We all have many reasons to believe God. Faith consists in recognizing those evidences and remembering them so that we don’t abandon that confidence in troubling times.
Paul told church members in Ephesus to take “the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Ephesians 6:16). The Lord gave this same counsel to Joseph Smith in 1830. (See Doctrine and Covenants 27:17.)
Those “fiery darts” are flaming arrows. They were intended not only to harm but to demoralize the soldiers. A sturdy shield could give a soldier confidence to not only withstand the attack but to keep moving forward.
The Book of Mormon doesn’t use the metaphor of a shield for faith, but Nephi does tell us that if we “hold fast” to the word of God, “the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary” cannot “overpower [us] unto blindness” and “lead [us] away to destruction” (1 Nephi 15:24).
And Helaman tells his sons that if they build their foundation on Christ, then “when the devil shall send … his shafts in the whirlwind, … it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo” (Helaman 5:12).
As Nephi suggests, one possible meaning of the fiery darts is temptation. Another is hostile and language or actions, intended to slow you down and prevent you from doing good.
Elder Boyd K. Packer taught that parents have a unique role in helping their children develop strong faith:
This shield of faith is best fabricated in a cottage industry. While the shield can be polished in classes in the Church and in activities, it is meant to be handcrafted in the home and fitted to each individual.
“Do Not Fear,” General Conference, April 2004
Sister Joy D. Jones suggested that parents role-play challenging situations which their children might face. She said, “As they act it out and then talk it out, rather than being caught unprepared in a hostile peer group setting, children can be armed with ‘the shield of faith wherewith [they] shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked'” (“Essential Conversations,” General Conference, April 2021).
Today, I will take the shield of faith. I will move forward with confidence that God can help me overcome every obstacle. I will also help my children develop and hold fast to their shields of faith, so that they can quench every fiery dart which may threaten them.
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