The Lord's Thoughts and Ways

I haven't written about the things I've been reading and learning about in my Old Testament Class in a while. Instead, I've been discussing them out loud. That's one of the options we're given as well. This week though, I thought I'd re-visit the blog with some of my thoughts.
I was asked to read: Isaiah 55:8–11; Jacob 4:8; 1 Corinthians 2:14–16 and answer what is comforting about these verses, along with some other things. So, here are my thoughts: 

People can change, people can repent, people can come unto the Lord; these things are all possible because the Lord's ways and thoughts are higher than ours. (Isaiah 55:8-11) This is comforting to me because I am a sinner and want to be forgiven. Through Christ, I can. This is comforting to me because it tells me I am never too far gone, Christ can always reach me.

We cannot know the mysteries and ways of God on our own, but He can reveal them to us (Jacob 4:8). This is comforting to me because when things in life just don't make sense, I can ask Heavenly Father and He can tell me what I need to know. 

Sometimes when I ask God, I don't feel like I understand His answer. Sometimes when this happens, I usually need to change me - I need to become more spiritual (1 Corinthians 2:14-16). I need to become like Christ. For me, this can be a variety of changes. I may need to make serious life adjustments, I may need to change my perspective from being selfish to selfless, I may need to change the atmosphere around me so I can feel God and His answer. Through the scriptures and God's living prophet and apostles, I can be guided in how I can be more spiritual. This is all comforting to me because it shows me that I can receive answers to my questions. 

Understanding God's thoughts and ways is the quest of an eternity. We Lived With God (video link) before we were born, and we can live with Him again. We can learn more of His ways as we strive to get to know Him by living as He would have us live, reading the scriptures, thinking and pondering our questions, praying, attending church, and making covenants with Him. 

One experience I've had where I have seen that God's ways and thoughts are not my ways and thoughts happened when my sister, Leila, died. She died this past August of HELLP. This is a website from my sister, Alisha, on HELLP. When Alisha called and told me Leila was in the hospital, with bleeding in her brain, and she was most likely not going to make it, I burst into tears. Then I tried to regain control of myself so I could get some more information. After we hung up, I prayed. I prayed so hard. I prayed for some very specific things; things that I thought would heal Leila. Things I thought for sure if they happened, she would live a happy, healthy, normal life. I ended my prayer letting the Lord know I would accept whatever His will was however, so His will be done. 

My husband, barely 6 month old daughter, and I drove to Missouri from Idaho that day and through the night. While we were there, everything I prayed for happened. Everything. But Leila did not get better. I didn't understand, I still don't understand in a lot of ways, but something I do know from this, is God's ways are not our ways. He answered my prayer because I prayed in faith and He knew I needed to see my prayer answered in full. He answered everything, including that His will be done. 

Thankfully for me and our family, we have a knowledge of the restored gospel. We have hope through the gospel of Jesus Christ that we will see Leila again, and we can be with her for forever. I believe that with all my heart.