These unanswered questions can have a way of burning our soul, weighing us down to be less productive during the day. Indeed, they can occupy our mind, taking away our focus from given tasks.
These unanswered questions can even tempt some of us to leave behind whatever answers we have already discovered in life, such as by leaving the church, stopping praying, ceasing to read the scriptures, and so forth.
These questions can truly test us in our character. Impatience can settle in our hearts. Our relationships can be ruined as we reject the help others so willingly want to give. Even our relationship with God can become distant.
What a beautiful thing it is, that God trusts us in coming to earth to be tested. This test involves seeing our reaction to situations, where we are not given the full equation, the complete knowledge, the big picture.
The part of our character that can grow if we choose, in these moments, is our trust in Heavenly Father and His plan, His ways, and His timing.
I see Heavenly Father watching over me. At times, He sees my silly reactions, and says, "Aaron, it's right there in front of you. Just pick it up."
This mortal experience is real. Our challenges, however real they may be, are temporary. Knowledge of God's plan, seeing things as He sees (also known as an eternal perspective) can help us smile in the midst of the most difficult circumstances, and feel peace as we enquire upon the deepest questions of our souls.
I do not share specific steps in order to find answers - I have had enough experiences with finding answers to questions, that I know He gives His answers in the most strangest of ways sometimes.
Instead I provide some ways I have found answers - what I have done, and how God has communicated to me.
- Prayer is indispensable. I laugh in reflection of times when the answer has been whispered in my ear before I have started asking the question.
- Scriptures are irreplaceable. Its rebuke is sweet. I have come to love correction. Its redirection is needed in our world of many voices.
- Church is a wonderful place where we sometimes find out that other people are struggling with the same thing!
- Temples are grand. I get goosebumps as I reflect on the multiple times I have bumped into someone who has given me answers to prayers. Also, I have been calm and reverent enough in my mind, my heart and my composure in the temple, so the Lord has been able to whisper to me with His still small Voice.
- I am embarrassed when I have spent months on a question, then find the specific question as a title of an article in the Ensign.
- A listening ear. This is obvious, but not when we are in the moment of asking. Sometimes I don't notice that someone who has been speaking (sometimes, not directly to me) had answered my question. I later reflect on life as I'm driving or studying, then realize, "hey, that person answered my question!"
Overall, I have learned that all these methods are important. One that seems to always be necessary is diligence. Never give up. I met a woman on my mission who said that for about 30 years of her life, she was searching for God, but never found her. I am close to tears as I reflect on the emotion in her voice as she relayed to me her story.
I have learned that the solutions of the gospel are always simple - no matter how complicated the question or involved the problem is. Even these methods I have shared above are simple!
If only I could adequately express the sweetness of the experience of discovering God's light after searching for so long! I echo Alma - not in magnitude - when he says,
"Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy."
God has promised he will answer. There are always answers. He has answers to everything.
I testify of how sweet our Savior is. As redeemer, He is romantic in His timing. As friend, He is worth following. He is eternal and enduring.
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