I’ve been thinking today of three passages, all in the Second Book of Nephi, which promise that the Lord will make things beneficial to us:
- “Thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain” (2 Nephi 2:2, italics added).
- “Ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul (2 Nephi 32:9, italics added).
- “I know that the Lord God will consecrate my prayers for the gain of my people” (2 Nephi 32:4, italics added).
We usually talk about consecration as something we do as we willingly give our time, talents, and other resources to God. But in these passages, consecration is something God does, not us.
This reminds me of following words from Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address:
In a larger sense we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.
Gettysburg address delivered at Gettysburg Pa. Nov. 19th, 1863
My thought today is a variation on Lincoln’s words: I should strive to consecrate everything I have and everything I am to God. But in a larger sense, I cannot consecrate anything. I can only give things to Him, so that He can make them holy:
- He can turn the afflictions I endure into experiences of growth and development.
- He turn my performances into contributions of deep and lasting value.
- He turn my prayers into the unique and personalized blessings my loved ones actually need.
Today, I will remember that God can breathe life into my humble offerings. I will trust Him to consecrate my efforts and make them more impactful than anything I could have done on my own.
Thank you!