Leaps of Faith

From time to time, the Lord calls upon us to relinquish our comforts in order to pursue greater success. Heavenly Father recognizes our divine potential, and He knows what steps we must take in order to reach it. The Lord’s insight and perspective far surpass our own paltry intelligence. Our narrow vision rarely takes us from where we are to where we want to be. Since our limited experience and understanding cannot propel us towards success, sometimes our only course of action is to perform a leap of faith.

Our heritage, our legacy, and our privileges are the byproducts of successive and frequent leaps of faith. A leap of faith prompted Adam and Eve to follow God’s plan. Another leap of faith helped the family of Lehi cross great waters to colonize the Americas. Joseph Smith’s leap of faith initiated the restoration of the gospel. Every significant success and every remarkable victory begins with courageous men and women who rely on faith to overcome tremendous challenges.

Most leaps of faith contribute greatly to our long-term happiness and success. Nevertheless, we often avoid taking a leap of faith when presented with the opportunity. Instead, we often opt for a shuffle of faith or a hobble of faith. Deep down, we know that greater effort will yield greater progress. Sadly, we just can’t seem to accept the uncertainty and risk that accompany faith based decisions.

Leaps of faith are indeed intimidating. The adversary would have us believe that they are extreme and impulsive. He fills our hearts with fear and doubt to prevent us from taking them. But we must realize that a leap of faith is not a free-fall of blind obedience. Nor is it a foolhardy sprint towards an unjustified gamble. Instead, a leap of faith is an opportunity to earn the blessings of heaven through the use of our agency, discernment, and logic.

A leap of faith is an opportunity that we should take advantage of. When we put our confidence in the Lord, He will fulfill His promises and enhance our lives .Therefore, I would like to recommend three important habits that will help you take advantage of such opportunities. Once you have mastered these habits, I can promise that you will make leaps of faith more frequently and more confidently.

Habit 1: Preparation

Fear is the antithesis of faith. Our anxieties curtail our hope and inhibit our ambition. Thus, fear is the first major obstacle to accomplishing a successful leap. Quite often, the anticipation that you feel prior to a leap will affect you far worse than the actual leap itself. Your biggest struggle will often occur before, not during, a leap of faith. However, we know that “if [we] are prepared, [we] shall not fear.” (D&C 38:30)

When the time came for a young Nephi to exercise faith, his preparation helped him prevail in the face of overwhelming odds. On two occasions, he and his brothers had already failed to recover the plates of brass from the treacherous Laban. Unwilling to quit, Nephi left his older brothers and returned to Jerusalem on his own, “not knowing beforehand the things which [he] should do” (1 Nephi 4:6)

Though he did not have a fixed plan, Nephi still entered the city with some degree of preparation. His childhood in the city likely made him familiar with the streets of Jerusalem. Years of obedience and quick observance gave him a keen mind, and a worthy heart. Even his recent failures proved preparatory as they acquainted him with Laban’s estate and property. Though he did not know everything, Nephi was sufficiently prepared to do something. So he went forth, being “led by the Spirit”.

When the time came for action, Nephi recognized the Lord’s plan. His years of obedience allowed him to follow God’s instructions with exactness. His familiarity with Laban’s property helped Nephi locate the treasury where the plates were stored. His keen mind allowed him to fool Laban’s servants into surrendering the brass plates. In the end, Nephi’s preparation allowed him to make his own leap of faith.

In your life, you cannot expect to be fully prepared for every contingency or trial. You may not have much, and you may not know much. Nonetheless, you can sufficiently prepare yourself to meet unavoidable challenges. You may not be fully prepared for unexpected trials. But at least you will have enough preparation to make an effective leap of faith.

 Habit 2: Commitment

Following a strong start to the 2014 college football season, the Oregon Ducks hit an unexpected roadblock. Despite being the overwhelming favorite to win, the Ducks fell behind early to the Utes from University of Utah. The Ducks defense found themselves facing a determined offense supported by a boisterous home crowd. If they were unable to slow down their opponent, Oregon would likely lose control of the scoreboard. Losing that game would surely ruin their chances for competing in the national championship.

As both teams lined up to begin the second quarter, the excitement in the crowd increased. At once, the center quickly snapped the ball to the quarterback and all  the receivers darted down the field. Despite the best efforts of the defense, one sole receiver rushed past every defender. The quarterback, noticing the wide open receiver, delivered a well-timed pass into the hands of his target. The Oregon Ducks could only watch as their untouched opponent raced 79 yards into the end-zone. The Utes had scored again.

The crowd erupted, the commentators applauded, and the Utes celebrated. With that touchdown, the momentum was clearly in Utah’s favor. For a moment, it seemed entirely possible that the Running Utes were poised for an impressive upset.

But to one Oregon defender, something seemed unusual. Linebacker Joe Walker noticed that the refs did not signal a touchdown. In fact, they stood still and watched the ball sit motionless on the goal line. While everyone else found themselves in fervent celebration, Walker kept his composure. Instead of conceding defeat and yielding to despair, Walker took a leap of faith. He scooped up the ball and began sprinting in the opposite direction.

The jubilant crowd watched as Walker raced down the sideline. Some even laughed as he crossed the entire field and ran into the end-zone. But their delight soon turned to confusion when the referee signaled an Oregon touchdown. Desperate for an explanation, the Utes watched the instant replay. What they saw immediately extinguished their enthusiasm.

In a show of premature celebration, the Ute receiver inexplicably fumbled the ball prior to crossing the goal line. The drop was so subtle, that only Walker and the referees ever noticed the mistake. Walker’s commitment to winning the game helped him to think clearly and act decisively. He determined to maintain his focus, even when all the visual and audible cues told him to give up.

Thanks to Walker’s efforts, Oregon quickly regained the momentum and won the game. They would go on to earn a spot in the National Championship. Such things may never have been, were it not for one player’s commitment.

A successful leap of faith demands our full commitment. Commitment helps you overcome adversity. It helps you ignore naysayers. It helps you stay the course when the powers of failure conspire against you. Without commitment, you will resort to hesitation and reservation; and no leap of faith can be accomplished under those circumstances.

Upon meeting with the rich young man, the Savior seemingly found a committed disciple. The rich man eagerly disclosed to Jesus that he had strictly followed all the commandments, even from his youth. For all intents and purposes, the young man had prepared his whole life to take his next leap.

“Yet lackest thou one thing”, added Jesus. “Sell all that thou hast, and distribute it to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.” (Luke 18:22)

With that one request, the resolve of the rich man fell apart. His devotion and commitment were replaced with doubt and reluctance. He had done all he could to prepare for his big leap of faith. Nevertheless, when the Lord called upon him to leap, he balked at the opportunity. His commitment, which once seemed so genuine, suddenly appeared fictitious.

In the end, the rich man’s half-hearted attempts did not supply him with enough power to achieve his true potential. Likewise, our half-hearted attempts will never produce the fruits of accomplishment and triumph. A person who stumbles, hesitates, and dithers will never complete a leap of faith. In contrast, a person who engages, hustles, and commits will always perform successful leaps of faith.

Habit 3: Reliance On Grace

In our recent travels this spring, we found ourselves at the end of a very long line of cars at the Sumas border crossing. The line moved slowly under the scrupulous watch of a strict Canadian border agent. But we were undeterred. Minutes earlier, we readied our passports and rehearsed our alibis. Just before we approached the border agent, I reminded Kara of the two rules to crossing the border: First, don’t speak unless spoken to. Second, don’t offer the agent more information than what he requests. With that final warning, we were prepared for anything.

“Where you folks headed to?” said the border guard as he greeted us.

“Vanderhoof British Columbia”, I responded.

At this point, the guard left his booth and closely inspected our Utah license plates. Once satisfied, he turned back and resumed his line of questioning.

“Do you have any tobacco or alcohol with you?” he continued.

“No, Sir.”

“Guns or firearms?”

“No, Sir”, I replied.

He asked a few more basic questions as he looked over our passports. I answered each one briefly and accurately. I grew more confident as his questions grew simpler. It appeared that we would once again enter Canada without incident.

While closing our passports, he issued one final question.

“Do you have any poultry or chicken on board?”

I opened my mouth to answer in the negative, but I was cut off by a nervous and fretful voice from behind me.

“Well,” started Kara, “our boy has a bottle of milk in the back with him…”

Tense silence followed her answer. With one brief sentence, Kara managed to violate both border crossing rules. Both the agent and I paused to stare at her. Neither of us knew what to say.

“What did milk have to do with poultry?” I wondered silently.

Unsure of how the agent would respond, I sat still and silent. From that point, Kara was on her own. The agent somberly lowered his head, looked past me, and glanced rigidly at Kara. Then, with all the professionalism and seriousness he possessed, he asked a follow-up question.

“Is it chicken milk?” he inquired.

Kara immediately recognized her error. Feeling embarrassed, she refused to answer the question. Meanwhile, I sat there laughing as the border agent returned our passports and ushered us past security. He had nothing further to say. Thanks to the good grace and humor of the border agent, we were able to continue without further delay.

A significant lesson came out of this experience. We can spend great efforts to prepare ourselves and commit ourselves to succeed, but our capabilities and experience may not be enough to get us where we want to be. We will make mistakes. When left to our own devices, those mistakes could easily hamper our success. Therefore, our success often depends heavily on the grace of others. When it comes to making leaps of faith, we must rely upon the grace of God to see us through to safety.

If there is one thing that I would have you understand about leaps of faith, it would be this: It is OUR responsibility to take the leap, but it is the LORD’S responsibility to prepare a safe landing.

The scriptures testify of this principle:

“…For I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them to accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.” (1 Nephi 3:7)

The Lord promises us success as we exercise our faith. Not success according to the world, but the success that can only be delivered through divine providence and the atonement of Jesus Christ.

To conclude, I would like to pose to you a question: What leaps of faith are you avoiding?

Do you withdraw your family from the community, fearing the powers of influence and temptation?

Do you waver in your conviction to serve in the church, knowing that it will require hard work?

Do you dismiss the idea of continuing your education, settling for the status quo?

Do you shy away from momentous changes, hoping that the world will change before you have to?

Do you dawdle in the present, distressing over the uncertainty of the future?

Historically, the Lord required leaps of faith from all his children. He demanded leaps of faith from the Israelites. He demanded many leaps from the Nephites. He demanded a leap of faith from the early pioneers. He also demands them from you.

Do not be content to stay in your comfort zone. Do not condemn yourself to mediocrity and stagnancy.  Instead, develop the habits of preparation, commitment, and the reliance on grace. Future generations will benefit from the leaps of faith that you are making, just as you have benefited from the leaps of faith undertaken by prior generations.