Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that Laman and Lemuel murmured against their father because they did not understand the dealings of God. However, Lehi continued to speak with them by the power of the Spirit.  1 Nephi 2:12-14 "And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur against their father. And they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them.  Neither did they believe that Jerusalem, that great city, could be destroyed according to the words of the prophets. And they were like unto the Jews who were at Jerusalem, who sought to take away the life of my father. And it came to pass that my father did speak unto them in the valley of Lemuel, with power, being filled with the Spirit, until their frames did shake before him. And he did confound them, that they durst not utter against him; wherefore, they did as he commanded them."

In the Old Testament we read about how the Lord told Abraham that He would make of him a great nation and bless him and make his name great.  The Lord appeared to Abraham and told him that unto his seed he would give the land.  These are wonderful promises!  As Abraham and his wife Sarah grew old and continued to have no children, do you think they wondered how God's promises would be fulfilled?  We'll read later how they were, in spite of the seeming impossibility,  but we need to remember that with God nothing is impossible.  And whatever He promises us, it will be fulfilled in His own due time.  Genesis 12:2-3, 7 "And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.  And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him."

A verse with a thought booklet tells us to give thanks unto God always for all things.  That doesn't mean that we should only give thanks sometimes, when things are going well for us.  But we are to give thanks ALWAYS for ALL things.  It's not so easy to give thanks when we're going through trials and are having a difficult time.  But those very trials might be just what we need to draw us closer to God, and by relying on Him to get us through them, we are strengthened in ways we never could have been without them.  No matter what our circumstances are, we can find something to be thankful for.  Ephesians 5:20 "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;"