It was just before Christmas when I had moved my family to a new state, in search of a new job. My wife and I had felt spiritual impressions that this was the right thing for our family, and we moved forward with confidence. But as the weeks of job searching turned into months, my confidence faltered.
In moments of despair, I would instinctively seek peace through such standard sources as personal prayer, scripture study, priesthood blessings, and counseling with trusted friends. I would find fresh courage for a moment, but when I felt my situation wasn’t changing, and certainly not at the speed I’d hoped, I would conclude, “I know that if I am worthy of the blessings I’m looking for, the Lord will make good on all His promises. So, since the Lord cannot lie, and these blessings are eluding me, I must not be worthy of them. What am I doing wrong?”
The speed at which a trial comes to an end is, of course, not necessarily an indication of our worthiness. It has more to do with what the Lord is making of us. What can often require even greater faith in those moments is to consider Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s gentle reminder that “faith in God includes faith in God's timing.” (Ensign, July 2002. The Holy Ghost: Glorifying Christ.)
It was during an afternoon of searching for job opportunities online that I took a moment to visit MormonChannel.org. Feeling discouraged, I was looking for something that would provide some comfort for where I was, spiritually and emotionally. I then came across the reassuring and timely support from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, in the Mormon Message titled “Good Things to Come.”
“Don’t you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead.” This declaration from an apostle of the Lord provided the encouragement I needed at a time when it seemed my whole soul was overcome with anxiety. I found spiritual footing, and happily, soon after, I found employment.
To learn more about Mormon Channel and how it can help your life, visit MormonChannel.org/WhereIAm.