To the Grey before the Dawn

Tomorrow is George Washington's Birthday and the celebration of the lives of many presidents down through the years. As a history student for many years I have heard academics claim that the founding fathers thought of God merely as a clock maker, who had created the world and now stands back to see how we govern ourselves without his influence. Why did the founders work so hard to protect the rights of individuals in a nation to chose their religion and to defend the nation from tyranny of religion? They understood that religion  has great power in the lives of those who embrace it as well as the strength religion and belief in God brings to individuals in a country.

They knew that dark nights would come to individuals and to the nation as a whole. They knew that for this country to survive we needed God and we needed a sphere where He could have influence, while allowing those who didn't want His help a place as well. We live in a world of turmoil and fear, daily terrorist attacks, gender neutral restrooms and 60 degree weather in February, or six feet of snow in the East Coast. We live in a world that no other generation has ever seen and we have a choice. We can allow our dark nights and fears stop us from living life or we can embrace a relationship with God.

After my dark night last week I had a grey week. I could see good things, but still felt overwhelmed by the lack of the things I wanted. I wanted to kick and scream and wail about how unfair life is, but I knew acting like a two year old would do absolutely nothing. So after my tears and sometimes in the midst of them I went to my loving Heavenly Father and simply said "please help, I can't do this alone, my heart is breaking from what I don't have and the uncertainty of the future" He helped me. He brought me the peace I couldn't create for myself, He loved me only the way that an Eternal Father can. He hasn't delivered everything He has promised just yet, but He has kept his promise to always be with me, He keeps his promise to love me, even when I feel petty and inadequate.

The men of the Declaration and Constitution faced a dark night, if they didn't win the war they faced hanging or dismemberment. They saw countless men die, whether from bullets or disease, yet they continued on knowing if they persevered there would be a bright tomorrow, that the God who created them would save them. This nation has stood on this principle for centuries, I hope you will stand behind the knowledge that our Father is not a clockmaker standing back watching us make mistakes, He is a loving Father waiting to give us peace and hope in a fallen world and He knows us, He grants us peace as we go on His path for us. As Ezra Taft Benson once said:
      "Happiness here and now consists in freely, lovingly, joyfully acknowledging God's will for us- and doing it in all ways and all affairs big and small...With the assurance that the Church shall remain intact with God directing it through the troubled time ahead, it then becomes our individual responsibility to see that each of us remains faithful to the Church and its teachings. "He that remaineth steadfast and is not overcome, the same shall be saved (JS-M 1:11)""