Fear Not, I am With Thee

How thankful I am for a God who carries me

The themes of this week’s Come, Follow Me study have been resounding in my mind as I’ve been home and facing my own trials and trauma from a pretty crummy last week:

“The Savior will help me face life’s challenges.”

“God guides me through small and simple means.”

“I will prepare the way for you.”

“My trials can be a blessing.”

Obviously, my brain is in trauma mode, so my prayers are disjointed and distracted, my scripture study feels difficult to focus on, and I haven’t gotten to the temple, much as I would like the escape.

Some days my scripture study consists entirely of playing a recording of the Book of Mormon while I take a nap.

And yet-I know God is carrying me.

He sees my efforts.

He is pleased with them.

The hymn "How Firm a Foundation" has been running through my mind on repeat ever since I checked Maggie's blood sugar and saw that it was over 300--meaning that we were about to become a 2-T1D family.

"In ev'ry condition--in sickness, in health,

In poverty's vale or abounding in wealth,

At home or abroad, on the land or the sea--

As thy days may demand, so thy succor shall be.

Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,

For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.

I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,

Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand."

He is making the difference between my incredibly limited capacity and what is actually needed.

I came across a scripture-one that I probably have read dozens, if not hundreds, of times, in 1 Nephi 17:8, where God is commanding Nephi to build a ship, “That I may carry thy people across the waters.”

Nephi’s efforts were not enough on their own to build a sea-worthy vessel and then to navigate an entire ocean.

God carried them.

I know this at an even deeper level than I ever have before as He carries me, too.

Categories: : Faith, Spiritual Health