Is God a "hands-on guy?"

[Florida_Trojancaptain of 10]

Despite being unemployed for the last 6 months, i have read the scriptures daily, attended sacrament and all of my meetings, lived the scriptures and the Word of Wisdom. However, no one has even called me for an interview. I have read where George Washington believed that God didnt get involved in the day-to-day affairs of His children. Im beginning to wonder if he was right.

[Original_Intentcaptain of 1,000]

He is definitely hands on - sometimes it is a needed palm to the backside, sometimes I feel like a shaken baby...(today)

[Stella Solariscaptain of 1,000]

God DOES manage our lives...

If this is true, then how do agency and choice fit in the picture? I go back and forth between the two and haven't come to a satisfactory conclusion yet. Or are they not mutually exclusive? Can God manage our lives while at the same time we have agency/choice? Thoughts?

[Florida_Trojancaptain of 10]

Thank you guys. I agree with you both. I guess I was just venting and wanted to know if anyone agreed with me.

[sbsioncaptain of 1,000]

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, just six months, well, you could feeel "lucky"..........I've been for the last four years.......never mind

[Florida_Trojancaptain of 10]

Oh, my goodness! I guess I should count my blessings, eh?

[LikeMember]

I have benefited from following counsel given in this talk:

Life in today’s world can be at times so complicated and the challenges so overwhelming as to be beyond our individual capacity to resolve them. We all need help from the Lord. Yet there are many individuals who don’t know how to receive that help. They feel their urgent pleas for help have often gone unattended. How can that be when He Himself has said, “Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you”? (D&C 4:7.)

Such difficulty results either from not following His spiritual law for providing help or from not recognizing help when it comes. Well did James observe, “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss.” (James 4:3.)

True, the Lord has said, “Ask, and ye shall receive.” (D&C 4:7.) But He also declared, “Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.” (D&C 9:7.)

It is evident that He intends that we do our part. But what, specifically, are we to do? No one would expect to receive a result from physical law without obeying it. Spiritual law is the same. As much as we want help, we must expect to follow the spiritual law that controls that help. Spiritual law is not mysterious. It is something that we can understand. The scriptures define it in significant detail. I will cite key scriptures that teach how to ask for help, then summarize the spiritual law they clarify.

The Savior declared, “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.” (D&C 82:10; italics added.)

John taught, “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.” (1 Jn. 3:22; italics added.)

Nephi counseled, “Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?—If ye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you.” (1 Ne. 15:11; italics added.)

The Lord has the power to bless us at any time. Yet we see that to count on His help, we must consistently obey His commandments.

Enos recorded, “I cried unto him continually, for he had said unto me: Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it.” (Enos 1:15; italics added.)

Mormon wrote, “Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.” (Morm. 9:21; italics added.)

The Savior taught:

“Remember that without faith you can do nothing; therefore ask in faith. Trifle not with these things; do not ask for that which you ought not.” (D&C 8:10; italics added.)

“And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you.” (3 Ne. 18:20; italics added.)

“Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name it shall be given unto you, that is expedient for you.” (D&C 88:64; italics added.)

“If ye are purified and cleansed from all sin, ye shall ask whatsoever you will in the name of Jesus and it shall be done. But know this, it shall be given you what you shall ask.” (D&C 50:29–30; italics added.)

These teachings of Jesus Christ emphasize that it matters very much what we ask for and how we ask for it. I testify that when we seek His will and do it, we will obtain the greatest blessings in life.

Sincere gratitude is fundamental, for “in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments.” (D&C 59:21.)

Now, to summarize, blessings come when we—

Ask the Father in the name of Christ

Diligently keep His commandments

Ask with faith in Christ

Ask for that which is right

Harden not our hearts

Express gratitude

One way the Lord helps us is through priesthood blessings. When a worthy priesthood bearer is led to pronounce specific blessings, we can be greatly comforted. Yet there is no guarantee of outcome without effort on our part. Appropriate use of priesthood authority opens a channel of help where the outcome is consistent with the will of the Lord. The blessing resolves those things which are beyond our own capacity to influence either personally or with the help of others. Yet we must do our part for the blessing to be realized. We must strive to be worthy and to exercise the requisite faith to do what we are able. Where it is intended that others help, we must use that help also. It is through the combination of our doing what is within our power to accomplish and the power of the Lord that the blessing is realized.

Once I was awakened by a call from an anxious mother. Her premature child was not expected to survive the night. She asked for a priesthood blessing. As I approached the suffering child, the mother stopped me, looked into my eyes, and asked, “Are you worthy to bless my child?” That was an appropriate question. One never feels completely worthy, but we must do our best to be so. There came a strong prompting to bless the child to recover. The worthy mother continued professional treatment and exercised her faith. The Lord responded with the additional blessing needed. And the child recovered.

A relative asked Elder Spencer W. Kimball for a blessing to combat a crippling disease. For some time Elder Kimball prepared himself spiritually; then, fasting, he was prompted to bless her to be healed. Some weeks later she returned, angry and complaining that she was “fed up” with waiting for the Lord to give the promised relief.

He responded: “Now I understand why you have not been blessed. You must be patient, do your part, and express gratitude for the smallest improvement noted.”

She repented, followed scrupulously his counsel, and eventually was made well.

It is a sobering responsibility for those who bear the priesthood to act as agents of the Lord to help those in need. That trust requires faith, worthiness, and a sensitivity to the promptings of the Spirit to communicate the will of the Lord. Also, it is a sobering responsibility for those who receive a blessing to exercise faith, to express gratitude for every degree of improvement observed, and to do all within their power to resolve the need.

Three years ago I met a young man who had been severely injured in an accident. The medical forecast was grim. If he survived, he could spend the rest of his life completely paralyzed. Recently I met him again. Through the priesthood, he had been blessed to gain the mobility needed to do all the Lord intended he do in life. He moved his electric cart near, shook my hand, sat upright, and broke into a broad grin. The room was charged with his invincible spirit. His faith—and incredibly hard, painful effort, sustained and magnified by the blessing of the Lord—has begun a miracle. With periodic help from loving friends, he is succeeding in a university and striving to progress to qualify to be a missionary. I know his continued effort will yield far greater improvement.

In striking contrast, consider another man. His first comment to me was, “Why doesn’t the Lord give me a wife?” as though an eternal companion were a teddy bear to be acquired with no thought of her agency. As we spoke, it was obvious he was not doing the most fundamental things to qualify to find a wife. He admitted that maybe he should do something about his excessive weight, but that was hard. His clothes were slovenly and his body so neglected that it was difficult to stand near him. Clearly, he is not doing his part.

Help from the Lord generally comes in increments. He can immediately cure serious illnesses or disabilities or even allow the dead to be raised. But the general pattern is that improvement comes in sequential steps. That plan gives us an opportunity to discover what the Lord expects us to learn. It requires our patience to recognize His timetable. It provides growth from our efforts and trust in Him and the opportunity to express gratitude for the help given.

Often we have difficulty mastering lessons the Lord wants us to learn when things are going too well in our lives. When there is suffering or pain, we ask ourselves a lot of questions. Some of them ought to be: What does the Lord want me to learn from this experience? What do I need to do? What do I need to change? Whom do I need to serve? Or what characteristic must I improve? Pondering and prayer will help us understand what we are to learn from the challenges we are asked to overcome.

Not all our prayers will be answered as we wish. It is not always easy to know the will of the Lord, yet there are some things we can be certain of. He will never ask us to do anything that is not completely in harmony with His teachings. We cannot count on help if we are immoral or otherwise deliberately disobedient unless we sincerely repent. One who prays to know if another is to be the eternal companion while violating in any degree the law of chastity has little hope of receiving confirmation without repentance.

“For behold, the Lord hath said: I will not succor my people in the day of their transgression; but I will hedge up their ways that they prosper not; and their doings shall be as a stumbling block before them.” (Mosiah 7:29.)

“But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, … he will … deliver you out of bondage.” (Mosiah 7:33.)

Our earnest prayers are answered when they conform to the will of the Lord. Since we cannot perfectly understand His will, we must walk with faith. He is all-knowing, and His decisions are perfect. The fact that our finite capacity does not let us understand all of His dealings with man does not limit Him from blessing us. His will is our best choice in life, whether or not we fully understand it. When we act using our moral agency wisely, the Lord will act according to His will.

We see such a limited part of the eternal plan He has fashioned for each one of us. Trust Him, even when in eternal perspective it temporarily hurts very much. Have patience when you are asked to wait when you want immediate action. He may ask you to do things which are powerfully against your will. Exercise faith and say, Let Thy will be done. Such experiences, honorably met, prepare you and condition you for yet greater blessings. As your Father, His purpose is your eternal happiness, your continuing development, your increasing capacity. His desire is to share with you all that He has. The path you are to walk through life may be very different from others. You may not always know why He does what He does, but you can know that He is perfectly just and perfectly merciful. He would have you suffer no consequence, no challenge, endure no burden that is superfluous to your good.

To gain unshakable faith in Jesus Christ is to flood your life with brilliant light. You are no longer alone to struggle with challenges you know you cannot resolve or control yourself, for He said, “If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me.” (Moro. 7:33; italics added.)

If you are despondent, racked by transgression, are ill, alone, or desperately in need of comfort and support, I solemnly testify that the Lord will help you when you carefully obey the spiritual law upon which that help is predicated. He is your Father. You are His child. He loves you. He will never let you down. I know He will bless you. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

http://lds.org/ensign/1991/11/obtaining ... =help+lord

[AussieOicaptain of 1,000]

i think he is busy
and then when we waste his time asking priesthood blessings for common colds and asking him to bless our pizza and cola, compared to global suffering
i dont expect him to be sidelined by my problems
yeah, i think the deal was he had to be hands off in many respects
angels and all that can be legit though
most times i think the way he works is through other people
so go help someone in need i say- thats how god works in peoples lives
maybe someone else is letting ou down, not god

also , what, theres 10 people for 7 jobs. whats he meant to do? your country is economiclly manipulated. the jobs simply arent there.
Mark would tell you to go door to door selling alarms. that might work for you or some, but it cant work for the whole country
its a structural thing, your country is broke. it spent all its money on war
even joseph smith prophesied it 170 years ago

you're just an early adopter
also, are you a drip or do you present well?
is there something wrong with you you havent looked at? has someone given an honest appraisal for you- maybe you need a makeover.
then again, maybe not
its 7 chairs for 10 backsides mate,
the jobsa were shipped overseas
how & why should god fix that?
close down factories in Sri Lanka? great- they then starve and prostitute their kids.
versus us in the 1st world...what, we collect our food stamps and whine on line about our awful predicament
no disprespect bro. i been there. no one knocks on your door i learned quick smart.

look at what our countries do to the 3rd world and tell me again why god is meant to bless "us"?

just another perspective

[freedomfightercaptain of 1,000]

Sometimes God will accept a bargain. You know...If you do this, I will do that. But keep the promise.

[Randcaptain of 1,000]

I hope this helps. God is definitely there, micro managing and macro managing at the same time. The hardest thing to remember is that what you want is not on his screen, until what he wants is central to your cause. This is from the Bible Dictionary on prayer.

"As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are his children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part (Matt. 7:7–11). Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship. Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings.

There are many passages in the N.T. that teach the duty of prayer (e.g., Matt. 7:7; 26:41; Luke 18:1; 21:36; Eph. 6:18; Philip. 4:6; Col. 4:2; 1 Thes. 5:17, 25; 1 Tim. 2:1, 8). Christians are taught to pray in Christ’s name (John 14:13–14; 15:7, 16; 16:23–24). We pray in Christ’s name when our mind is the mind of Christ, and our wishes the wishes of Christ—when his words abide in us (John 15:7). We then ask for things it is possible for God to grant. Many prayers remain unanswered because they are not in Christ’s name at all; they in no way represent his mind, but spring out of the selfishness of man’s heart."

He is building a Zion people, not a contented people who get what they want out of life. Aussie is right on. Tough love but love none the less. If you are obedient in order to get from God what you want, then you are not being obedient. Do what he asks of you in order to create what He desires: That is obedience. What a humbling journey. God bless on this enlightening journey.

[sbsioncaptain of 1,000]

when wants and needs become, not our will but HIS, then we "see the light" and "all is well"?

[Visioncaptain of 100]

First off I can only imagine how hard your life must be right now. I can only imagine the battle that goes on inside you each day.

Please don't be offended by AussieOI's post. Having spent a few weeks in OZ this past year I learned to appreciate their frankness and straightforward approach. It was very refreshing to spend time in a land where political correctness did not dominate everyone's actions, or words. A good honest assessment of ourselves is appropriate

This is a very tough question. I think we are closer to God than we think we are, but I am not sure if he is as hands on as some believe.

D&C 93 : 30 all truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; other wise there is no existence.

We know that we are intelligences,

Abraham 3 : 22 Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many noble and great ones;

I can't reconcile God being hands on, and Agency in my mind. To me that is one big contradiction. I have also had a personal experience that taught me that God does not micro manage our lives. We know the challenges in our life before we come down to live them.

Spend some time studying in the Lectures on Faith. Joseph taught that Faith is mental exertion.

As Aussie pointed we are blessed by others. We are Gods hands. Pres. Uchtdorf gave that superb talk on the subject a few sessions ago.

I can only offer encouragement to you. You are doing all the right things, stick with them, don't give up. Magnify your calling, pay a generous Fast offering if you are able. Pray as if everything depends on God, but act as if everything depends on you.

[Stella Solariscaptain of 1,000]

+1, Vision - my thoughts exactly. Excellent post - thank you for wording things so well!

[dewajackcaptain of 100]

First off I can only imagine how hard your life must be right now. I can only imagine the battle that goes on inside you each day.

Please don't be offended by AussieOI's post. Having spent a few weeks in OZ this past year I learned to appreciate their frankness and straightforward approach. It was very refreshing to spend time in a land where political correctness did not dominate everyone's actions, or words. A good honest assessment of ourselves is appropriate

This is a very tough question. I think we are closer to God than we think we are, but I am not sure if he is as hands on as some believe.

D&C 93 : 30 all truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; other wise there is no existence.

We know that we are intelligences,

Abraham 3 : 22 Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many noble and great ones;

I can't reconcile God being hands on, and Agency in my mind. To me that is one big contradiction. I have also had a personal experience that taught me that God does not micro manage our lives. We know the challenges in our life before we come down to live them.

Spend some time studying in the Lectures on Faith. Joseph taught that Faith is mental exertion.

As Aussie pointed we are blessed by others. We are Gods hands. Pres. Uchtdorf gave that superb talk on the subject a few sessions ago.

I can only offer encouragement to you. You are doing all the right things, stick with them, don't give up. Magnify your calling, pay a generous Fast offering if you are able. Pray as if everything depends on God, but act as if everything depends on you.

You mention paying a generous fast offering if you are able. I assume you mean that with regard to receivng help findng work. Is this right? I'm seriously asking. Should we increase our fast offerings in an effort to receive monetary help? I'm curious what your thoughts are.

[freedomfightercaptain of 1,000]

You mention paying a generous fast offering if you are able. I assume you mean that with regard to receivng help findng work. Is this right? I'm seriously asking. Should we increase our fast offerings in an effort to receive monetary help? I'm curious what your thoughts are.

Read my previous post. This has been done many times by God revering people. Perhaps God would accept this as a sacrifice beyond what is being done at present. Sometimes He only needs to know that we are willing to go the extra mile by our actions.

Doctrine and Covenants 64:34
Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days.

Doctrine and Covenants 20:77
O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them; that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.

[Visioncaptain of 100]

Dewajack I think Freedomfighter did a masterful job answering your question about paying a generous Fast Offering. I would like to add that yes I was serious, but I couched it with "if you are able". Helping the poor and needy even when you may be one yourself shows the greatest kind of humility, and meekness that is humanly possible, it ventures on being completely Christ like.

These are my own thoughts and beliefs so take them as such. I have pondered on this for many hours in my life and came up with this analogy.

A beautiful stream full of crystal clear water flows through rocks, down through tree roots, through many trials, obstacles to get to it's destination. If those rocks,trees, etc. block the streams flow of water what happens to the water? It becomes stagnant, full of algae, full of debris and soon loses it's ability to provide life and eventually it evaporates and disappears.
To me the water is the material blessings from the Lord. We are not capable of holding water in our hands forever, neither are we supposed to hold the Lords blessings in our hands forever. Let the water flow through us to others and the stream will run clean and clear forever.

The hand that Gives, Gathers

[AussieOicaptain of 1,000]

True FJ
I am sincerely not trying to be toxic here
i spent 8 months U/E with 3 kids and lost my house. i dont beleive you are experiencing anything I haven't either so i can empathise
im trying to offer another perspective from those i know you will get, and did..."yes god loves you".
yeah, of course he does
but you dont think he loves this child too?
http://syntheticrhyme.com/wp-content/up ... -photo.jpg
(warning- don't print if you dont want to be confronted with the reality of life)
so click it, and ask yourself, whats your problem again?
is it that you are unemployed?
or is it that you haven't had an interview?
or is it because you have been trained that if we give god money and tick a few behavioural boxes he gives us more wealth via good jobs?
just how do you measure god in your life?
for me, it was that my wife stood by me, supported me, and moved to another city to start our lives over again- and respected me through this period
she could be the fattest, ugliest, smelliest, crankiest woman in the world, and i wouldnt see it
she is be the most beautiful woman i know.

so what, you drop in here fresh, we don't know you, and you ask us if god is a hands on guy...because

* you have been unemployed for the last 6 months (43million US citizens need food stamps to stave hunger)
i have read the scriptures daily, (big deal. so you shoud anyway its good for us)
attended sacrament (so do you get to stop going to sacrament when you get this interview & job?)
and all of my meetings, (hold me back your committment is overwhelming)
lived the scriptures (i assume you mean living the gospel/ beattitudes...which is kind of the point of our spiritual journey isn't it?)
and the Word of Wisdom. (so you have a bong in the boot ready to freebase when you get a job?)


look. im not beig rude here. just asking you back, what are you asking for? HOW are you looking for god in your life.
So if he gives this to you, then what? do you stop these things?
i see them as unrelated to our employment status. thats plain economics. 10 people. 7 jobs. what is god meant to do? he gave you government to fix that, go ask your local congresscritter whether HE is a hands on congressman.

Back to god in our lives.

Are you a parent? do your kids respect you? does your wife (assuming) honour your priesthood? have you drawn closer through this [even though when bills come through the door love fles out the window]? have you had opportunity to serve others? attend the temple and reflect on things? provide empathy for others struggling? swallow pride and ask your bishop for help? learned to express yourself to your wife, really communicate?
are you learning and ingraning habits that may never have come if you didnt take advantage of this time out?
are you seeing a child up close that you would have missed if you were working?

have you been completely broken yet? could you do with being broken?

in many ways that 8 months was an extremely dark/est part of our life..............but we would never swap it. ever. no way. we developed as a couple through it- thanks to my long suffering and wonderful wife. we got through that and we agreed we can get through anything.

so back to our creator. Of course he is a hands on God. but sometimes he is hands on enough to know what is for our own good.

but yeah. when you are in a bucket of doo, no-one, and i mean no-one, throws a rope over the side and asks if you want to be pulled out

you'll learn a lot of tenacity through this.

i dont subscribe to the "everything is for a reason" school of though. but i do subscribe to make every post a winner and praise god unceasingly

the glass is half full. don't be afraid to ask people to fill it up

while i am at it i know of some openings soon in Powder river, Wyoming and near Anchorage, Alaska, in the oil/ gas industry. can get someone top of a list with HR if its of use to anyone who knows me through here

stay solid F-J.

[ChelCThe Law]

If you read the scriptures you know that God is hands on. It isn't always equal and it doesn't always seem fair though. I don't have the ability to know the why's. Why did we have a crappy adoption attorney without scruples and get our son at 2 1/2 instead of as an infant? It caused a lot of psychological trauma for him with no apparent reason. As Aussie pointed out, why do kids in Africa suffer so?

Yet I have so many evidences of His mercies that I wouldn't call him hands off.

Read Alma 14. Why did God deliver Alma and Amulek, but not the women and children?

Do you trust the Lord? Then do your best, ask for strength, and endure.

[rlyman44captain of 10]

First of all, I agree with Vision's post.

In addition, I believe I think about it a little differently than most people. I think God may look at the world and the universe as a series of equations and formulas which he puts into place. I don't think he micro-manages things, but instead He has set up a perfect system in which we can be blessed with what we need as we strive to return to Him. When we do certain things, it will trigger various aspects of the equation into action - just like it describes in D&C 130 and D&C 82. God works in accordance with laws that He has established and blesses us in accordance to our obedience to those laws. This does not diminish His love for us in my view.

If we want the laws of God to take action in our lives, our job is to learn as much as we can about the principles tied to the blessing we seek. If we want to find work and be blessed temporally, what must we do? Well, the scriptures give us the following items: Pay your tithing (blessings you will not have room enough to receive), Keep the Sabbath Day holy, Keep the commandments (prosper in the land), Work hard (by the sweat of your brow ye shall eat), and Seek ye first the Kingdom of God (and all these things shall be added unto you). The promise is if you do these things, you will be blessed in your temporal welfare - at least with the things that you need.

Our job is to make the laws of God work for us and not against us. To the extent that we put our trust in God, we will be delivered from all of our trials - as long as we have learned what we are to learn from the trial.

Alma 38:5
"And now my son, Shiblon, I would that ye should remember, that as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day."

Some things I've noted from my own life.
- The more faith I show, the greater the miracles I see. It's almost like faith is a measurable quantity to God (4 units of faith = 2 units of miracle - or something like that). See the contrast between the people of Alma and the people of Limhi in their deliverance from the Lamanites.
- It has seemed to me that the more pain we feel, or the deeper our trials, the more likely He is to help us during those hard times. It's almost like pain is a measurable quantity to Him, and that helps to determine the requisite healing action for the Holy Ghost to perform.
- The harder I work in all areas, the more I'm blessed in all areas. In my life, success in business, personal relationships, physical health, and in spiritual matters have always been related. When I'm doing well spiritually, I'm typically doing well in the other areas. Everything rises as the tide of my life rises.

Just a few rambling thoughts that I wanted to share .

[SwissMrs&Pitchfirecaptain of 1,000]

God saw the end from the beginning and planned accordingly. He is absolutely hands on if we will let Him. We worry and whine too much. Everything I have ever been through was easy when you get right down to it and a lot of it I bet very few could get through. We each have our own plan of salvation specifically catered to our eternal needs and it almost always entails a whole lot of opposition and suffering. The pain of children starving and loss of loved ones and torture are all bearable and looking back will be seen as small things. Our bodies only take so much before we pass out or faint or die. In the end we will see that God was merciful in every case notwithstanding the way the agonies appeared to us. The fear of death is the same, silly in the face of revealed truth.

Just because we don't see the mercy and fixate on the agony does not mean that our perception is reality.

Almost anybody that cares to can train their body/mind to be able to withstand emotionally, mentally, physically torture and extreme physical or emotional pain. We are not given more than we can bear and bear well.

If you ignore an itch, it does go away. And your spirits control over the body becomes greater in the practice.

Instead of focusing on opportunities lost, look around at the ones you're missing. Time is our true talent with which we purchase our eternities. If you can't use it to it's highest best use without direction/assistance, how can you expect exaltation?

[AussieOicaptain of 1,000]

We are not given more than we can bear and bear well.

Good to hear from you Bro, hope all is good

Just on this point, I have to disagree

Wasn't the Atonement more than Christ could bear? Didn't he need to be sustained by Angels?

I think what is more accurate is that IF the lord asks us to do something, as in a commandment, he will provide us a way to achieve it.

But we need to understand that, he told Abraham to sacrifice his son. That was the commandment. But to achieve this he sent a ram. It means the objective was not what Abraham thought it was. It was to see if he would go and do it. Henever needed to achieve it

I liken that to standing against the New world Order. We can't beat it ourself. We don't have to. The Lord will. He just wants to see if we will go and do it, without beng compelled.

After all, we've been commanded in Ether.

Of course he is hands on. Sometimes hands on means hands off.

[dinkmcdinklemanHi, I'm new.]

Hi all, I'm new...a friend of mine showed me a post, then I saw this. I had to respond.

Admittedly I grazed the other responses so please forgive me if I repeat something someone else has said. I believe "he that is commanded in all things is a slothful and unwise servant". Are you waiting for God to make a move? Maybe he's waiting on you. I completely disagree with someone who said God micromanages. No, he doesn't. (At least not all the time, it's more often no than so). That would mean God plans every aspect of our lives. I've had many a personal experience where God frankly and directly told me that he knew I'd make a good decision, and it was up to me. It's not that he doesn't care, it's just that there are situations where God wants us to learn, and he trusts us to make a good decision.

This should be made a matter of specific, conversational prayer. In other words, (assuming you haven't done this already, because I can tell you're diligent) ask him if this is a matter he's leaving in your capable hands. It seems like such a big thing, and my intent is not to berate or belittle your efforts, merely to share my understanding. You're doing better than I have and do as far as daily diligence.

But I guess if I had to be straightforward, I'd say the answer to your question is yes, God is a hands-on guy, when you need it. And when you don't, he's not. But you need to ask him what his plan is. His plan is sometimes for you to plan. For you to be the creator. For you to make the decision. Otherwise we would be the slothful and unwise servant.

Whatever God's plan is for you, I pray that he will bless you with the personal strength and fortitude to carry the weight of responsibility that is upon you. You are doing the right things and I hope you see that God already has blessed you to help you get through this trial (I assume) relatively unscathed. Some times there's lots of waiting for the opportunity God has in store for you too, but again you can ask and he'll tell you. Be conversational (listen) and be specific. Anyway, I hope I didn't offend, or suggest something you haven't already done. Just my two cents, hope it helps.

[dewajackcaptain of 100]

Alma 13:28, But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering;

[Florida_Trojancaptain of 10]

Thank you ALL for responding. I did not read Aussie's comments in full, because i found then to be quite inflammatory. But I have some news. A few weeks ago, on a Sunday, I did offer a "bargain" with God. I told if i got a job I would tithe each and every payday and strive to be a shining example of the Christian faith. The following Thursday I received a part-time job. While i do have to work Sundays, I will continue to tithe and strive to be that shining example as I believe that God is seeing if I can put my money where my mouth is. Hopefully more blessings are to come.

[LikeMember]

That is great news, congratulations! You never know what doors this will open for you,...... who knows, you may make a contact that will lead you in to full time employment, or something else that the Lord may have in mind for you.

[lirillcrissHi, I'm new.]

God is every where, almost all the people have the faith on the God, it is true that God always keep his eyes on us, "God hands on us" is true as God is always with us, it is our duty to do the good thing.

[AshleyBcaptain of 1,000]

I think we also have to remember that each one of us chose our trials, our families, our circumstances and planned many events in our own lives. We did have the help of Angels and Heavenly Father but He allowed us to be in charge of this life and I think its still that way. He helps us to fulfill our purposes and missions here on earth and makes sure we learn the lessons we came here. And likewise we are still the ones in control of what happens to us. Because He gave us free agency. When we call upon Him He is always there to help when we need it.

[Original_Intentcaptain of 1,000]

I think we also have to remember that each one of us chose our trials, our families, our circumstances and planned many events in our own lives. We did have the help of Angels and Heavenly Father but He allowed us to be in charge of this life and I think its still that way. He helps us to fulfill our purposes and missions here on earth and makes sure we learn the lessons we came here. And likewise we are still the ones in control of what happens to us. Because He gave us free agency. When we call upon Him He is always there to help when we need it.

That's awesome, I always have felt that way (although I don't think it is exactly doctrine). I think a lot of us did sit down, and although we may not have known the details we probably did pick many of our strengths, weaknesses, and challenges we would face. Some extremely faithful spirits probably just said "Thy will be done - I trust You to do exactly what is going to be best for me - Surprise me!"

[OOOK?captain of 10]

I am glad you found a job. Please remember gratitude. I know when I was struggling to find a way to make ends meet it was not until I remembered to be grateful for what I did have that a full time opportunity presented itself and things have become much clearer. I am still grateful, and hope I always will remember to be, even if a time comes when I don't know where I am going to be living or what I will be eating. Hey, I at least know my edible plants and can survive. There is always much to be grateful for. I also agree that we need to do service for others and then we will be reminded of how we need to be grateful. "And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his name in all things, and obey not his commandments." And it really is an opportunity for a family to grow closer together as in Aussieoi's case, and as has been shared in General Conference by others, if you have a family. Good luck.

[freedomfightercaptain of 1,000]

Do ducks quack?