Over a year ago I was making some exciting, yet scary decisions in my life. A visiting teacher of mine referred me to this talk: "Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence" by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. As I was going through some things these past couple of days getting ready to move, I came across a note that referenced me to this talk. I pulled it up tonight on lds.org and read it again. I decided that this talk is a lot like a patriartical blessing. It has so many insights and can be understood different ways depending on what stage of life we are in. It talks about making decisions in life based on the answers that we get from our Heavenly Father and not letting worldly fears or doubts change the answer that we know is right.
Elder Holland says, "It is the plain and very sobering truth that before great moments, certainly before great spiritual moments, there can come adversity, opposition, and darkness." There are many examples of this throughout history and in our own lives. But President Hinckley reminds us that, "...we cannot sign on for a battle of such eternal significance and everlasting consequence without knowing it will be a fight—a good fight and a winning fight, but a fight nevertheless." "[We must] beware the temptation to retreat from a good thing. If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted it and lived for it, it is right now. Don’t give up when the pressure mounts. Certainly don’t give in to that being who is bent on the destruction of your happiness. Face your doubts. Master your fears. 'Cast not away therefore your confidence.' Stay the course and see the beauty of life unfold for you" (Elder Holland).
It is so important to have confidence in the Lord and in ourselves. With this added confidence, we have the power to do what is right with the help of our Savior. He will be there and will make the way possible if we heed His counsel and follow His commandments. I know this to be true. I have tested it and now know for myself that it is true. If we keep an eternal perspective and realize what REALLY is important in life, we will look back on life and not wish that we would have spent more time with the essential things. Exodus 14:13-14 says, "“Fear ye not.” And when the second and third and fourth blows come, “fear ye not. … The Lord shall fight for you." "Cast not away therefore your confidence.”
Elder Holland says, "It is the plain and very sobering truth that before great moments, certainly before great spiritual moments, there can come adversity, opposition, and darkness." There are many examples of this throughout history and in our own lives. But President Hinckley reminds us that, "...we cannot sign on for a battle of such eternal significance and everlasting consequence without knowing it will be a fight—a good fight and a winning fight, but a fight nevertheless." "[We must] beware the temptation to retreat from a good thing. If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted it and lived for it, it is right now. Don’t give up when the pressure mounts. Certainly don’t give in to that being who is bent on the destruction of your happiness. Face your doubts. Master your fears. 'Cast not away therefore your confidence.' Stay the course and see the beauty of life unfold for you" (Elder Holland).
It is so important to have confidence in the Lord and in ourselves. With this added confidence, we have the power to do what is right with the help of our Savior. He will be there and will make the way possible if we heed His counsel and follow His commandments. I know this to be true. I have tested it and now know for myself that it is true. If we keep an eternal perspective and realize what REALLY is important in life, we will look back on life and not wish that we would have spent more time with the essential things. Exodus 14:13-14 says, "“Fear ye not.” And when the second and third and fourth blows come, “fear ye not. … The Lord shall fight for you." "Cast not away therefore your confidence.”
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