Lehi was commanded to leave Jerusalem so that he and his family would not be killed, and so that they could raise up a righteous nation to the Lord - away from all the corruption that had filled Jerusalem and away from the destruction that would come upon Jerusalem because of the wickedness of its inhabitants. While the reasons were good, the trip was not easy. He had to pack up his family, pack provisions, and leave quickly. Three days into his journey, they came to a river valley, and the following verse was written:
"And it came to pass that he built an altar of stones, and made an offering unto the Lord, and gave thanks unto the Lord our God." (1 Nephi 2:7)
While his sons were murmuring about how difficult things were and how they wish they had never left, Lehi was offering thanks to the Lord for his mercies. There were so many things he could have been focusing on that were discouraging and difficult. But he chose, rather, to look to his God and thank Him for His mercies.
I recently had a religious discussion with a person I am very close to. And after our discussion, it became clear that there was only one difference between us, and it made all the difference in the world. It was a difference of perspective.
I know that there is a God, and because of this, I have the power to look and see His hand in my everyday life and I know that He is responsible for all the good in the world around me. This person does not believe or know that there is a God. And they see all the evil in the world around them and take it as evidence that there is no God. From my viewpoint, I can see the evil in its context and still believe in God. I can see the higher views that are given only to those who choose to find out and know.
Now, I do not claim to know everything about everything, or even everything about coming to know God and His plan. But I do know this: I know there is a God, who is our loving Father. He loves everyone on this earth and He has provided a way for us to return to Him and know Him -- to know His love and to understand His plan for us and what we are to do in this world. I know He exists and that makes all the difference. I can see everything differently with that knowledge driving my views. Am I always positive? No. I can tend to be negative at times; but because I know God exists, I have the ability to be positive at all times. Because God is good, and He affects everything.
As Jamie in the movie "A Walk to Remember" says, "it's the center of everything."
I know, and that's the cream of it all.
