What are we holding onto?

 I've been dealing with some inner turmoil the last week or two, turmoil that most people in the middle of transitions face. I'm just really struggling with loving my body in its current state and loving my purpose, because right now I'm feeling very stuck. Each time I bring something new to the Lord he tells me to wait. With the summer half over (ish) and trying to figure out which future I am to build I'm feeling very much at loose ends. I'd so love to go on and get my masters and eventually do my PHD. I'd love to do research to my hearts content, late evening discussions about religion, education, toleration, perceptions of others and class. If not that then perhaps a phlebotomist or a job coach. Yet each new thought is met with a "just wait". My response to that just wait is, "what then"? You'd think about waiting nine months for a mission call, two years and 4 months for a wedding and seven years to graduate with a bachelors you'd think I'd be better with waiting. When I pause long enough between jumping from idea to idea I realize that Heavenly Father already has my future in motion. I think back to every job I've had so far in my life and somehow each time I have found myself in need of employment, the right opportunity always presented itself right when I needed. I need to have that same sort of faith now. Heavenly Father has a way of making all things right, but we need to give him the time to do so.

The other part of my mind that is causing me pain is seeing the wickedness in the world and feeling so powerless to stop or fix it. Every time I turn on the computer I am bombarded by wicked intent. Whether the news and hearing about a shooting or hate crime, or youtube and having nudity on adds when I'm trying to watch Studio C. In a world that seems full of chaos Satan would have us feel that we are powerless, that we are suffering bystanders that must simply watch as our world goes crazy. I don't know that any number of petitions or facebook posts with change minds. Though doing those things shows the Lord we will stand for truth and righteousness in all things and places and is an important part of us remaining un-spotted from the world. Just as important as those things is to realize that us holding that what is sacred dear to ourselves and keeping the faith and cultivating hope that this chaos and wickedness is just a small moment is also so important for our spiritual stamina. I so love these lines from Return of the King that remind us there are good things to hold onto.

FRODO: I can’t do this, Sam.
SAM: I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy. How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened.
But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back only they didn’t. Because they were holding on to something.
FRODO: What are we holding on to, Sam?
SAM: That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.

In a world of hatred, confusion, fear, name calling and subliminal messaging what are we holding onto? We are holding onto a God in heaven who loves us, a Savior who atoned for us, a plan we supported before coming to this earth and a purpose we've covenanted to fulfill. The darkness may seem overpowering, but there is a light shining, it is filling the whole earth and the Lord's kingdom will come off conqueror. What are we holding onto? We are holding onto faith that there will be a brighter tomorrow, that God is in his heaven and all is well in the world. We are known, we are loved and we are never left alone.