I turned 22 recently. This was a weird moment in my life. It's given me a reason to pause and reflect on what the point of it all was. I've learned a lot in 22 years. I know I have so much more to learn, but I want to share some of what I've gained through study and experience with you.
22 Lessons I've Learned about God in 22 Years of Life
1. He is so very real. Fact. I cannot deny this. Even on the darkest, saddest days, I still know He's there.
2. He loves each of His children. And He's got a lot of them so this blows my mind regularly.
3. He sent His Son so that we would always have help when we need it.
4. He reaches out to us to let us know He cares. These are called tender mercies, and are, in fact, absolutely wonderful, but if we don't pay super close attention we might miss them.
5. He has a plan. And it's a great plan too. In fact, a Book of Mormon prophet called it a "great plan of happiness"
6. He has a sense of humor. I know He chuckles at some of the ridiculous situations we find ourselves in.
7. He is perfectly patient. I would know. I try His patience all the time.
8. He is the best listener ever! Sometimes we have very long conversations when I'm upset or confused. He lets me freak out and yell, and then He sends peace and sometimes understanding, but other times just comfort.
9. He always provides a way a) for us to escape temptation, b) for us to receive forgiveness and peace, c) for us to overcome any trial or challenge, d) for us to come back to Him, e) insert anything you need to find a way over or through or across. He's got it taken care of. He'll help us move forward if we ask.
10. He loves my family even more than I do! He wants us to be happy and together forever.
11. He doesn't want us to feel far from Him. That's why He's given us the Bible and the Book of Mormon and living prophets and His spirit to guide us and most importantly, His Son Jesus Christ.
12. He only asks us to do really hard things so that when we accomplish them we can't take all the credit.
13. He loves us so much He wants us to choose to be with Him. He never leaves us, but we can make choices that take us away from Him. See #9.
14. He gives us commandments BECAUSE He loves us. He created us and this earth and He made the rules because He knows what's going to hurt and what will make us happy.
15. He puts a lot of effort into our growth and sometimes (all the times...) this means going through something uncomfortable or painful. But there is always a point, and He always provides grace and comfort when we're hurting if we turn to Him.
16. The place where He lives is a place where His law is lived perfectly. This life is just a practice to live perfectly with Him. He is the perfect teacher.
17. He never gives us something that we can't use to help others. This is because He loves all His children, but He can't be with us so He asks us to help each other.
18. He is big enough to hold the cosmos together and small enough to notice when we're sad.
19. He cares about anything that we care about even the super insignificant things like the seam that's starting to tear in our favorite skirt.
20. He speaks.
21. He wants us to know Him, but first we must trust Him enough to pray and ask if He is there. The answer will always be yes.
22. He is good. He is infinitely and unimaginably and impossibly good.
What have the experiences in your life taught you about God?
Hi Paige,
ReplyDeleteI was in high school - ironically probably the year you were born :D when I had a very unusual experience. I was coming out of a seminary class which was in a small building across a major street from my high school. I was in a hurry because I had some responsibilities to take care of before I went to my next class, and so I was almost racing out the door as soon as the closing prayer was said. I got outside, and heard someone call my name. It was a quiet and calm voice, but it had such a command presence that I had to stop and turn to see who it was. There wasn't anybody there. The other students had just barely opened the inner door of the entry, and the teacher was talking with them on their way out. I turned back around to continue on my way back to school and stopped cold. The handrails that lined the stairs were bent out of shape, and there was a car upside down in the lawn. A student had exited the parking lot at about 40mph and tried to make the 90 degree left turn onto the street. He rolled his car and skidded across the sidewalk into the lawn and crashed into the tree in the front lawn of the building. If I had not stopped and turned around to see who called my name I would have been hit by the car.
To this day, I believe that God or one of His angels called out to me to stop me from walking in front of the car.