Looking Inside: Recognize the Lord’s Hand… to be continued

• Recognize the Lord’s hand in all things (see D&C 59:21).

Doctrine and Covenants 59:21

21 And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments.

This scripture teaches that we offend God when we do not express our thankfulness to Him and keep His commandments. The offense and wrath of God described in verse 21 are evidence of His love for us. God is displeased when we are ungrateful or disobedient because these attitudes distance us from Him.

I read the other day some quotes from Elder Robert D. Hales about gratitude:

"Gratitude is a state of appreciation, an act of thanksgiving, which causes us to be humble because we recognize an act of kindness, service, or caring from someone else which lifts us and strengthens us."

I understand now why being grateful is one of the ways we learn to be humble and why recognizing the Lord's hand in all things is a way of developing humility.

Elder Hales further quoted from the scripture:

"Gratitude is a divine principle”

  "Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things" (D&C 59:7)." 

He taught that this scripture means expressing gratitude to God for everything that happens in our lives. It is not only for the good things in life but for the opposition and challenges of life that add to our experience and faith. It means we put our lives in His hands, realizing that all that transpires will be for our benefits and experiences.

It was indeed the Lord's hand in every single detail in my life when I started to look back:

The Lord was there when I cried out to Him to bring my family back together to me;

The Lord was the one who did the miracles on my path and Alvin's path;

The Lord was the one who led me to find and purchased a home for my small family;

He was the one who led our family to get baptized into His Church, and we were able to seal in the Cebu temple for all time and eternity;

He was there in every most important or trial that I faced;

The Lord was there when both Issac and Annabelle were missing in the busy streets of Hong Kong Tsim Sha Tsui to guide them back to the temple ground;

The Lord orchestrated the subsequent events that happened after our Hong Kong temple trip, which eventually I only knew later.

I always wanted to write every single life experience that the Lord's hand in my life. I sometimes feel as those were the moments that would keep reminding me to remember Him whenever I wanted to give up, or even the peace and comfort that He is with me all the time and I am not alone at all.

I think this is the week to recall those beautiful memories and observe them in the present to recognize them now and then.

The Gospel Media credit to https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org.