Freedom, Prosperity, and Pride

Three things have been on my mind today: freedom, prosperity, and the things that keep us from achieving them.

FREEDOM

In Alma 45, the people of Nephi rejoice with exceedingly great joy because the Lord has delivered them from the hands of their enemies yet again.  I imagine a joy so intensely pure that it fills the entire heart and soul with light.  These people felt so happy that they gave thanks to the Lord by fasting,prayer, and worshiping God.  This type of joy can only come from God, from reaching a greater level of personal freedom and light than we ever have before.  God does not promise us that we won't at times be in captivity, but He does promise to free us each time.  We can trust in that promise, and look forward to the immense feeling of joy that our new degree of freedom will bring us, just as it happened for the people of Nephi.

PROSPERITY

Later, Alma gives a little father-son interview, and on passing it, Helaman receives a promise from his dad: "Blessed art thou; and the Lord shall prosper thee in this land."  How can we receive this promise of true success?

#1:  Do you believe in the scriptures?
#2:  Do you believe in Jesus Christ?
#3:  Will you keep my commandments?

Three simple questions, one GIANT promise.

THE PROMISE

If we want true success and happiness, we must first look forward to the greater degrees of freedom that God is leading us towards, even though the road can be hard at times.  While we are walking, we must read the scriptures, continue to believe in and get to know Jesus Christ, and keep the commandments of God.  If we do, we can receive Alma's promise: we will be blessed and we shall prosper in this land.

WHAT CAN GET IN THE WAY?

Towards the end of this chapter, the wars between the Lamanites and Nephites plus the "many little dissensions and disturbances which had been among the people," Helaman and his brothers needed to go out and preach the pure word of God, the only thing that can pierce dark clouds of confusion and fear.  However, when they get out there, the people don't listen!  Why ever not?  Why wouldn't they want to receive freedom, peace, and true success?  What could ever get in the way of that?

"But they grew proud, being lifted up in their hearts, because of their exceedingly great riches."

Oh, darn, that pride thing again.  It goes back to what Miss Emily said in her post about the state of one's heart.  Their hearts were lifted up.  A heart must be humble and broken in order for anything of God to enter.  Christ may knock on a heart, but it is up to us to open it.  The state of our heart depends on us.  We must keep our heart lowly, broken, and open.  Or we may keep ourselves from the truth, and from the two promises we found at the beginning of this chapter: freedom and prosperity.

I know that Jesus Christ is the only way that we can keep our heart in the right place.  If we constantly evaluate and repent, we can keep our hearts lowly and broken, so that we can receive the beautiful promises of God and rejoice like the people of Nephi rejoiced at the feeling of being completely FREE!

Love,

Rachel