faith: you exercise faith in Christ, you pray, you ponder the scriptures, you repent, you keep the commandments, and you serve others.
Is this another way of saying that you must remain in Stage 3 and not go into Stage 4 or 5 because your transition, by definition, is not being “steadfast and immovable?” Is this the faith’s goal: to keep everyone from having any ideas or experiences that would lead to questioning faith that could lead to apostasy? Better just to stay safe and avoid completely anything not sanctioned and approved through “correlation” and just promote the kind of faith that would keep us rock steady? Is this the ideal?
If so, how many of us are “scr#w#d?”
I don’t think it’s possible for mortals to be “steadfast and immovable” every second of their lives. I think “steadfast and immovable” is probably better applied to our lives as a whole, and not to individual moments in it. If we are to become like Christ (Stage 6?), we must move through Stage 4 to get there. There is no other way. The angst and difficulty of Stage 4 lays much of the foundation for the charity and enlightenment of Stages 5 and 6.
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