The Lord opens Doctrine and Covenants 124 by assuring Joseph Smith, “I am pleased with your offering,” and “your prayers are acceptable before me” (v. 1-2). How comforting that must have been to him under the circumstances! The city of Nauvoo had recently been incorporated, and many portions of the city which were formerly swamplands had been drained, but there was so much left to do. How grateful he must have been, near the beginning of the monumental project of establishing a new city, to know that his sacrifices to date were acceptable to God.
In the same revelation, God promised to accept the offering of Vinson Knight (v. 75), and He assured Sidney Rigdon that if he would give an “acceptable offering,” he would be healed (v. 104). He even explained that the acceptability of offerings is based on sincerity of effort, not on outcomes:
When I give a commandment to any of the sons of men to do a work unto my name, and those sons of men go with all their might and with all they have to perform that work, and cease not their diligence, and their enemies come upon them and hinder them from performing that work, behold, it behooveth me to require that work no more at the hands of those sons of men, but to accept of their offerings.
Doctrine and Covenants 124:49
Bishop Gérald Caussé has echoed this assurance:
When our earnest efforts fall short of our aspirations due to circumstances beyond our control, the Lord still accepts the desires of our hearts as a worthy offering. President Dallin H. Oaks taught, “We will be blessed for the righteous desires of our hearts even though some outside circumstance has made it impossible for us to carry those desires into action.” …
A friend once comforted a young missionary grieving over his early release due to health reasons, despite his sincere prayers and earnest desire to serve. This friend shared a scripture in which the Lord declared that when His children “go with all their might” and “cease not their diligence” to fulfill His commandments, “and their enemies [which may include adverse circumstances in our lives] hinder them from performing that work, behold, it behooveth me to require that work no more at the hands of those [people], but to accept of their offerings.”
My friend testified to this young man that God knew he had given his very best in answering the call to serve. He assured him that the Lord had accepted his offering and that the blessings promised to all faithful missionaries would not be withheld.
“Compensating Blessings,” April 2025 general conference
After Alma and his people escaped from the armies of King Noah, they began with enthusiasm to build a new city. They were filled with optimism as “they did multiply and prosper exceedingly” in their new home (Mosiah 23:19-20). However, things took an unexpected turn for the worse, as they fell into bondage. They prayed “mightily” to God, but the immediate result was that armed guards prevented them from praying. (See Mosiah 24:10-11.) How foolish of their taskmasters to think that such things could be enforced!
So they did what they could under the circumstances: they prayed in their hearts:
Alma and his people did not raise their voices to the Lord their God, but did pour out their hearts to him; and he did know the thoughts of their hearts.
And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.
Mosiah 24:12-13
Their offering was acceptable. They wished they could give more, but this was the very best they could do. The Lord knew that and honored their sacrifice.
Today, I will strive to make an acceptable offering to the Lord. I will recognize that my offering is constrained by my circumstances and that the Lord is well-aware of those constraints. I will give Him what I am capable of, trusting that He is aware of my diligence and sincerity of heart, regardless of the outcome of my efforts.
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