Sunday School 30 - Alma 36-38

Brothers and sisters,

Alma went through some of the toughest times but he brought them on himself and others. His letter to his son takes us all through a path of pain that finishes in glory. It wasn't the angel that changed him but what he did after the experience. It takes a desire to repent that moves your life to correct your course (repent).

The pain of sin hurts. Alma said he wished he could keep from facing his Creator (Alma 36:12). He wanted to be numb. Sin is a pit that begs to be bigger, more numbness and hollow joy to cover the sorrow, pain and the fear we face. Some use stimulants; others use depressants. It doesn't matter the avenue, drugs porn, hobbies, work, callings, alcohol, etc. You notice I brought in passions and positive things? When we do not allow Christ to swallow our pain, it follows us and hurts us. 

Do we think that we will try to fix the car before presenting it to a mechanic or representing ourselves in court before calling a lawyer or healing ourselves before going to the doctor? No! That sounds ridiculous. So why would we tackle our sins before asking the Savior for help. 

Alma told us that the small things, a little at a time, builds to great things (Alma 37:6). Joseph of Egypt found strength a little at a time in the Lord. Through small trials, we become prepared for bigger things. Prayer, fasting and scripture study is a small thing, but so is weight lifting or dieting. It takes a daily effort to creat a habit, a course and destination. 

We need to be long me a tree that pushes daily into the soil and weather the elements. That is hard, if we realize that the Savior is also our gardener when the pruning and hedging happens or fearing bearing no fruit when our purpose was different such as we were to be a tree house or kindle or shelter. 

Growth requires effort. We need to consult with the Lord. We need goals direction and daily effort to fill our lives with Christ. We need to clear out the sin, pain, and sorrow like weeds and stones but sometimes it's too big and we need the Savior for the big things. 

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