“Faith in Darkness,” For the Strength of Youth, Dec. 2022.
Faith in Darkness
Here are a few suggestions that have helped me with questions and doubts.
Photograph from Getty Images
When I was a young boy, my family would often visit Great Basin National Park in Nevada, USA. One remarkable thing in the park is Lehman Caves.
A tour guide leads you deep into the cave and, at a certain point, turns out all the lights. You experience total darkness. It is a heavy feeling, and the thought of finding your way out of the cave without any light is overwhelming. Thankfully, the guide always turns the light back on and leads you out safely.
Sometimes we are faced with questions and even doubts about the Church and our testimonies. It can feel heavy and uncertain, like being in the dark cave.
It is OK to have questions and concerns. The thing that will make the biggest difference is how you approach them.
Here are a few suggestions that have helped me.
Exercise Faith
I have found that if I approach questions and concerns from a position of faith, I can always find a way forward. “Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things” (Alma 32:21). And “if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you” (Alma 32:27).
The world will tell you that if you can’t prove something by a scientific standard, it can’t be true. This is not the Lord’s way. As the Savior told Thomas, who would not believe unless he had felt the resurrected Savior’s wounds for himself, “Be not faithless, but believing” (John 20:27).
Ask, Seek, Knock
The phrase “ask, seek, knock” is repeated in the scriptures (see Matthew 7:7; Doctrine and Covenants 88:63). The Lord’s way of helping us with our questions is for us to ask Him questions.
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God” (James 1:5). Go directly to the source of all truth. God loves you and will assist you.
Be a Truth Seeker
I have found that those who are honestly and humbly seeking truth will often find answers to their questions eventually. On the other hand, those who are just looking to find fault will only move further and further away from the truth.
Be a truth seeker. Truth does exist, and you can find it.
Make a “To Be Answered Later” Box
So what do you do if you have humbly and sincerely sought answers and they just don’t seem to come?
Again, I choose to approach it with faith. I have created a little box on a shelf in my mind—like a beautiful treasure chest. Written on it are the words “To Be Answered at a Later Date.”
Whenever I have a question or concern I cannot resolve, I write it on an imaginary piece of paper, fold it neatly, and put it in the box. Then I put it back on the shelf.
By doing so, I am acting in faith that one day the Lord will answer it. Maybe He will, maybe He won’t. That is up to Him in His infinite wisdom.
By the way, some of my questions have been answered. But many are still in the box. And I’m OK with that.
My dear friends in Christ, be truth seekers.
As your faith increases, the Lord will be with you. And as you approach Him in faith, He will reveal to you the things you need to know at the right time.