Seek Not to Counsel the Lord

First of all--hello, it's been a while, and it will probably be a while again after this post...we'll see.

I have had some thoughts running through my mind that I thought I should share, so here they are:

I have always sought guidance from others. When I make a decision, I want it to be well thought out and with many different opinions so I can choose “the best” thing for me.

 Since I was young I was taught to seek eternal guidance through prayer and although I could not always understand the answers I received I knew my Heavenly Father was guiding me to do what was right.

I am blessed to come from a family where I was taught in my youth to “counsel with the Lord.” My grandpa’s favorite scripture happened to be Alma 37:37,

“Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.”

I have trusted in these promises and have always tried to seek His counsel in both small and big decisions.

I always received clear answers.

Always, that was, until after my mission.

The August after coming back from the Villahermosa Mexico Mission my siblings and I were receiving “back to school” Father’s blessings. I had been fretting about going back to school and deciding what to major in. I wanted a bit more clarity. 

As I listened to the blessings my siblings received, I was excited to hear what the Lord wanted to tell me. When it was finally my turn, my father placed his hands upon my head and simply said, “The Lord has been preparing you for this time in your life. He trusts you. You know what to do.”

I didn’t know what emotion to feel. Happy that the Lord trusted me? Yes. Sad because I wanted more guidance? Definitely. Mainly, I was just confused.

I can honestly say I have been confused ever since. 

I have wanted Him to tell me where I am needed and what I am supposed to be doing. I've wanted His counsel.

It wasn’t until last week that the Lord taught me an important principle. While (again) fretting over life decisions (I do it a lot, making choices is hard.) I turned to Jacob 4 and began reading, in verse ten I received a different kind of answer:

“Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works.”

“Seek not to counsel the Lord.” It was in that moment that it hit me that I had been trying to counsel the Lord during these past three years. I had wanted Him to tell me what I wanted to hear, a clear answer. Instead of accepting the counsel that He was so willingly offering me.

That evening, I received a priesthood blessing from my dad. Although the words spoken did not tell me where to move to after graduation or which job to accept—the words spoken were beautiful and from my Heavenly Father. They told me again that the Lord trusted me, but that He would be guiding me.

I can’t say that I am certain of where I am going come May, I have no idea. But I know with a surety that whatever the plan is He has for me, is perfect for me. And that as I come to trust the decisions I make, as He trusts me to make them, things will fall into place.