5 And it was by night; and I caused that they should hide themselves without the walls. And after they had hid themselves, I, Nephi, crept into the city and went forth towards the house of Laban.
6 And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do.
(1 Nephi 4:5-6)
Courage is the ability to override fear in the face of genuine danger. Nephi’s brothers were acutely aware of the danger they faced and wanted to abandon their mission. But Nephi knew that the Lord would provide a way for them to accomplish it. He encouraged them enough that they were willing to accompany him to the walls of the city, but no further. The remainder of the mission he would have to fulfill alone.
I love the simplicity of verse 6: “And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do.” The matter-of-factness of this verse hardly conveys the intensity of the experience. Twice now, Laban had threatened their lives because they asked for the plates, and the second time they had barely escaped. Now he was returning a third time with exactly the same request. How could this possibly end well?
But he was successful. The Spirit led him, one step at a time, through a series of actions which resulted in the acquisition of the plates. Nephi’s faith and courage enabled him to follow those instructions and achieve the goal.
Today, I will follow Nephi’s example of courage and faith. I will follow the Spirit, even if I don’t understand how things will work out. I will be willing to accept the guidance of the Lord, line upon line, and override my fears and anxieties in order to obey His promptings.
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