Line upon line

Life presents so many opportunities and choices, do you choose chicken or beef? Do I turn right or left? Do I watch Netflix or Amazon? Some of these decisions may appear trivial but with hindsight we can see what an impact they can have on us. How do we know if we are making the right decisions? I believe one of the rights the Lord has granted us is the ability to choose our own path. We take the advice of others, combined with our own experiences and “gut” feelings to go through life.

I have a good friend that has been struggling to find their path. Their professional, personal and even their spiritual life has been in turmoil since their spouse turned their life upside down. Somedays can be admittedly harder than others as they struggle with their family, to make sense of the path. Sometimes the decision of tacos or chicken nuggets feels like too much. I have had the opportunity to spend some time chatting with my friend and I wish I knew the right words to say to soothe their wounded heart and soul. They are not where they thought they would be at this time in their life. Have you ever felt like that? The path you walk is not the one you anticipated?

I am reminded of an old country song by Garth Brooks, Unanswered Prayers. In the song, the individual wanted something so bad that they prayed earnestly for it but in the end they never got it. At the time, it felt and seemed like the right thing to do or to want, but in the end, things worked out way better than they imagined.

I have a wonderful sister who’s life started one way and before she knew it, she found herself homeless, she wasn’t even sure how she got there but she felt very alone. My wife and I offered her a chance to live with us and our two young children but she had to drive to Iowa where we lived. She arrived a few days later and she realized that a third of her stuff in the back of her pickup truck had flown out and was scattered along the highway for hundreds of miles. She felt even lower than when she started her trip. She stayed in our third bedroom of our micro-apartment and got to know our children.

To this day, she is still their “Aunt Mo” and to them, she is still the best. For my sister, it turned into a time of reflection, a time of growth as she and my wife spent hours upon hours talking about the past and the future. They had so many laughs and in the process my sister began to gain both her physical and emotional feet and even found the start of her spiritual footing. It didn’t happen in one day or one week but bit by bit. It was a process.

In KJV Isaiah 28:13 “But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept; line upon line; here a little, and there a little.” My sister, learned bit by bit, line upon line about herself. She did not find her faith immediately. She learned about her likes and dislikes, traits she wanted and did not want in a partner and what her heart wanted and not what everyone expected. It took time but she went to work, eventually went back to school, she became a school teacher, and found a wonderful man. She continues to have ups and downs but she has roots of faith solid memories from her time with us in Iowa.

Sometimes I wish I could have all the understanding and knowledge of my future and see my path more clearly. As with my friend with their upended life, I cannot provide the exact words to resolve all their fears and concerns, but I do know this: We are loved, we are not forgotten in the eyes of the Lord. We may not see the path clearly or glimpse the finish line, but the Lord is with us. We can learn line upon line and precept upon precept. He will guide us if we exercise patience and the faith of a mustard seed. Much like Job, our reward and blessings will greatly exceed our expectations, but we need to endure in faith, and I know we can.

John Boston is a local physician, believer in Christ and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.