I love Indiana Jones. One of my favorite scenes is from the Last Crusade, where he has to cross this big ravine. There is an invisible bridge that the clues have led him to believe is there. But it’s invisible, and nobody has ever gone that way before. There is no way to know if the bridge is real until he tests it out. So Indiana Jones leaps out into open space….and lands on the bridge. It’s quite impressive!
Go to the Edge of the Light
In Sunday School, I remember being taught that we often have to go to the edge of the light, or the edge of what we know and understand, before the Lord will give us more instruction. There have been many times in my life when I had to go to the edge of my understanding, praying all the way. And when the time was right the Lord would give me the next set of instructions.
I recently had a very interesting “Indiana Jones” experience of my own. I was driving my parents to the airport. It was a cold, foggy and icy winter day. And since we were out early the sun was still hours from rising. The fog was so thick that I couldn’t see more than 20 feet ahead of me. But I had to get them to their flight, so off we went.
Fog and Faith
I was nervous, and I prayed that the fog wouldn’t be too bad. There were no miracles- the fog was still there, but I remembered that idea from Sunday School years ago. So I started to drive to the edge of what I could see, and wait for more light. Amazingly we made it to the airport. In fact, every time I set out into the fog with faith, it would gradually clear in front of me. There was always about 30 feet of visibility, and it was just enough.
How often in our lives are we forced to step onto invisible bridges of faith? How many times have we had to simply go to the edge of what we could see and wait for our vision to clear? I had lots of those experiences when I was in college, and when I was just starting out trying to find my first job. I had those experiences when dating and trying to decide which man I wanted to spend my life with. And as a mother I have those experiences every day.
I think the Lord puts us in this position on purpose. He wants us to trust Him. God can see through the fog, and He knows our ultimate destination. He is also building our souls and preparing us for great things. Each time we step to the edge of the light our confidence in Him gets a little stronger.
Just Do It
A moment ago when I mentioned Indiana Jones, I left something out. As he made the daring leap into open space, he had his eyes closed and he was holding his breath. (Who wouldn’t!) But he jumped anyway. As we go through our trials and experiences in life, and we come to those moments where we have to take a leap of faith, don’t be too hard on yourself.
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The important thing is that we take the leap, make the step, and trust the Lord. Because He understands if we are praying all the way, holding our breath, and scared out of our minds. God is in control, and He will keep us safe. He will lead us along. As it says in Isaiah 49: 15 & 16:
Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
God wants us to succeed
Our God will not forget us, He will not lead us astray. He knows all things, and knows each of us, and our potential. As we trust Him and make those steps into the unknown our trust in Him will grow. And it will get easier. I promise you that He seeks for our success. He is our biggest advocate and head cheerleader, and if we trust His plan for us we will find ourselves in places we never thought possible. Our blessings will be greater than we can number. And we will be really glad we took the leap.
About Patty Sampson
Patty thrives on all things creative. You’ll often find her in the garden pretending she is a suburban farmer. She loves meeting new people, and is devoted to her friends and family. In her heart she is a Midwesterner even though life has moved her all over the country. She believes in “blooming where you’re planted” and has found purpose in every place she has been. She has a deep and abiding love for the Savior and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And she loves editing LDS Blogs because it is a constant spiritual uplift. Not many people can say their job builds their witness of the Savior.
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Hola Patty, tus historia de infertilidad y Pasos en la fe me han dado mucha esperanza, aunque nuestros casos son diferentes leer tu historia ha hecho crecer mi fe. Espero me escribas por interno para poder conversar, gracias por compartir cosas tan lindas.