We can know through the example of the brother of Jared that the Book of Mormon is a radiant source of light, guiding us through life’s darkness and illuminating the path ahead.
What does absolute physical darkness actually look like? It’s hard to imagine that kind of darkness when modern technology grants us the power to light up a room with a single flip of a switch. Even if we step away from artificial light, the moon and the stars ensure there is always natural light, even if faint. It’s no wonder then that our unfamiliarity with physical darkness makes spiritual darkness so vulnerable and hopeless. What happens when the darkness we feel isn’t physical and there is no immediate solution?
Image by Henry & Co
The jarring fear of not being able to see spiritually can paralyze us, but President Henry B. Eyring reminds us in his message titled “Our Light in the Wilderness” that God “will guide us and light our way—if we obey Him, exercise faith in Him, and plead for His help.”
We learn about this principle in the Book of Mormon when the brother of Jared asked the Lord if his people would “cross the great water in darkness” (Ether 2:22). In response, the Lord asked the brother of Jared, “What will ye that I should do that ye may have light in your vessels?” (Ether 2:23). This exchange prompted the brother of Jared to come up with his own solution.
Although the brother of Jared was asking the Lord about literal darkness, there is also a deep parallel here to spiritual darkness. During moments of spiritual darkness, the Lord may ask us to provide our own solution, but he will support us as we exercise faith, just as he did for the brother of Jared.
At first, we may not have our own solution for navigating great spiritual darkness, but we can find a place to start by using the Book of Mormon to learn more about Jesus Christ—the light and life of the world. The Book of Mormon is a powerful resource for dispelling spiritual darkness because light radiates from its pages, testifying of Christ and inviting his influence into our daily lives.
As we reflect on our lives, we will find that the thick darkness we sometimes feel doesn’t seem so paralyzing when we rely on Christ’s light. As President Eyring says, “If we are faithful, light will come—at times in ways we do not expect.”
Read the full article by President Henry B. Eyring, “Our Light in the Wilderness,” in the January 2024 edition of the Liahona.
Source: Liahona
—Madison Mulvey, Latter-day Saint Insights
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Find more insights
Peek into “Christ and the Book of Mormon” by John Hilton and Madison Sinclair to learn more about how to find light in the darkness.
Explore “Slow Reading: Seeing the Savior in the Scriptures” by Ted Barnes to find tips for applying the scriptures to life.