Choosing to Look to God in Our Trials

1 Nephi 18:16 - "Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions."

Elder Neil L. Andersen - "Look forward. Your troubles and sorrows are very real, but they will not last forever. Your dark night will pass, because “the Son … [did rise] with healing in his wings.”

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Transcript

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Welcome to Speak This Jesus, a daily podcast dedicated to drawing closer to the Savior through the powerful truths found in the Book of Mormon. Each episode, we focus on one verse that helps us walk more faithfully in his footsteps. When Nephi was suffering physically, emotionally, and spiritually aboard the ship, he had every reason by moral standards to complain. He had been tied up for days. He had no ability to help his family. The storm raged. Yet when the ordeal ended, Nephi's first recorded words are stunning. Instead of anger he wrote of gratitude. Instead of frustration he chose praise. Today's verse is one of the clearest windows into Nephi's heart and discipleship. Nephi eighteen sixteen reads Nevertheless I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day long, and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions. Nephi's example in this moment is remarkable. He had just endured deep affliction, pain, helplessness, and injustice at the hands of his own brothers. Yet his first instinct was to look unto God. He didn't let bitterness take root, he didn't let his circumstances dictate his spiritual posture. Instead he chose praise. This is more than positive thinking. It reflects some spiritual maturity. Nephi had learned something essential. Our circumstances cannot prevent us from turning to God, but our choices can. Nephi understood that affliction is not evidence of God's absence. It is an invitation to seek Him more intentionally. We can choose to look to God and remain faithful during our trials. Nephi shows that faithfulness is a choice made one moment at a time. He didn't wait for conditions to improve before praising God, he praised all the day long, even while his afflictions were still fresh. Like Nephi, we can choose where we turn in difficulty. We cannot always choose our trials, but we can choose our direction. Looking to God does not remove affliction, but it keeps affliction from removing God from our hearts. To respond like Nephi, we must remember who we truly are, sons and daughters of a perfectly loving Father. Forgetting this leads to murmuring, fear and spiritual distance. Remembering it leads to trust. When we forget we are his children, we interpret trials as abandonment. But when we remember who he is and who we are, we interpret trials differently, as experiences we do not face alone. Nephi was able to praise God because he trusted God's identity more than his circumstances. His afflictions were real, but so was God's love. The love of God did not make the storm disappear immediately, but it anchored Nephi's heart so the storm could not overwhelm his faith. Remembering our identity doesn't remove the pain of difficult days, but it reshapes our interpretation of them. We look at the storm through the lens of divine relationship instead of looking at God through the lens of the storm. Even though we have trials, he is there for us. It is our responsibility not to push him away during those difficult times. Trials often bring two compet competing pools. One pool is toward God, seeking his strength, comfort, and assurance. The other pool is away from God, toward frustration, discouragement, and withdrawal. Nephi felt these same pools, yet he chose to draw near rather than pull back. Elder Neil L. Anderson's words reinforce this hope-filled perspective.

SPEAKER_01 4:36

Look forward. Your troubles and sorrows are very real, but they will not last forever. Your dark night will pass, because the sun did rise with healing in his wings.

SPEAKER_00 4:52

Nevi's willingness to turn toward God allowed him to feel that healing. The Lord did not instantly remove all challenges from Lephi's life, but he strengthened him to face them with faith rather than fear. When trials arrive, our responsibility is to keep our spiritual posture pointed toward God, even when it is hard, even when we feel tired, and even when we don't understand the full purpose of our afflictions yet. Choosing to stay close allows the Lord to do his healing work. So what does Nephi teach us to do in our own afflictions? First, we intentionally look unto God. This means we do not rely solely on our own strength, strategies, or abilities. We acknowledge our dependence on him and invite him into our struggle. Second, we praise him all the day long. This may look like gratitude, prayer, scripture study, or simply acknowledging his goodness even when life is hard. Praise softens our hearts and keeps murmuring from taking root. Third, we avoid pushing God away. Trials can make us want to withdraw, but Nephi demonstrates the opposite. Drawing closer during difficulty is the path to peace. Fourth, we look forward. Just as Elder Anderson teaches, the darkness of today is temporary. Christ's healing wings are real. Hope is not naive. It is anchored in the resurrection and the reality of a living Savior. Think about your own life today. Are there burdens that feel heavy? Are there afflictions that feel prolonged? Nephi's example is not meant to shame us, it is meant to guide us. We can choose, even in weakness, to take one small, faithful step towards God, and as we do, the Lord strengthens our capacity to praise and endure. So here is today's challenge. Identify one current trial, worry, or affliction in your life. Today, intentionally look unto God in that situation. This could be through prayer, gratitude, scripture study, or quiet reflection. Then choose one simple way to praise Him, expressing trust that your dark night will pass and that healing will come through Jesus Christ. Thank you for listening to Seek This Jesus. I hope this message helps you draw a little closer to the Savior Jesus Christ. Please don't let this podcast be your only scripture time today. I encourage you to open your scriptures because when you study God's Word personally, the Spirit will teach you things no podcast ever could. I invite you to come back tomorrow for another verse and message to help you keep focused on Jesus Christ. Until next time, keep seeking this Jesus.