When You Are Discouraged

Life has its ups and downs. Sometimes when we’re down, we wonder what God is doing—why is a loving Father allowing this to happen? This quandary can bottom out with us asking, “Does God even really care about me personally?”

In situations like this, I’ve found these scriptures to be helpful:

• Psalm 8:4–5: “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? … For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.”

• John 10:14: During His life here upon the earth, Jesus described Himself as “the good shepherd” and added, “[I] know my sheep.”

• Moses 1:39: This is one of my favorite verses, where the Lord revealed His purpose to the Prophet Joseph Smith: “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man”—thus highlighting His interest in us as individuals.

• Luke 7:11–16: Not only does this account teach us of the Savior’s power over death—a timely reminder at this Easter season—but for me it represents the best example of His acute awareness of us individually. Of all of Jesus’s miracles, few are as tender and compassionate as His ministering to the widow of Nain. As I share in my article (see page 12), this account demonstrates the Savior’s interest in and love for each of us.

Keith Wilson

Associate professor, Brigham Young University