God
(noun.) the one Supreme Being, the creator and ruler of the universe. (www.dictionary.com)
...that's a little broad, isn't it?
What is "God?" This is a thought that puzzles, troubles, and at times irritates the human mind. As a species of the attitude "gotta see it to believe it," it is unsurprising that so many in the world today dispute or deny the existence of such a being. However, it is an inarguable fact that from the beginning of time mankind has been intrigued by the idea of one (or many) omnipotent being(s) which twist and turn the universe according to their whim and desire. For example, the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations justified every occurrence in the natural world as the act of the "gods." Then there have been those to believe that "god" is actually a "supreme spirit," intangible and merely emanating around us here in the earth. And still there are some who do not believe in any kind of deity, and turn to science for the answers as to how they came into existence.
The other night, I was driving with my companion down a street full of traffic. We were late to a lesson, and I had impatient thoughts running through my head. I almost opened my mouth to complain that the sun was too bright to see, when my eyes adjusted and I saw one of the most spectacular sunsets I have ever seen. The colors were bright and had that classic Arizona-orange-tint, and I'll admit I had a longing to park on the side of the road, forget about the lesson, and just watch the sun go down and display it's beautiful colors. It was so beautiful! It made me want to paint! (I don't paint.) In this moment I felt, softly but surely, that God exists.
In The Book of Mormon, the prophet, Alma, says:
My experience the other night was not the first (nor I'm sure the last) time I have felt that God exists just by looking at nature. I've looked up at the stars late at night and felt deep impressions that someone put them there, and that someone was looking back down at me. I've walked on sandy beaches and seen the beautiful blue waves crashing out in the distance and felt the desire to know Him better.
I have come to know that GOD is our HEAVENLY FATHER. He is not just some spirit that moves around us. He is actively engaged in our lives. I've felt it as I've knelt down to pray. When I've needed comfort, it has always been there. To be clear, I do not believe in coincidences. I never have. It is not a coincidence that I have always received the strength necessary to move on in even the most difficult times when I have knelt to pray for it.
Like my father here on earth, He loves me unconditionally. He wants my happiness. He wants all of us to be happy here!
But HOW CAN WE DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM?
It's not a complicated answer. Think about your parents here on the earth. If you come home every day and go straight to your room to text your friends or sit on Facebook, and you only come out to eat or to leave the house, will you ever develop a relationship with your parents? Think about how your parents would feel--perhaps under-appreciated, but I'd imagine they'd feel more sadness than anything. They love you. They want to know your struggles. They want to hear from you. They want to help and guide you.
It is the same with our Father in Heaven. WE MUST MAKE AN EFFORT. First of all...BELIEVE. Believe He is there. This is harder for some people than for others, but if you really want to know if God exists, take a leap of faith and believe (or at least hope) that He is there and that He loves you and knows you. Read the scriptures. Talk to Him in prayer! Pray to Him sincerely, as if speaking with your earthly father, about the struggles you are facing. Thank Him for blessings such as family, employment, housing, opportunities, etc. (Parents like to be thanked.) Then trust Him. Live in a way that would make Him proud. Allow Him to guide you. I promise that you will know FOR YOURSELF if God exists if you do these things.
To each it is his or her own responsibility to determine if they believe that God exists. As for me, I bear my testimony that He exists. I've felt it so strongly. I know that He is my Father, He has a plan for me, and He loves me unconditionally. I may fall a thousand times, but He wants me to stand back up, learn from my mistakes, and keep pushing forward. I know He wants the same for each of you.
for more, visit www.mormon.org
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