Charity Believeth All Things
What does it take for you to believe in things? It is commonly said: “Show me. If I can’t see it, it doesn’t exist.” Here is my example of the world’s way to see things:
Thus, the world’s way extinguishes faith.
My next thoughts led me to Alma 32, (found in the Book of Mormon) where Alma talks about planting the seed.
Here is the diagram I came up with from my pondering and studying Alma 32, which is a reversal of “The World’s Way”
I labeled this diagram “God’s Way”
Then I asked myself “What is this teaching me?” It is teaching me about faith. Faith or belief is the result of evidence presented to the mind. There can be a false faith as well as a true faith (Lectures on Faith p 70-71). The world’s way is evidence of false faith. God’s way is evidence of true faith.
My conclusion, our brain gathers evidence, which develops a belief, which then turns into faith and faith moves us to act.
What should we then be trying to gain evidence of to believe and to have faith in? In the Book of Mormon in Moroni 7:15-17 it says:
15 For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night.
16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.
17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither they who subject themselves unto him.
We should be gathering evidence to believe in all things that inviteth us to do good, and to believe in Jesus Christ.
In the Lectures on Faith, it states, “we understand that when a man works by faith, he works by mental exertion instead of physical force. It is by words, instead of exerting his physical powers, with which every being works when he works by faith…Faith, then, works by words; and with these its mightiest works have been, and will be, performed” (p. 61). I find it interesting then that faith is a mental exertion of our words. Where do our words come from? Our thoughts. Where do our thoughts come from? Ghandi says, "“Your beliefs become your thoughts, Your thoughts become your words, Your words become your actions, Your actions become your habits, Your habits become your values, Your values become your destiny.”
How do we then apply this to marriage? Believe in your marriage! Believe in the good things in your marriage that invite goodness and bring you closer to each other and closer to Christ! Nurture those things daily that will bring feelings of love, peace, and goodness. Don’t allow the doubt, negativity, and fear in. Use positivity in your words with each other, not negativity. Think good thoughts about each other and believe in each other's potential. Focus on the good that each other does.