President Henry B. Eyring, recently appointed second counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spoke about the power of God’s deliverance during the Brigham Young Univeristy devotional Tuesday, Jan. 15.
“Every person living is in the midst of a test. The tests we will face…will be unique for each of us. But two things will be the same for us all,” he said. “First, the tests at times will stretch us enough for us to feel the need for help beyond our own. And second, God in His kindness and wisdom has made that power of deliverance available to us.”
President Eyring outlined three tests that many will face in life: first, many can be overcome with pain and sorrow when a loved one dies; second, each of us will struggle with fierce opposition from dealing with our physical needs and from enemies; and third, each will feel the need to escape from the effects of sin.
For each of these tests, he said, “the power of deliverance is available, not to escape the test but to endure it well.”
Because of His Atonement and Resurrection, the Savior understands and feels each person’s grief perfectly, he said. “There are many ways that the Savior can succor those who grieve, each fitted to them. But you can be sure that He can and that He will do it in the way that is best for those who grieve and for those around them,” he said.
To partake of the Lord’s deliverance, we must have humility as well as an abiding faith in the Lord.
“[The Savior] may not give relief until we develop faith to make choices which will bring the power of the Atonement to work in our lives,” President Eyring said. “The way to deliverance always requires humility in order for the Lord to be able to lead us by the hand.”
Through prayer, service, obedience to the Lord’s commands and submission to His will, we can be delivered from our trials.
Deliverance also demands that we invite the Holy Ghost into our lives, President Eyring said. As we do these things, we will see a change come into our lives.
“In education and in life you will face stumbling blocks and opposition. You can go forward with confidence. If you start determined to qualify for God’s power of deliverance, not just in education but in all the trials of mortality, you will succeed,” President Eyring told students.
“You will be strengthened. You will be guided around barriers. Help and comfort will come. Your faith in Heavenly Father and the Savior will be increased. And you will be strengthened to resist evil. You will feel the Gospel of Jesus Christ working in your life,” he said.
The devotional was President Eyring’s first address at BYU since his calling to the First Presidency during the October 2007 General Conference of the Church.
Writer: Alexis Plowman
