Tuesday, March 6, 2018

3 Nephi 24:18 -- On Long-Term Thinking

"Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not."
3 Nephi 24:18


This is Christ telling the Nephites what was revealed to Malachi.  Earlier in this chapter God says "Your words have been stout against me" (verse 13) and explains that we often think that "it is vain to serve God" (verse 14) because we see wicked people who are happy, and he explains that this is only temporary, and that in the end it will be very clear.

Sometimes that patience while we're waiting is tough.  We have to learn to trust God without any immediate proof that we'll be better off this way.  But that is what faith *is,* right?  How could we even learn faith if all of our rewards were immediate?  No one would choose anything else if prayer was followed by money falling from the sky or immediate answers to all of our prayers and requests.

It's part of the test of earth life to learn to control our desires, to learn to not expect immediate pay offs, to learn to actually think through things and decide what is best in the long term instead of whatever pays off the most in the short term.  Today, let's work on having that faith, and looking forward to that eternal reward that we're working toward, not because it is immediate, but because it is good and right, helps the most people, and is the best choice in the end, even if things are harder or more painful temporarily.

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