I have been thinking a lot about miracles today and I had a thought that I hadn't had before.
This week I found out that I was accepted into occupational therapy school. As you can imagine, I am incredibly excited to start this new adventure. Throughout the application process, the observation hours, the interviews and now the preparations to go I have been thinking a lot about what it will be like to actually be an occupational therapist. In a previous post, I talked about how I realized that it is my mission from the Lord. And this week I have come one step closer to being able to "enter the mission field" so to speak.
So what does OT have to do with my new perspective on miracles?
Today in Sunday school we were talking about burdens and how the Savior can make them light. The context that we were discussing these burdens had to do with following all of the rules that the Pharisees had put on the people in order to keep the Law of Moses. We then read examples of the Savior healing on the Sabbath day and the Pharisees were trying to point out that he was doing wrong. In their eyes no work was to be done on the Sabbath, no matter the intentions and good that it could accomplish.
While this discussion was going on, my mind went off into another direction.
I thought of all of the "famous" miracles. You know, the ones that we always talk about because they are so cool. The woman with the issue of blood being healed by touching the Savior's cloak. The parting of the Red Sea. Alma the Younger and the sons of Mosiah seeing an angel and having a miraculous change of heart. The raising of the dead. The Day of Miracles in Nauvoo when all of the saints were sick with malaria.
This one is my personal favorite to read about:
Why are they so cool?
The instantaneous change that was experienced. Faith was tested. Results happened instantly. Results that could not be replicated by anyone else without proper priesthood authority and authorization.
Then I thought of a discussion I had had with one of my friends who just got off of a mission. I was telling her about how I had felt that occupational therapy was my mission. She told me about in a class she was auditing on health professions, an occupational therapist had come in a talked about the profession. She told me that the therapist loved her job because she got to be the hands to the Savior daily. She gets to spread his healing to her patients.
When I recalled this, I thought "But therapy takes time to see results. The Savior's miracles happened right away. How is it that I will get to be the Savior's healing hands when I won't be able to get instant results?"
Then I remembered other, less famous, miracles. Naaman, an Assyrian, was healed of leprosy only after he washed in the river Jordan seven times (2 Kings 5). It took Nephi and his brothers three tries to get the brass plates from the wicked Laban (1 Nephi 3-4). The Apostle Peter went from weak faith to leader of the church. Not in one day, week or month. But it took learning at the Savior's feet for 3 years and then months after the Savior was resurrected. The Book of Mormon and Bible were not translated in a couple of days. Even some of the Savior's miracles took actions and stages:
(The miracle is over at 3:40)
Was faith tested in these miracles? Definitely. But they also took time and work for the miracles to be fully complete.
We live in a time when everything happens instantly. It takes me longer to tie my shoes that it does to look up the weather forecast in Tahiti. We are so easily caught up in the moment. You know how the cheer goes." What do we want?" (Insert want here)" When do we want it?" "Now!"
That is how society lives their lives.
Yes, instantaneous miracles do occur. The miracles recorded in the scriptures teach us that. I have had priesthood blessings of healing that the healing took place as soon the hands were placed on my head. It can happen that way if the Lord wills it.
On the other hand, I have had other blessings of healing (for a similar issue and other problems), that took hours, days or years to come true. I had to place my trust in my Father in Heaven, and completely turn my will over to him in order for that answer to come.
Repentance doesn't happen in one day. Conversion does not come with a single spiritual experience. Healing (physically, spiritually or emotionally) does not come with a single treatment.
It takes the effort of restoring all that was done wrong and never returning to that sin to be forgiven. It takes daily spiritual experiences to make the conversion stick. It takes continuous prayer, rehabilitative work and fighting the urge to give up that healing is brought about.
It is my testimony that prayers are heard and answered. All of God's promises come true. I know that He has a plan for each of us. Sometimes the instant reward is what we need. But more often than not, it is the learning how to work towards our goal of receiving the desired blessings is what we need. It is through our work, patience and diligence that molds us into the people that are worthy of those blessings. They may not come today, next month, in five years, or even in this life. But I promise, they do come.
For further study:
Miracles- Then and Now by Thomas S. Monson November 1992
The Miracle I Needed- New Era February 2010
