How Does the Lord Help You As You Serve Him?

 My Come Follow Me studies for this week took me to Acts 22-28 in a lesson titled “A Minister and a Witness.” The lesson was preceded by this counsel: “Impressions from the Holy Ghost are often quiet and sometimes fleeting. Recording your impressions allows you to reflect on them more deeply. As you read Acts 22-28, write down the thoughts and feelings that come to you, and take time to ponder them.” Then the lesson was introduced in the following paragraph. 

“When we are on the Lord’s errand,” President Thomas S. Monson promised, “we are entitled to the Lord’s help” (“To Learn, to Do, to Be,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2008, 62). We are not entitled, however, to a smooth road and an endless stream of successes. For proof of this, we need look no further than Paul the Apostle. His errand from the Savior was “to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15). In chapters 22-28 of Acts, we see Paul fulfilling this errand and facing great opposition – chains, imprisonment, physical abuse, a shipwreck, and even a snake attack. But we also see that Jesus “stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul” (Acts 23:11). Paul’s experiences are an inspiring reminder that the Lord’s call to “declare [His] gospel with the sound of rejoicing” comes with this promise: “Lift up your hearts and be glad, for I am in your midst” (Doctrine and Covenants 29:4-5; see also Matthew 28:19-20).

The principle discussed in this post is “The Lord stands by those who strive to serve Him” (Acts 23:10-11; 27:13-25, 40-44). Paul’s ministry illustrates clearly that the presence of difficulties in our lives is not proof that God does not support us or the work that we are doing.

Knowledge of the plan for our eternal happiness reminds us that we came to earth to be tested and tried. If life is always sunshine and roses, there will be no need for tests, trials, or tribulations. Therefore, there will be no personal growth.

Paul was an Apostle or a special witness of Jesus Christ. Paul had seen Jesus Christ in a vision on the road to Damascus. He had heard the voice of the Lord. Yet, he needed tests, trials, and tribulations to help him to develop greater faith in Jesus Christ. His will to serve the Lord despite difficulties had to be tested and tried. The same is true for each of us. We will first look at the scripture block to see Paul’s situation.

Acts 23:10-11

10 And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.

11 And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

Paul had returned to Jerusalem with the understanding that he may be killed there, and he willingly returned. Now, the Lord told him to “be of good cheer” because he was not going to be killed in Jerusalem. How could he testify of Christ in Rome if the Jews killed him in Jerusalem?

Paul claimed his right as a Roman to stand before Caeser, so the soldiers put him in a ship and headed to Rome. The journey started late in the season, and Paul (as an Apostle of the Lord) told them that they would be in danger if they continued their journey. The owner of the ship did not want to stay where they were for the winter.

Acts 27:13-25, 40-44

13 And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.

14 But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.

15 And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.

16 And running under [south of] a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:

17 Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.

18 And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;

19 And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.

20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.

21 But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.

22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.

23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.

40 And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.

41 And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.

42 And the soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.

43 But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves into the sea, and get to land:

44 And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.

The Lord stood by Paul because Paul was on an errand for Him. The Lord wanted Paul to testify before Caesar, and He protected Paul. What does the Lord want you to do? How has He stood by you? President Thomas S. Monson gave the following counsel in the October 2008 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: 

Now, some of you may be shy by nature or consider yourselves inadequate to respond affirmatively to a calling. Remember that this work is not yours and mine alone. It is the Lord’s work, and when we are on the Lord’s errand, we are entitled to the Lord’s help. Remember that the Lord will shape the back to bear the burden

placed upon it.”