48 And it came to pass that when the men of Moroni saw the fierceness and the anger of the Lamanites, they were about to shrink and flee from them. And Moroni, perceiving their intent, sent forth and inspired their hearts with these thoughts—yea, the thoughts of their lands, their liberty, yea, their freedom from bondage.
49 And it came to pass that they turned upon the Lamanites, and they cried with one voice unto the Lord their God, for their liberty and their freedom from bondage.
50 And they began to stand against the Lamanites with power; and in that selfsame hour that they cried unto the Lord for their freedom, the Lamanites began to flee before them; and they fled even to the waters of Sidon.
(Alma 43:48-50)
When we know that we’re doing the right things for the right reasons, we can call upon God with confidence that He will give us His power. On the other hand, when our hearts aren’t right, when our motives are impure, we will likely have to rely on our own strength to face our challenges.
In the battle described in the passage above, both sides had certain advantages:
|
The Lamanites |
The Nephites |
| Outnumbered the Nephites by a ratio of more than 2:1 (Alma 43:51). | Better prepared than the Lamanites. They had armor, while the Lamanites were dressed only in loincloths (Alma 43:19-20). |
| Had strong-willed leaders who were skilled at arousing anger towards their enemies (Alma 43:6-8). | Had noble reasons to fight: to defend their families, their religious freedom, and the refugees they had promised to protect (Alma 43:9-11). |
The Lamanite leaders were able to stir up anger in their soldiers, which made them intimidating. But Moroni was able to fortify his men and bolster their confidence in God by reminding them of what they were fighting for. When they focused on why they were fighting they were able to pray with faith for God to strengthen them. According to Mormon, that prayer was the turning point in the battle, which ultimately led to their victory.
Today, when I become discouraged or anxious, I will ensure that my motives are aligned with God’s will. Then I will pray for His help with confidence that He will help me accomplish my righteous goals.