Mosiah 21:12-16 -- On Humility and Prospering By Degrees

"Yea, they went again even the third time, and suffered in the like manner; and those that were not slain returned again to the city of Nephi.
And they did humble themselves even to the dust, subjecting themselves to the yoke of bondage, submitting themselves to be smitten, and to be driven to and fro, and burdened, according to the desires of their enemies.
And they did humble themselves even in the depths of humility; and they did cry mightily to God; yea, even all the day long did they cry unto their God that he would deliver them out of their afflictions.
And now the Lord was slow to hear their cry because of their iniquities; nevertheless the Lord did hear their cries, and began to soften the hearts of the Lamanites that they began to ease their burdens; yet the Lord did not see fit to deliver them out of bondage.
And it came to pass that they began to prosper by degrees in the land, and began to raise grain more abundantly, and flocks, and herds, that they did not suffer with hunger."
Mosiah 21:12-16


These people were enslaved by the Lamanites, and it is easy to understand why they resisted, although they may have made it worse by picking fights and not winning. And I guess that is where my mind is today, because we do similar things in our own lives, picking fights that we know we can't win, rebelling just because we don't like something, not because it will actually accomplish anything.

Perhaps today we can work on being a little bit more wise than these people were, and start praying to God about our troubles now, rather than after our circumstances have eroded to the point that there is no other option. Let's trust in the Lord, apply some humility, and remember that God will deliver us as we learn to endure our circumstances with faith and patience... and even some cheerfulness when we can let go of our pride and our desire to control the situation, and we learn to accept God's will and know that he is leading us to all good things, even if we don't understand how our current circumstances can get us there. :) God will helps us to prosper by degrees, just as we turn more degrees towards God.