This Sunday, I’d like to share a quote that has shaped the way I look at life.
“God left us the world unfinished for man to work his skill upon… He left the pictures unpainted and the music unsung and the problems unsolved, that man might know the joys and glories of creation.”
—President Thomas S. Monson
But there’s still that question: why doesn’t God remove some of the tough and painful obstacles from our path? Well, I have learned over time that failure is also a part of creation. He isn’t trying to create an easy life for His children—He’s trying to create us.
From this knowledge, I have learned to pray less for God to remove the mountain and more for Him to help me climb it, and somewhere along the ascent, He almost always gives me the strength, wisdom, and peace I was searching for. The miracle isn’t always that the mountain disappears—it is that we become someone capable of standing on its summit.
So here is what is in my toolbox…
First prayer. I pray for direction. I used to pray for a solution, then I discovered that God wants me to put in the work; then I will know the joys of creation, and I will always uncover the solution along the way.
I pray for clarity. I want to be able to see the solution unfold as He teaches and builds in me a desire to see His will in it.
I pray for patience. I know it’s going to take time because none of the answers I really want and need come easily.
I pray for focus. Being intentional is my go-to word. I pray to filter out the noise of the world...
I pray to hear the words of the Lord. People wonder all the time if they’re hearing God or their own mind. All I can say is pray to hear the words of the Lord and then have faith that you will.
Faith is another tool in my toolbox. I believe the Lord will answer my prayers. For me, the word faith basically means to choose to think positively, and that's a choice!
There is one more tool in my toolbox, fasting. We fast to be closer to God and seek spiritual strength. It’s also a way to support those in need. For instance, if a family member has an accident, we fast and pray that they will recover, and the family will find comfort, or we will know how to help. Fasting gives our personal spirit an opportunity to become stronger while the physical side takes a seat. Fasting tops off my toolbox, helping with focus, listening, and enlarging my faith.
As many of you may know, members of my faith fast on the first Sunday of each month. On this coming July 5th, people of many faiths have been invited to unite in fasting and prayer, giving thanks for the priceless blessing of religious freedom and asking that it may continue to bless people throughout the world.
I’ve had the privilege of standing before and entertaining thousands of our military men and women over the years. I’ve looked into the eyes of those who willingly sacrificed so that others could worship freely, speak openly, and choose their own path. My father, my father-in-law, and my brother Alan all served this country, and their examples remind me that freedom is never free.
Perhaps one of the greatest blessings we often overlook is that we still have the privilege of kneeling in prayer without fear, opening the scriptures without hiding, gathering with those we love to worship God, and choosing the course of our own souls. Millions throughout history have longed for those simple gifts. Today, we have them.
I hope you will join me in this fast and remember that the greatest masterpiece God is creating is not found on a canvas, in a concert hall, or in a towering city. It is found within the human heart. Every unanswered prayer that teaches patience, every trial that deepens compassion, every disappointment that strengthens faith, and every act of forgiveness quietly shapes us into something more eternal. Looking back, many of the blessings I treasure most first arrived disguised as difficulties. As we keep the Lord by our side, may He bless us with eyes to recognize our blessings, hearts willing to follow His direction, and faith to continue creating even when we cannot yet see the finished masterpiece. Then someday we will discover that while we were busy trying to create our lives, God was quietly helping us all along.