During the final week of the Savior’s life, He cursed a fig tree in the city of Bethany. The following day, His disciples noted that the fig tree had dried up and withered overnight. Jesus used this object lesson to teach them an important principle:
If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Matthew 21:21-22; see also Mark 11:20-24
On another occasion, Jesus counseled His disciples not to be “of doubtful mind” (Luke 12:29).
Near the end of the Book of Mormon, Moroni repeats the Savior’s promise: “Whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth” (Mormon 9:21; see also Mormon 9:25).
Moroni then urges us: “O then despise not, and wonder not. … Doubt not, but be believing” (Mormon 9:27).
It’s safe to say that we all have questions. That’s a feature of being human, with imperfect knowledge. Approaching questions with an open mind and with humility enables us to evaluate the available evidence objectively. Approaching them with faith in God—trusting that the answers will be consistent with the principles we have already learned from Him—is a source of power. Approaching them with doubt—with an expectation of receiving a negative answer or no answer at all—can close our minds, causing us to miss the experiences and evidence which would otherwise have confirmed our faith.
In April 1829, the Lord encouraged Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to exercise faith in Him as they labored over the translation of the Book of Mormon. “Look unto me in every thought,” He said; “doubt not, fear not” (Doctrine and Covenants 6:36). Later that month, when Oliver expressed a desire to translate, the Lord encouraged him to recognize the gift he had already received: to be an effective scribe. “Doubt not,” the Lord said, “for it is the gift of God; and you shall hold it in your hands, and do marvelous works” (Doctrine and Covenants 8:8).
The Lord gave Oliver the opportunity to attempt to translate, but Oliver soon abandoned that effort and resumed his role as scribe. One reason for Oliver’s failure was a lack of understanding about the role of agency and effort in receiving personal revelation. (See Doctrine and Covenants 9:7-9.) But the Lord identified another reason: insufficient faith.
It is because that you did not continue as you commenced, when you began to translate, that I have taken away this privilege from you. …
You could have translated … but you feared, and the time is past.
Doctrine and Covenants 9:5, 10-11
Fear can be caused by external stimuli, but we can choose whether to amplify or manage those feelings. Obsessing over them can make them grow. But we can be like the people of Alma, who “hushed their fears” (Mosiah 23:28) and prayed to God for deliverance. Similarly, doubts may arise naturally when we see or hear things that we don’t understand. Obsessing over those doubts may inhibit us from taking the very actions which will enable us to resolve them. No wonder President Russell M. Nelson counseled us, “Stop increasing your doubts by rehearsing them with other doubters. Allow the Lord to lead you on your journey of spiritual discovery” (“Christ Is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains,” General Conference, April 2021).
Today, I will “doubt not.” I will face questions and challenges with faith in God and with an expectation of positive outcomes as I continue moving forward.
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