They Knew Not the Dealings of That God Who Had Created Them

I think we all tend to read 1 Nephi quite frequently. Sometimes it is difficult to get tons of meaning out of it because it is read so often. The other day as I was studying in 1 Nephi 2, and verse 12 caught my eye. It states: “And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur against their father. And they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them.”

Laman and Lemuel are famous for their murmuring. They murmured when they left Jerusalem, when they went back to get the plates, when Nephi’s bow broke, when Nephi was commanded to build a ship, etc. Verse twelve explains why. “They did murmur because they knew not the dealing of that God who had created them”. How often do we murmur when we don’t see the eternal “big picture”? I know I tend to murmur to God more frequently than I should. When we can see the eternal scheme of things, everything that we are asked to do and endure in this life becomes much easier to bear. We can receive this perspective by relying on the Lord and frequently attending the temple. Having an eternal mindset will help us overcome every trial we face.

When you find yourself starting to murmur, I would challenge you to turn to the Lord and ask for eternal perspective. As we come to better know our Heavenly Father and His plan for us, we will trust Him and find a greater sense of gratitude and wonderment through the midst of our trials.