All Good Things Come from God

Last year I was spending my days in the warm sunshine and sandy beaches of the little island of Cyprus. I had already been a Christian missionary for almost a year, visiting the homes of refugees and doing what little I could to give them hope of a better future. Most of them had been uprooted and were afraid and uncertain what the future would look like. As I met with these individuals, I also began to question: what was in store for my own future?

Suddenly, worries and questions quickly surfaced at the forefront of my mind: what was I supposed to do with my life? What schooling or career should I pursue when I returned home? How and where should I spend my time each day? What was God's plan for me? I sat wrestling with these questions for months, feeling indecisive and uncertain. I felt especially stressed when it came to choosing a career path, and I just couldn't tell which one God wanted me to pursue.

I knew the Lord could guide me to find the answers, but I wasn’t sure how to recognize those answers. How could I know when God was trying to speak to me? How could I know if it was God speaking, or if it was just my own thoughts and ideas? In the midst of my pondering, I attended a few devotionals with church leaders.

I learned two important truths that completely changed my perspective: 1. All good things come from God, and 2. Never suppress a good thought. If God is over all good things, then what does “good” really mean? The apostle Peter taught that Christ “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38), and we know that the Savior always did the will of his Father. Good things will always lead us to be more like Christ and to keep His commandments. We know that the two greatest commandments are to love God and to love others, so if something leads us to love God and serve his children, is that not a good thing? Is it not what God would want us to be doing? Elder David Bednar, an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, counseled that if we simply act on good promptings, not stressing about whether it's God speaking or if it's just our own thoughts, Christ will quietly guide us to where we need to be. With these thoughts forefront in my mind, I decided to put this theory to the test.

Whenever I would get a “good” thought or prompting, I’d try my best to act on it. Sometimes it’s simply been a thought to reach out to someone I care about. Other times it's been a thought to get rid of a bad habit I’ve allowed to creep into my life. And much of the time, it’s been a prompting to study something in more detail, so I can learn for myself whether it's a path I actually want to pursue. Each time I’ve followed through, I have been able to see God’s hand behind it and better understand how he communicates with me. It’s led me closer to my Savior and given me a feeling of peace that I’m where He needs me to be.

I eventually found peace specifically in regards to my career path. I had researched in depth any good career idea I'd thought of for months. It was one ordinary Monday, when I went for an appointment with my doctor, that suddenly everything clicked. I felt so peaceful, so good, so right about pursuing a specific degree within the medical field. I had never even thought of this career before, but it just made sense. It was something I knew I would love doing and would allow me to bless so many people.

God had guided me without me even realizing it. I still have many decisions that I need guidance in making. I have a lot of questions yet to be answered, and I’m certain that questions will continue to arise for the duration of my lifetime. But now I have more clarity in how to recognize guidance from my Father. I feel confident that God will guide me through these decisions, one step at a time, as I choose to act on good promptings.

I’m confident that as you choose to do good, He will likewise guide and direct you in all your decisions, both big and small. Without you even realizing it, you'll be exactly where He needs you to be.

Bio: Lindsay Musgrave was born and raised in Alaska. She attended university for two years in Hawaii, was a competitive swimmer, and has traveled to Guatemala, Taiwan, and Thailand. She recently volunteered as a missionary in Greece, Cyprus, and Albania for 18 months. She is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.