One of the earliest recollections I have where my trust in God was put to the test occurred when I was 14 years old. My father had a rather routine operation and returned home to recuperate. Complications soon followed and he returned to the hospital for follow-up surgery. In the process of this surgery an accident occurred and toxic material was spilled into his abdominal cavity. This sent my father into shock and he died the next day. This was, of course, a devastating blow to our family.

Photo courtesy Clyde Williams

Composite photograph of James Kenneth Williams' family was created in 1964, a few months after he unexpectedly died.

The evening of the day he died four of my uncles gave me a priesthood blessing. To this day I remember clearly the peace of mind that came over me. I do not ever remember having angry feelings, or questioning why Heavenly Father would allow this to happen. With four other young siblings, it was clear that we needed our father, and yet it was not to be. Rather than questioning why God allowed this to happen, I have been blessed to see ways that the Lord compensated our family and my mother, enabling her to raise her young family without her eternal companion.

It was at this time in my life that I began to understand what it meant to trust in the Lord.

This understanding has come to me incrementally. It came through study, prayer, experience and by revelation.

The plan of salvation teaches us that in our pre-mortal life we were taught and prepared for our experience in mortality. The fact that we are here on the earth is evidence that we trusted our Heavenly Father and His plan for us. Obviously, Lucifer and those who followed him became arrogant and trusted in their own wisdom and judgment rather than in God's. It cost them every eternal opportunity that might have been theirs.

In contrast, Jehovah trusted in his Father and willingly volunteered to accept the key role in the Father's plan. The Savior's trust in His Father not only blessed Him and His Father, but ultimately it blessed all of Father's children.

This pattern is not unique to the Savior. When we personally choose to trust in God, we are blessed because of that decision. In the words of President Ezra Taft Benson: "Men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace" (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p. 361).

The Lord strengthens and magnifies us far beyond our own capabilities. In this process we are not the only ones who are blessed. The Father is blessed because one more of his children will be returning home to Him, which is His work and His glory (see Moses 1:39). Our children are blessed by our trusting in God because they can learn from and follow our example and this in turn will lead to eternal associations as a family and the blessing of eternal offspring. In life, our willingness or unwillingness to trust in God is often exposed by two extremes.

First, we may face severe tests of our faith by virtue of unexplained tragedies or suffering. In these circumstances we are either drawn closer to the Lord or our minds become full of despair and doubts cloud our view.

Secondly, when things are going smoothly, prosperity and lack of cares can lead to indifference toward God and our dependence upon him diminishes.

The decision in whom to trust is ultimately a dichotomy. We either trust in God or we consciously or unconsciously trust in the arm of flesh.

With the advancements that man has made in science, technology and knowledge, it is ever easier for mankind to displace their trust in God and lean upon the wisdom of men. This is unfortunate, especially since it is God who created us "and is preserving [us] from day to day, ... that [we] may live and move and do according to [our] own will" (Mosiah 2:21). Furthermore, the danger here is that we offend God, for this is the case with "those who confess not his hand in all things" (D&C 59:21). As Nephi warned: "cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm" (2 Nephi 4:34).

Ultimately, we come to trust those we know. For example, by experience and association we develop a relationship with a doctor or other skilled professionals. We learn we can trust their advice or their judgment. Thus we turn to them in the time of our need.

More importantly, this should be the way our relationship with God develops. As we draw close to Him, by studying his word and observing his hand in our life and the lives of others, we develop a relationship which leads us to trust Him and follow His Son's example. This process is of no short duration.

In the words of Elder Neal A. Maxwell: "Coming to 'put our trust in the living God' is not the work of a day or a season. Instead, this mortal school continues to the very end, when the final school bell rings for each of us" (That Ye May Believe, p. 33.) Given the world in which we now live, the counsel from these words of scripture have never been needed more: "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6).

— Clyde J. Williams of the Mount Jordan 7th Ward, Sandy Utah Mount Jordan Stake. is the assistant director of the Evaluation Divison, Church Correlation Department.