I Want...

While reading the scriptures this morning, I came across a verse that I hadn't noticed much in the past. It is in the Book of Mormon and is talking about Christ's church that has been set up on the American continent by a prophet of God. It reads, "And this he said unto them, having been commanded of God; and they did walk uprightly before God, imparting to one another both temporally and spiritually according to their needs and their desires" (Mosiah 19:29).

I've had discussions with people who think that God only cares about our needs. That small things don't matter to Him, because they may be things that don't really help on our eternal progression. These might include where you live or if you make the volleyball team or where you work or how well you do at your job. But I'm of the impression that if it matters to us, it matters to our Father in Heaven. He may not give us all of our desires all the time, but I believe that He does care. And if we look back and really think about the blessings in our lives, were they all really just a necessity that we absolutely needed?.. David J. Ridges wrote study helps for all of the scriptures, and this is the quote he included with the above mentioned scripture.

"...the Lord is not interested in only our 'bare bones' needs. Rather, in the true gospel, and through the Spirit, much attention is given to individual wants, talents, abilities, etc. It is probable that many of the sweet blessings and 'tiny miracles' in your life have had to do with our wants and desires, not just your needs for survival. Thus, you have the knowledge that the Lord's interested in you as an individual, and that He knows you well, and enjoys blessing you in ways that are unique, intimate, warm, and special to you."

I've found through experience lately that God finds ways to help us with our needs and desires. For example, after deciding to get married in the Fall, I had to sell my housing contract and start looking for an apartment to live in when we get married. It was such a pain. I was stressing out looking online, calling and emailing people, and visiting different apartments for weeks. I was praying for help to find a place, but after not finding what we wanted I changed my prayers a bit. The Lord knew my desires, but I started asking Him to put us where He needs us and where we can serve Him best. Prayer is about aligning our will with God's, not telling Him what to do for us. This is often a hard thing, but I've found that as we do it we can better notice the Lord's hand in our lives and realize that our needs and desires are fulfilled simultaneously.