The
Hope of God’s Light
Second Counselor in the First Presidency
As we seek to increase our love for God and strive to love our
neighbor, the light of the gospel will surround and uplift us
From April 2013 General Conference
Entrance
to Enlightenment
President Ucthdorf
began this discussion by sharing about a
cherished painting he has in his office that is titled Entrance to Enlightenment. It was created by his friend
of mine, the Danish artist Johan Benthin, who was the first stake president in
Copenhagen, Denmark.
Of course as soon as I
heard President Uchtdorf’s description I wanted to see the actual painting and
I thought you might like to see it too.
President Uchtdorf shared:
The painting shows a
dark room with an open door from which light is shining. It is interesting to
me that the light coming through the door does not illuminate the entire
room—only the space immediately in front of the door.
To me, the darkness
and light in this painting are a metaphor for life.
It is part of our
condition as mortal beings to sometimes feel as though we are surrounded by
darkness. We might have lost a loved one; a child might have strayed; we might
have received a troubling medical diagnosis; we might have employment
challenges and be burdened by doubts or fears; or we might feel alone or
unloved.
But even though we may
feel lost in the midst of our current circumstances, God promises the hope of
His light—He promises to illuminate the way before us and show us the way out
of darkness.
Light Cleaveth unto Light
Like this painting, There
may be some among you who feel darkness encroaching upon you.
You may feel burdened
by worry, fear, or doubt. To you and to all of us, there is a wonderful and
certain truth: God’s light is real. It is available to all! It gives life to
all things.1
·
It has the power to
soften the sting of the deepest wound.
·
It can be a healing
balm for the loneliness and sickness of our souls.
·
In the furrows of
despair, it can plant the seeds of a brighter hope. It can enlighten the
deepest valleys of sorrow.
·
It can illuminate the path before us and lead
us through the darkest night into the promise of a new dawn.
Nevertheless,
spiritual light rarely comes to those who merely sit in darkness waiting for
someone to flip a switch. It takes an act of faith to open our eyes
to the Light of Christ.
·
When I think of an act
of faith that always opens my eyes to the Light of Christ is going to the
Temple.
Spiritual light cannot
be discerned by carnal eyes. Jesus Christ Himself taught, “I am the light which
shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not.”3 For “the natural
man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness
unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”4
So how do we open our
eyes to the hope of God’s light?
1)
First, start where you are.
The perfect place to
begin is exactly where you are right now. It doesn’t matter how unqualified you
may think you are or how far you feel that you may have fallen behind
The very moment you
begin to seek your Heavenly Father, in that moment, the hope of His light will
begin to awaken, enliven, and ennoble your soul.
2)
Second, turn your heart toward the Lord.
Lift up your soul in
prayer and explain to your Heavenly Father what you are feeling. Acknowledge
your shortcomings. Pour out your heart and express your gratitude.
Let Him know of the
trials you are facing. Plead with Him in Christ’s name for strength and
support. Ask that your ears may be opened, that you may hear His voice. Ask
that your eyes may be opened, that you may see His light.
3) Third, walk in the
light.
Your Heavenly Father
knows that you will make mistakes. He knows that you will stumble—perhaps many
times. This saddens Him, but He loves you. He does not wish to break your
spirit. On the contrary, He desires that you rise up and become the person you
were designed to be.
To that end, He sent
His Son to this earth to illuminate the way and show us how to safely cross the
stumbling blocks placed in our path. He has given us the gospel, which teaches
the way of the disciple. It teaches us the things we must know, do, and be to
walk in His light, following in the footsteps of His Beloved Son, our Savior.
Light Overcomes Darkness
Yes, we will make
mistakes.
Yes, we will falter.
But as we seek to
increase our love for God and strive to love our neighbor, the light of the
gospel will surround and uplift us.
The darkness will
surely fade, because it cannot exist in the presence of light. As we draw near
to God, He will draw near to us.6
And day by day, the
hope of God’s light will grow within us, “brighter and brighter until the perfect
day.”7
To all who feel they
walk in darkness, I invite you to rely on this certain promise spoken by the
Savior of mankind: “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not
walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
John 8:12 ҦThen spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am
the alight of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
A Light in Africa
Some years ago my wife,
Harriet, and I had a memorable experience in which we saw this promise
fulfilled. We were in West Africa, a beautiful part of the world where the
Church is growing and the Latter-day Saints are delightful. However, West
Africa also has many challenges. In particular, I was sorrowed by the poverty
that I saw. In the cities there is high unemployment, and families often
struggle to provide for their daily needs and for their safety. It broke my
heart to know that many of our precious members of the Church live in such
deprivation. But I also learned that these fine members help each other to
lighten their heavy burdens.
We eventually arrived at one of
our meetinghouses near a large city. But instead of finding a people burdened
and absorbed by darkness, we discovered a joyful people who were radiating with
light! The happiness they felt for the gospel was contagious and lifted our
spirits. The love they expressed for us was humbling. Their smiles were genuine
and infectious.
I remember wondering at the
time if there could possibly be a happier people on the face of the planet.
Even though these dear Saints were surrounded by difficulties and trials, they
were filled with light!
The meeting began, and I
started to speak. But soon the power went out in the building, and we were left
in complete darkness.
For a while I could hardly see
anyone in the congregation, but I could see and feel the brilliant and beautiful
smiles of our Saints. Oh, how I loved being with these wonderful people!
The darkness in the chapel
continued, and so I sat next to my wife and waited for the power to be
restored. As we waited, something remarkable happened.
A few voices began singing one
of the hymns of the Restoration. And then others joined in. And then more.
Soon, a sweet and overwhelming chorus of voices filled the chapel.
These members of the Church did
not need hymnbooks; they knew every word of every hymn they sang. And they sang
one song after another with an energy and spirit that touched my soul.
Eventually, the lights sparked
back on and bathed the room with light. Harriet and I looked at each other, our
cheeks wet with tears.
In the midst of great darkness,
these beautiful, wonderful Saints had filled this Church building and our souls
with light.
It was a profoundly
moving moment for us—one Harriet and I will never forget.
Come to the Light
Yes, from time to time
our lives may seem to be touched by, or even wrapped in, darkness. Sometimes
the night that surrounds us will appear oppressive, disheartening, and
frightening.
My heart grieves for
the many sorrows some of you face, for the painful loneliness and wearisome
fears you may be experiencing.
Nevertheless, I bear
witness that our living hope is in Christ Jesus! He is the true, pure, and
powerful entrance to divine enlightenment.
I testify that with
Christ, darkness cannot succeed. Darkness will not gain victory over the light
of Christ.
I bear witness that
darkness cannot stand before the brilliant light of the Son of the living God!
I invite each of you
to open your heart to Him. Seek Him through study and prayer. Come to His
Church, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Learn of Him and
of His gospel, participate actively, help each other, and joyfully serve our
God.
Brothers and sisters,
even after the darkest night, the Savior of the world will lead you to a
gradual, sweet, and bright dawn that will assuredly rise within you.
As you walk toward the
hope of God’s light, you will discover the compassion, love, and goodness of a
loving Heavenly Father, “in [whom there] is no darkness at all.”9 Of this I
testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.