Be of Good Cheer

Over the next few months, our family is going to have to make a pretty big decision. A decision that only the Lord knows the answer to. As we've begun to pray and ponder over it, I've been concerned with all the little details that it may involve. However, I've always felt that Heavenly Father will help us, as long as we do what He wants us to do. . . . Still, big changes can be overwhelming.

But today, I was reading in 1 Nephi again. I'm in chapter 7, when they go to Ishmael and ask them to come with them into the wilderness. Verse 5 begins, "And it came to pass that the Lord did soften the heart of Ishmael..." As I've been pondering our decision, I've begun to realize that the Lord has also softened my heart concerning it.

The footnote in this verse leads to TG Guidance, Divine. (I've really learned to love the Topical Guide lately!) Today I came across several scriptures that were of help. (See Prov. 3:6; Amos 3:7; James 1:5; 1 Ne. 4:6; Hel. 10:3; Moro. 10:4; D&C 6:14; D&C 8:2-3; D&C 112:10.)

These are all excellent scriptures, but the one that struck me the most was D&C 78:18: "...be of good cheer, for I will lead you along." I realized that no matter what life brings, if we are "of good cheer" we don't need to worry about all the decisions we must make. Heavenly Father will lead us! So even though I have a big decision ahead of me, I know that as I willingly follow God, He will lead me. If I follow Him begrudgingly, it won't be the same! I must be happy with how He leads my life, because after all, He knows best!!