Praise-No whining 1 Nephi 18:16

1 Nephi 18:16

Praise and no whining

What

16 Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did apraise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions.

[Even though he was bound and his wrists and ankles were swollen and there was a tempest going on he never lost faith.]

Why

Nephi praised God because he could see the bigger picture and he could see the hand of the Lord in all things. He trusted God and knew that His purposes would be fulfilled.

Pattern

Job Chapter 5

Eliphaz counsels Job: Man is born unto trouble, seek unto God, and happy is the man whom God corrects.

 7 Yet man is born unto atrouble, as the sparks fly upward.

 17 Behold, ahappy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the bchastening of the Almighty:

 18 For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: heawoundeth, and his hands make whole.

Chapter 13

Job testifies of his confidence in the Lord and says, Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him, and He also will be my salvation.

Chapter 19

 25 For I a know that my b redeemer liveth, and that ch eshall d stand at the latter day upon the earth:

 26 And though after my skin worms destroy thisa body, yet in my bf lesh shall I csee God:

Christ

Even with all of Jesus' trials and being nailed on a cross,He understood and forgave.

Luke 23:34

34 ¶Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Conference

1992- President Monson

An Attitude of Gratitude

Like the leprosy of yesteryear are the plagues of today. They linger; they debilitate; they destroy. They are to be found everywhere. Their pervasiveness knows no boundaries. We know them as selfishness, greed, indulgence, cruelty, and crime, to identify but a few. Surfeited with their poison, we tend to criticize, to complain, to blame, and, slowly but surely, to abandon the positives and adopt the negatives of life.

A popular refrain from the 1940s captured the thought:

Accentuate the positive;

Eliminate the negative.

Latch on to the affirmative;

Don’t mess with Mr. In-between.1

Good advice then. Good advice now.

This is a wonderful time to be living here on earth. Our opportunities are limitless. While there are some things wrong in the world today, there are many things right, such as teachers who teach, ministers who minister, marriages that make it, parents who sacrifice, and friends who help.

We can lift ourselves, and others as well, when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues.

A favorite hymn always lifts our spirits, kindles our faith, and inspires our thoughts:

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings; name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done. …

So amid the conflict, whether great or small,

Do not be discouraged; God is over all.

Count your many blessings; angels will attend,

Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Well could we reflect upon our lives as individuals. We will soon discover much to prompt our personal gratitude.

Apply

It would be extremely difficult to see the good when you are bound to a post by your oppressors and a storm looms above to destroy everyone in your realm. Nephi set the example as he said that he did not murmur.

Jesus did not murmur even on the cross in great pain.

How can we keep a positive attitude and praise God when we are going through overwhelming trials?

There is something about gratitude and positive thinking that brings power to us in hard times. They give us courage and faith. Always express gratitude to God and to others for the good they do. Think about the positive things you can say and do for others. In doing those things we will feel peace and joy.

The gardener has planted and weeded and watered and fed and hoed. He or she has worked and sweat and then they pick and prepare more and finally enjoy the fruits of their labors.

When we plant a seed, we always have a vision in mind of what it may become. We realize that that tiny little seed can become a carrot or a head of cabbage. It is the final reward that we are seeking but as we work we grow. Our muscles grow or ache depending on the circumstances. We breath fresh air and get the exercise we need. In the end, we enjoy the goodness of the food we produce.

Life is like canning fruits and vegetables from our gardens to store for the winter. It is a lot of hard work money to be spent up front but when we are aching and exhausted we can look at the results of our labors and know that we can make it though the “winter” or the sparse times. The future is brighter because we have prepared.

If we hold to the rod and keep our eye on the tree then we can partake of the delicious, sweet celestial fruit and find eternal happiness. It is that positive attitude and gratitude that will see us there.

Hymns

241-Count Your Blessings

D& C 78:

 17 Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye are alittle children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you;

 18 And ye cannot abear all things now; nevertheless, be of good bcheer, for I will clead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the drichesof eeternity are yours.

 19 And he who receiveth all things with athankfulnessshall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an bhundred fold, yea, more.

242-Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow

Children

10-Thank thee For Everything