How Do We Have Faith to Accept Any Outcome—Even the Ones We Don’t Want?
Out of all the difficulties I’ve faced in my life, my father’s death tested my faith the most.
When I returned home from serving a mission, my father was diagnosed with cancer. At the time, I was extremely busy. I was the Young Women president in my ward, I worked long hours, and I took evening classes at my university. So when I heard the news about my father, I was upset and also overwhelmed.
I prayed to Heavenly Father and told Him my feelings. I didn’t understand why this was happening. I said something like, “I’ve been serving for 18 months, and I’m coming home to enjoy time with my family. And now part of my family is being taken away from me?’”
I was upset with the whole situation, but I realized I would need Heavenly Father’s help, so I started to pray for a miracle that my father could be healed.
Accepting the Lord’s Will
I consistently prayed for my father’s healing, but his health was not improving. I kept praying for this miracle, growing more and more frustrated, until I read an address given by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He spoke about a young couple struggling with a cancer diagnosis.
The young husband explained to Elder Bednar how his prayers had changed over time: “As we prayed, petitions changed from ‘Please make me whole’ to ‘Please give me the faith to accept whatever outcome Thou hast planned for me.’”
After reading that, I felt like the Spirit was telling me that I needed to be willing to accept God’s will. I needed to have faith that no matter what happened, everything would be OK.
So, I changed how I prayed.
Instead of demanding that my father be healed, I prayed for the Lord’s will to be done. And I told Heavenly Father I would try to have the faith to accept anything.
Over time, my dad’s condition grew worse. And I found myself asking Heavenly Father that if it was His will for my father to die, then He would help my father do so peacefully. And my father did pass away peacefully.
From that moment on, I felt my faith in Heavenly Father strengthen. I had accepted His will, no matter the outcome. But I still felt a great loss without my dad in my life.
Feeling Peace in the Temple
Filled with grief, my prayers were different. When I prayed, I made it short, quick, and to the point.
I had trusted the Lord’s will and accepted what had happened, but I didn’t want to talk about the devastation I was feeling. I was conflicted because I had accepted the Lord’s will, but I was still grieving.
During this time, I also didn’t want to visit the temple. But eventually, I made an appointment, went, and felt so much peace. It felt like my dad was there with me as I completed the sacred ordinances. I spoke to Heavenly Father in prayer about my father’s death for the first time, and I felt closer to Him than I ever had before.
Going back to the temple helped me process the loss of my father, and it made me feel like I could talk about his life again too.
Trust the Lord, No Matter What
Even though my father’s passing has been hard, I still have so much faith in Jesus Christ. I still believe in miracles. This challenge has taught me that Heavenly Father will give us miracles that are aligned with His will. And to align our desires with Him, we need to follow President Russell M. Nelson’s counsel to “think celestial.”
Since God’s plan may be different from the plan we imagine for ourselves, allowing Him to lead our lives will always lead us to joy, regardless of what happens. Thinking celestial will also help us make positive decisions that will impact us eternally.
If you are keeping your covenants and trusting Heavenly Father, be patient and hopeful that peace will soon come.
Because it will.