God has given us some pretty tough laws to follow because he loves us and knows what will ultimately be best for us.
Photo by Francesco Paggiaro
Life is hard. Sometimes it can feel like God is opposed to the desires of our hearts, and sometimes keeping his commandments can be downright painful. We know he is merciful and loves us perfectly, but why, then, would he not make things easier on us by letting us get what we want?
In “The Love and Laws of God,” a devotional given at Brigham Young University, President Russell M. Nelson answers this question by saying, “I am the grateful father of nine daughters and one son. I love them with all my heart. As our children were growing up, their mother and I established rules to keep them safe and facilitate their growth. Our children did not always like or understand the rules, but because we loved them, we were willing to do all we could to guide and protect them.”
God is our literal father, and he loves us with all his being. He knows and understands our desires and heartaches, and he wants us to be happy. It is our responsibility to have faith that he knows what will ultimately make us the happiest. He can see the end from the beginning and so puts laws in place to gently guide us to everlasting happiness. We need to trust in him, and eventually we’ll see that the laws he has given us stand as testaments to his perfect love for us.
Read more about why God gives us laws in President Russel M. Nelson’s speech “The Love and Laws of God,” in which he discusses five truths that you can prayerfully confirm for yourself.
Source: BYU Speeches
—Erin Nightingale, Latter-day Saint Insights
FEATURE IMAGE BY BLAKE BARLOW
Find more insights
Learn more about the love and laws of God in the talk “Love and Law” by Elder Dallin H. Oaks.
Discover how God’s laws are blessings by reading Elder ElRay L. Christiansen’s talk “The Laws of God are Blessings.”