Belief vs Faith

Faith vs Belief (or, Principle vs Practice)

College kids run the special risk of reducing their faith to belief. How many people claim they "know" certain things are true, then have absolutely no actions in their life that correlate to that truth? I fear that, for too many young people, their religious education had resulted in a sophisticated world-view with little relevance to their day-to-day actions. 

This is, scripturally, the antithesis of faith. Faith is an active exertion of effort, because of our beliefs. When Jacob warned the wise that they would perish, he only stipulated that they look not to God; certainly there is a place for those who are wise to the gospel, but look not to God in their daily lives. There is no man who is so converted that he cannot depart from a faith he no longer lives.

Indeed, such folks are not so different from the ministers of Joseph Smith's day, who had a form of Godliness, but denied the power thereof. Many of those on BYU's campus have a form of Godliness. They have a deep, nuanced, and often personal understanding of Gospel fundamentals, including the nature of God, the meaning of the Atonement, and the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon; and in spite of this form, they deny its power by denying God a chance to act in their life; by denying themselves a chance to live their beliefs, and by denying the Savior devoted disciples. Remember, it was the savvy, learned Pharisees and Sadducees of Christ's day who rejected Him most vehemently. 

What can we do to avoid such tragic patterns in our lives? The simplicity of the answer is almost off-settling for would be-gospel intellectuals, but it is the truth: maintain your foundation. Look to God and live, live by every word that comes forth out of the mouth of God. Say your prayers and read your scriptures! And for heaven's sake, attend church and really try to get something out of it. If we convert our beliefs into action, then our faith will increase, and we will come to see miracles in our own lives. 

Let us avoid the pitfalls of hubris; because we all know what it's like to think, "I understand the principle, so there's little need for me to so rigidly adhere to practice." Sing a primary song. Listen to a talk. It may seem beneath your radical, free-thinking mind, but these apparently basic things will revitalize your life, they will ignite the spark of faith and bring fresh light into your life. Nobody is so wise or independent that we have no need of truth anymore. A simple question we can use to keep ourselves on track is found in Alma, Chapter 5: "If ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, can ye feel so now?"

What if you've already disengaged? What if you see yourself heading down this path, shackled to your own preconceived beliefs? You can stop and turn around. You are worthy of rescue from your own pride. You can find joy in returning to the light of the Lord. It is so much brighter than the feeble sparks we cast on our own. God will enlarge, ennoble, and invigorate who we are, making us more of who we are. We shouldn't be afraid of becoming somebody else if we do what others are doing in the church; truth remains truth, regardless of how many or how few practitioners it has. The gospel takes who we are, and refines, not redefines us. It transforms our weaknesses and ameliorates our strengths. It helps us be the best version of ourselves we can be. That is the power of faith. Belief on it's own is insufficient and inert; faith propels and elevates. 

Happily Ever After

Lately, I’ve fallen in love with the song, “Happily Ever After,” by the band He Is We. There’s a few lines from the song that I keep thinking about, lines that make me consider my perspective in life. 

We all want to know, how it ends.

I am guilty of this! How often I’ve wondered, “When am I going to find a girl to date?” “When will I find a job I love?” “When will I feel comfortable with the person I am, and the progress I’m making?” “Will I start a family in college?” The questions are infinite, and the curiosity, at times, painfully keen. That’s natural; it’s human, and it’s understandable. We want to know if our efforts will pay off, if our character will be appreciated, and, perhaps most importantly, if we will be loved. We’re just like the singer of this song, meekly requesting, “Skip to the ending. . . I’d like to know.” 

Can you tell me, do I end up happy?

This is the question, above all, that I think opens my mind. Have you ever asked yourself this question? It’s not a bad question. Regardless of what people may think, it’s not a question loaded with self-pity or doubt, but it’s an honest question that can lead to personal growth.

Consider the following questions:

Am I making decisions that will end in a happy life? 

Am I living joyfully? 

Do I need to change anything in my life to ensure future happiness?

Am I being reckless, or overly focused on the present?

Do I remember what I want, in the end?

I’ve thought about this question a lot lately, and I’ve come to a surprising conclusion: I know that I will end up happy. Where do I find the audacity to say such a thing? It’s not a boast centered in my personal strengths, but an acknowledgment of faith and belief in Jesus Christ. He has promised that no good thing will be withheld from those who love Christ Jesus; or in other words, those who do their best, to be their best. 

I may not know the details, but I know where I’ll end up: with my family, happy, forever. There is no greater promise than that of eternal family and eternal growth. It is the promise extended to all, if they will follow the Savior. 

So, regardless of what ever doubts I may have about myself or my circumstances, I can press forward, confident that things will work out eventually, because I have God on my side. I’ll find a girlfriend, and later, a wife! I’ll finish my education, and find a job. I’ll end up happy, no matter what happens. We are all worthy of happiness; and worthy of rescue from present circumstances. 

Happily ever after, wouldn’t you know? 

Ben-Hur, Jesus of Nazareth, and I

There is one scene in Ben-Hur that perfectly encapsulates my relationship with Christ. The Savior is bearing His cross, and, drained from the work of atoning, has begun to stumble and fall. Merciless Roman soldiers punish the Lord at each fall, adding to the sting of thorns and the bite of the lash. The work of Atonement it would seem, is agonizing beyond belief, and without a spot of relief till the bitter dregs have been drunk. 

Judah Ben-Hur has come, seeking Jesus, for aid. His mother and sister are afflicted with leprosy, and his greatest desire is to see the ones he love whole and pure again. In what was surely a sucker punch, the rabbi whom his love, a believer named Esther, swears can heal them is not teaching the word of God to the people, but is instead marching towards execution at the hands of the Romans! 

The greatest shock was yet to come. As the Redeemer of men again falls, Judah recognizes a face -- the same face that had given him the will to live, years ago. The humble carpenter of Nazareth had given Ben-Hur a drink of water as he was drug to the galley's, to live and die a slave. With one merciful action, Christ encouraged Judah Ben-Hur to continue living. And now, fate has been reversed: Ben-Hur is a free man, while the Messiah is a willing slave to the demands of Justice -- the Sanhedrin's ecclesiastical injustice, cruel Roman justice, and divine, loving justice from a God watching in agony. 

Judah shrugs off his extra clothing, telling Esther to watch over his mother and sister. Where does Judah go? He presses through the thronging crowd, he tries to break through the Roman perimeter. He goes to "do what he can," a tried and true gospel ingredient. 

If we take a step back, we'll recall that it was shortly before this montage of horror began that Mary, one of the Savior's closest friends, anointed Him. When some of the disciples complained about the use of expensive oil, Christ reprimanded them, saying, "She hath done what she could. . . . this . . . that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her." (Mark 14:8,9) Judah Ben-Hur went to do what he could, and though fictional, his actions stand as a memorial to him as well. 

Of course, we know that Judah cannot bear Christ's cross -- that duty is reserved for Joseph of Arimathea. We know that Jesus cannot be saved from His path. We even know that it is imperative that He see it through to the end, for all of us! And so it is no surprise, however painful it is, when Judah is shoved away from Christ. Judah grasps this moment as an opportunity to repay the kindness he was shown, and returns again, with a cup of water. Tragically, even this small show of tenderness cannot be allowed, as centurions knock this simple gift away, and separate Judah from Jesus once more. 

Judah, having been in a position to help, is torn away from the man who saved his life, without having done a single thing to alleviate His pain. Instead, Judah has felt the stirrings of testimony, as he watches this man, this Man he now knows must surely be much more than a mere man, because of the way He bears the ridicule, and the pain, and the bloody fate looming ahead. Even now, Judah Ben-Hur is blessed by Jesus, the Christ. 

It was Jeffrey R. Holland who reminded us that it was out "of divine necessity, [that] the supporting circle around Jesus [got] smaller and smaller and smaller," leading to the moment when, "against all odds and with none to help or uphold Him, Jesus of Nazareth, the living Son of the living God, restored physical life where death had held sway and brought joyful, spiritual redemption out of sin, hellish darkness, and despair... because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so. His solitary journey brought great company for our little version of that path." (None Were With Him)

So often we too, like Judah Ben-Hur, wonder what we can do for the Savior, without realizing what the Lord has done, is doing, and will, with absolute certainty, do in the future, for us. It is my fervent hope that we remember that Jesus Christ "doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation." (2 Nephi 2:24) 

What can we do for a Savior so generous? Well, I've addressed this topic as it's own talk, but to put it in simple terms, I am certain that what He wants the most is our love. We may never be able to repay Him, but we can love Him, for surely He loved and loves us. In 1 John 4 it is written, "We love him because he first loved us." He loved us first, and He loves us best.  And if we love Him, we will keep His commandments, we will love our brothers and sisters, and we will love ourselves.

I believe that the Savior cherishes every attempt to give Him a drink of cool water, however successful, much like a mother appreciates her children's macaroni art. We may not be able to do what He does, but we can "[do] what [we] could," and that is all Jesus Christ will ever ask of us. I'm with you, Judah Ben-Hur. We all are -- recipients of the Savior's mercy, beneficiaries of His Atonement's justice, and disciples following His lead. It is a sure path; one that after winding through Gethsemane, Calvary, and a garden tomb, will bring each of us back to "the Father of Lights," (James 1:17) resplendent, radiant, and celestially transformed. So it will be for all those who walk the Savior's path of charity. Like Ben-Hur and his loved ones, we will find ourselves whole, healed of spiritual impurities such as bitter vengeance and self-hate. We will find ourselves lifted, to higher vistas of understanding and compassion. We will find ourselves loved, beyond anything we could ever imagine. And that, is a testimony I can bear form personal experience. At some point in our lives, we will all have to metaphorically watch the Savior bear our pains, and sorrows, and infirmities, and it is through those experiences that we learn to love, to appreciate, and to follow. We will feel in our hearts that we are truly worthy of rescue. Let us never falter in our love and discipleship, I pray in the Savior's sacred name, even that of Jesus of Nazareth. 

이진아 (Lee Jin Ah) - 배불러 (I'm Full): Korean Lyrics and Translation

이진아 (Lee Jin Ah) - 배불러 (I'm Full)

너가 자꾸만 떠올라

나 기분이 정말 좋아

You keep popping in my thoughts

And making me feel great 

이불 속에서 나

뒹굴뒹굴 핸드폰 바라보네

I'm here rolling around in my blankets

And I can't stop looking at my phone

무심한 너의 메시지 보고

또 보고 분석해

I'm staring at your carefree messages 

And keep trying to analyze them 

오늘은 또 어떤 이모티콘

내 맘을 알려줄까

Which emoticon should I use

To tell you how I'm feeling?

배불러 배불러

요즘 따라 웬일로 배고프지 않아

I'm so full, I feel so full

Lately I haven't been hungry because of you

배불러 배불러

나 원래 먹는 낙으로 사는 여잔데

I'm so full, I feel so full

But usually I love eating 

배불러 배불러

내가 왜 이러는지 나도 몰라

I'm so full, I feel so full 

I don't even know why I'm acting like this 

배불러 배불러

너만 보면 난 배부르다

I'm so full, I feel so full 

I'm stuffed just when I look at you

잘 된 거야 그래

이 참에 다이어트를 해보자

Are things going well? Okay

Sounds like it's time to try dieting 

둥글둥글 내 마음 내 몸매

경쟁력 가져보자

My heart and body go round and round

They're competing hard

배불러 배불러

요즘 따라 웬일로 배고프지 않아

I'm so full, I feel so full 

Nothing makes me hungry anymore

배불러 배불러

나 원래 먹는 낙으로 사는 여잔데

I'm so full, I feel so full

Funny, I used to love eating

배불러 배불러

내가 왜 이러는지 나도 몰라

I'm so full, I feel so full 

I don't even know why I feel this way

배불러 배불러

너만 보면 난 배부르다

I'm so full, I feel so full

I'm satisfied just seeing you 

너를 매일 보고파

힘이 나질 않아

I wanna see you everyday

I barely have any strength 

나 잘해줄 자신 있는데

너 일루와

You're the kind of person who'll treat me well

C'mere 

고마워 고마워

친구들이 나보고 많이 예뻐졌대

Thank you, thanks so much 

My friends say I'm prettier than ever 

고마워 고마워

나 원래 사랑 같은 거 안 믿었는데

Thank you, thanks so much 

You know, I didn't believe in love before 

사랑해 사랑해

너 정말 나한테 왜 이러니

I love you, love you 

I don't get why you treat me like this 

사랑해 사랑해

이러다가 굶어 죽겠네

안되겠어 일루와 너를 먹을 거야

I love you, love you

If things keep on like this, I'll starve to death. 

That won't happen; c'mere, and I'll eat you