Alma 32:13-16 -- On Humility and Belief

"And now, because ye are compelled to be humble blessed are ye; for a man sometimes, if he is compelled to be humble, seeketh repentance; and now surely, whosoever repenteth shall find mercy; and he that findeth mercy and endureth to the end the same shall be saved.
And now, as I said unto you, that because ye were compelled to be humble ye were blessed, do ye not suppose that they are more blessed who truly humble themselves because of the word?
Yea, he that truly humbleth himself, and repenteth of his sins, and endureth to the end, the same shall be blessed—yea, much more blessed than they who are compelled to be humble because of their exceeding poverty.
Therefore, blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble; or rather, in other words, blessed is he that believeth in the word of God, and is baptized without stubbornness of heart, yea, without being brought to know the word, or even compelled to know, before they will believe."
Alma 32:13-16


This is interesting, talking about the different ways that we get to humility. Sometimes we choose it, and sometimes we are forced to it, and even though both accomplish what is needed... getting us to learn that humility that we need in our lives, perhaps the lessons stick better when we choose it rather than are forced to it, and thereby we are blessed more, because we likely stay humble longer that way, before starting over with our own personal pride cycle.

The last verse seems to imply that it is the same with belief... if we learn without being forced to learn, then we are going to be more blessed as well. Perhaps because those lessons stick longer, being internal rather than external. Not that we can't also choose after the fact of course. I mean, contrast Saul/Paul and Alma the Younger... or even even Zeezrom's experiences with Laman and Lemuel or Korihor. All of these were forced to belief in a way by angels or circumstance, but some of them chose to change and others definitely did not.

Today, let's be proactive with our humility and our belief. We know that every knee shall bow (Isaiah 45:23, Romans 14:11, Mosiah 27:31, D&C 88:104) in the end, but let's get ahead of the game and bow now. Let's learn the lessons before we need to be forced to them by circumstance. Let's pray, and listen to the Spirit, and read God's word, and repent and find mercy now, before the rush. :)