No Such Thing

It’s funny how we can become our own worst enemy. A heart full of doubt is a terrible stumbling block to overcome.  For without faith in the Lord and in our subsequent potential, there is little hope for meaningful spiritual progression. It becomes especially futile when we fail to remember and appreciate the blessings the Lord has already given us. It is almost like drawing a circle on the ground around ourselves, and then keeping the Lord outside of it by restricting Him through our doubts and denial. Laman and Lemuel, sons of Lehi and brother to Nephi in The Book of Mormon, fell victim to this trap. In spite of seeing an angel of God, in spite of being delivered by the Lord from the evil Laban, and in spite of miraculously obtaining the plates of brass in Jerusalem, they still attempted to limit God’s influence and power in their lives by doubting Him in their hearts and by trying to restrict His ability to bless them.

 1 Nephi 15:2 And it came to pass that I beheld my brethren, and they were disputing one with another concerning the things which my father had spoken unto them.
 
 1 Nephi 15:8 And I said unto them: Have ye inquired of the Lord?
 9 And they said unto me: We have not; for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us.
 10 Behold, I said unto them: How is it that ye do not keep the commandments of the Lord? How is it that ye will perish, because of the hardness of your hearts?
 11 Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?—If ye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you.

LESSON LEARNED: A doubting heart leads to spiritual damnation. This is a very subtle but effective tool of Satan, and is a trap exposed in The Book of Mormon.

FEEDBACK: HOW DOES THIS REALIZATION HELP YOU IN SEEING YOUR OWN SPIRITUAL POTENTIAL AND THE LIMITS WE OFTEN PLACE ON THE LORD AND OURSELVES?