His Will

Sunday Thoughts: His Will

August 30, 2015

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Kenzie M

"I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance...

I hope you dance...."

As you may have figured out by now, I love music! I have had many tender and meaningful experiences with music, making a special place for music in my heart. I have often times been struggling with depression, anxiety, decisions, etc. and I hear a song that lifts me up and keeps me going. "I Hope You Dance" by Lee Ann Womak is one of my very favorite songs. I remember getting one of those cards where you open it and it sings from my dad quite a few birthdays ago. As soon as the song came out of the card, tears flowed down my cheeks. I don't know what it is, but something about this beautiful song turns on the waterworks for me! 

Another reason I think I've always felt connected to this song is because I have been a dancer for most of my life. However, now when I listen to the song there is a sense of sadness. I have not been able to dance for about a year due to stress fractures in both of my shins. I was planning to go back to dance for this upcoming fall semester, but Heavenly Father has different plans in mind. I got a bone scan and found out that the stress fractures are still there. It was a blow to the heart. I remember my mom telling me after getting off the phone call with the doctor. I froze, and thought, "No..no way. That's can't be!" As the denial wore off I began to feel angry and frustrated with Heavenly Father. Why didn't He heal my legs? Does He not want me to dance? Why would He take away something I love so much? I'm sure many of you have often felt like this too. It's difficult to see the big picture with our mortal minds. We have a plan, a vision for how our life should be. And yet, most often, that is not God's plan for us. We must except His plan for us. 

But how do we do that? It's easy to say, but so hard to do!

In his 2007 General Conference talk "A Broken Heart and Contrite Spirit", Elder Porter ( a member of the Seventy) said, "Those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit are willing to do anything and everything that God asks of them." The answer is humility and sacrifice. When I think of humility and sacrifice, I automatically think of our Savior Jesus Christ's infinite Atonement. His actions in the Garden of Gethsamene are the ultimate example of doing the Father's will. We know from the Bible that Christ asked the Father, "if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as though wilt" (Matt. 26:39). How grateful I am that He drank the bitter cup. How grateful I am that He knows my sorrows, my pains, my joys, my stress, and so much more. 

It's taken me a while to accept this new plan God has for me, but through prayer and fasting, I have come to trust in my God. Pray for humility, patience, and courage to accept God's will. Prayer is a powerful tool. It can change your whole outlook and attitude. Rather than being angry that I still have stress fractures, I have viewed it as an opportunity. "Whenever one door closes, I hope one door opens". I love that line in Lee Ann Wokem's song. I have no idea if my dancing days are done in this mortal life, but I know that right now, that door is closed. But other doors are opening. And although stepping out into the darkness is scary and nerve-racking, it is so important. Sometimes we get to the threshold and then decide we better not "dance". We might not get the answer we wanted or any specific answer at all, and so we decide to "sit it out" and wait for the answer. But that's not what this life is about!! Most of the time in my life, Heavenly Father doesn't tell me exactly what direction to go in, but that doesn't mean I am going to sit around and wait forever. We need to step off the threshold into the darkness in order to see the light. That light then is so much the sweeter because we trusted in God and He trusted us to take that first step! 

Trust in God. "Give faith a fighting chance". Keep an Eternal Perspective and have faith that everything will work out, because it will! Heavenly Father has already won the war over Satan! I am eternally grateful that my Plan is not left up to me, and that the one with the whole picture is directing my life. Take courage and live worthy of the Holy Ghost!

Simply,

Kenzie M