One of my very favorite scriptures is part of this month’s Visiting Teaching message. There are times in life when the only thing that can get us through is Jesus Christ and the enabling power of the atonement.
The example below has really made an impact on me and I have thought a lot about how our circumstances may not be changed but we can have the strength to help us through them.
“Nephi is an example of one who knew, understood, and relied upon the enabling power of the Savior,” says Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. “Nephi’s brothers bound him with cords and planned his destruction. Please note Nephi’s prayer: ‘O Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethren; yea, even give me strength that I may burst these bands with which I am bound’ (1 Nephi 7:17; emphasis added).
“… Nephi did not pray to have his circumstances changed. Rather, he prayed for the strength to change his circumstances. And I believe he prayed in this manner precisely because he knew, understood, and had experienced the enabling power of the Atonement.
“I do not think the bands with which Nephi was bound just magically fell from his hands and wrists. Rather, I suspect he was blessed with both persistence and personal strength beyond his natural capacity, that he then ‘in the strength of the Lord’ (Mosiah 9:17) worked and twisted and tugged on the cords, and ultimately and literally was enabled to break the bands.”2
You can print your own JPG or PDF printable here.
xo,
Annaka
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