Category: Gratitude

Give Thanks to the Lord

~ Richard Rowley

The prophet Alma taught his people the importance of gratitude towards the Lord.

“…He commanded them that…every day they should give thanks to the Lord their God.” (Mosiah 18:23)

Questions:

-Is it natural to give thanks when one understands what God has given in Jesus Christ and the Atonement he worked out in the behalf of all?

-Is it natural not to be grateful if this understanding isn’t in place?

-How important is it to understand our relationship to Christ and God the Father in order to maintain a connection with heaven through the Spirit?

-What does it look like, in a day-to-day life, to give thanks to the Lord?

Are We Not All Beggars?

~ Richard Rowley

King Benjamin teaches that we should give generously to others as God has so generously given to us.

“Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just—But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he has done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God. For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?” (Mosiah 4:17-19)

“…If God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have one to another. And if ye judge the man who putteth up his petition to you for your substance that he perish not, and condemn him, how much more just will be your condemnation for withholding you substance, which doth not belong to you but to God, to whom also your life belongeth; and yet ye put up no petition, nor repent of the thing which thou hast done. I say unto you, wo be unto that man for his substance shall perish with him; and now, I say these things unto those who are rich as pertaining to the things of this world. And again, I say unto the poor, ye who have not and yet have sufficient, that ye remain from day to day; I mean all you who deny the beggar, because ye have not; I would that ye say in your hearts that: I give not because I have not, but if I had I would give.” (Mosiah 4:21-24)

Questions:

-Is it possible to treat others the way God wants us to if we don’t remember, with gratitude, all God has done for us?

Ye Are Eternally Indebted to Your Heavenly Father to Render Him All That You Have and Are

~ Richard Rowley

A second time, during his sermon to the Nephite people, King Benjamin teaches about each individual’s true standing with God.

“…Ye are eternally indebted to your heavenly Father, to render to him all that you have and are.” (Mosiah 2:34)

Questions:

-Is it easy for you to wrap your mind around what Benjamin is teaching about each individual’s debt to God? Or, is indebtedness to God a foreign concept for you?

-Is it demeaning to be in a position in indebtedness in relation to Deity? Has God given all He has to us grudgingly? Or, is His giving inspired by perfect and eternal love?

-If joy is tied to connecting with the truth, does Benjamin’s teaching give you insight into why those who are grateful find greater joy in life?

-What does it mean to give all that you have and all that you are to God?

Teachings of Latter-day Prophets, Seers, and Revelators:

“How can we ever repay the debt we owe to the Savior? He paid a debt He did not owe to free us from a debt we can never pay. Because of Him, we will live forever. Because of His infinite Atonement, our sins can be swept away, allowing us to experience the greatest of all the gifts of God: eternal life.

“Can such a gift have a price? Can we ever make compensation for such a gift?” (“Earthly Debts, Heavenly Debts,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2004, 43).

Ye Are Indebted unto Him

~ Richard Rowley

King Benjamin teaches of our reliance on God for everything we have.

“…In the first place he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him. And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast? And now I ask, can ye say aught of yourselves: I answer you, Nay. Ye cannot say that ye are even as much as the dust of the earth; yet ye were created of the dust of the earth; but behold, it belongeth to him who created you.” (Mosiah 2:23-25)

Questions:

-How does God see our indebtedness to Him? As a perfect Being with perfect love for His children, would he ever use the indebtedness for anything other than a means for good?

-Is it possible to allow God to lift you to your full potential if you don’t recognize your indebtedness to Him?

O How You Ought to Thank Your Heavenly King!

~ Richard Rowley

King Benjamin seeks to wake those who take God’s blessings for granted. The prophet-king testifies that everything good we have comes from God.

“…O how you ought to thank your heavenly King! I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you; and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace one with another—I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.” (Mosiah 2:19-21)

Questions:

-Do you consider yourself a creation of God? Or, do you believe you are a creation of chance?

-Does the Spirit testify to your heart that God is sustaining you from moment to moment?

Let Your Hearts Rejoice

~ Richard Rowley

Jacob provides keys to true joy.

“…Remember the words of your God; pray unto him continually by day and give thanks unto his holy name by night. Let your hearts rejoice.” (2 Nephi 9:52)

-Can prayer establish a connection with God and, thereby, help a person live in the joy and peace of His Spirit?

-Does the joy and peace that comes from the Spirit testify of God’s power to lift and save one’s soul?

-Does having that testimony from the Spirit help one to exercise faith in Jesus Christ day by day?

-In light of the above questions, how are prayer and gratitude related to both joy in this life and salvation in the eternities?

-What is keeping your heart from rejoicing?

-Is it freeing to know that according to God’s word we should let our hearts rejoice in the beautiful hope and truth of which the Spirit testifies?