Daily Thoughts

In the Old Testament I read about how the idols of the wicked nations would be destroyed and the fury of the Lord would be poured out upon them. They would come to know that the Lord was God. Ezek. 30: 13-19 "Thus saith the Lord God; I will also destroy the idols, and I will cause their images to cease out of Noph; and there shall be no more a prince of the land of Egypt: and I will put a fear in the land of Egypt. And I will make Pathros desolate, and will set fire in Zoan, and will execute judgments in No. And I will pour my fury upon Sin, the strength of Egypt; and I will cut off the multitude of No. And I will set fire in Egypt: Sin shall have great pain, and No shall be rent asunder, and Noph shall have distresses daily. The young men of Aven and of Pi-beseth shall fall by the sword: and these cities shall go into captivity. At Tehaphnehes also the day shall be darkened, when I shall break there the yokes of Egypt: and the pomp of her strength shall cease in her: as for her, a cloud shall cover her, and her daughters shall go into captivity. Thus will I execute judgments in Egypt: and they shall know that I am the Lord."

In the D&C we read that we need to do many things of our own free will and not wait to be commanded. If we only do what we're specifically commanded to do and do it with a slothful heart, we'll receive no reward. We need to be anxiously engaged in a good cause and use our agency to do good for other people. Look around for opportunities to serve others. Seek the Lord's guidance in knowing what you might do to bless other people and benefit them. D&C 58:26-29 "For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward. But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned."

A verse with a thought booklet tells us that even though Joseph's brothers meant him harm in selling him into Egypt, much good came of it, according to the plan of God. Because of Joseph being in Egypt events were able to take place that allowed food to be stored before a famine hit and Joseph's brothers had their lives spared as a result. When troubling times come to us, we need to take heart in knowing that God may have a plan behind it all and much good might come from it. Sometimes just going through troubling times can strengthen us and force us to draw closer to the Lord as we seek His help to endure what we're going through. Don't allow trials to make you bitter, allow them to make you better. Gen. 50: 20 "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive."





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