Idaho faith: Let God prevail, and you become a helping instrument in his hands

A month or so ago I spotted a bumper sticker and announced to my husband, “There’s my next column.” The sticker read, “Let God Prevail.”

In the October 2020 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Russell M. Nelson urged members to let God prevail in their lives.

He then explained his discovery, with the help of two Hebrew scholars, that one of the Hebraic meanings of the word Israel is “let God prevail.” The name Israel, President Nelson said, “refers to a person who is willing to let God prevail in his or her life.”

President Nelson referenced the account in Genesis of Jacob’s wrestle with a serious challenge. In doing so, Jacob demonstrated that he was willing to let God prevail in his life, and God then changed Jacob’s name to Israel.

What does it mean to let God prevail? President Nelson describes it through a series of questions. “Are you willing to let God be the most important influence in your life? Will you allow his words, his commandments, and his covenants to influence what you do each day? ... Are you willing to have your will swallowed up in his?

“Are you willing to be an instrument in his hands?”

A decision to let God prevail in your life is not an easy one. It is a choice that must be made again and again, requiring faith and hard work. It requires developing new habits and new priorities.

But having made that choice, Elder Ciro Schmeil believes it is easy to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord. “We just need to be willing to let the Spirit guide us and have the courage to follow his promptings.”

Elder Schmeil tells of a text message his wife received from a sister in her home ward in Brazil. The woman wrote: “On one of the worst days of my life, I don’t know how I got to church. When I did, you saw me. You held my arm and told me to sit by you. I talked to you. You listened and counseled me.”

A simple conversation, but an opportunity to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord. Sister Schmeil felt prompted to listen and to offer comfort, and acted on that prompting, not knowing the effect on another’s life.

One of my favorite Old Testament accounts is of Esther, who was chosen by King Ahasuerus to be his queen. The scriptures tell us the king loved Esther above all women. He did not, however, know that she was Jewish.

Haman, one of the king’s advisers, plotted to destroy all the Jews. Mordecai, Esther’s cousin, learned of Haman’s plan and urged Esther to speak to the king, though doing so would involve great personal risk to her. Mordecai encouraged her, saying, “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14

“If I perish, I perish,” she said, and went in to the king without being summoned — an offense punishable by death. Her bravery allowed her to influence the king and led to a decree sparing the Jews. A life of obedience had prepared her to let God prevail.

The Lord placed Esther where she needed to be for his purpose. So, too, the Lord puts us where we can help fulfill his purposes. We each have a role to play and each role is important. We need to be ready when an opportunity presents. Making the choice to let God prevail is the first step.

To act as God would have us do, we need to learn more about him, study the scriptures and learn to hear his voice. When we make that choice, many decisions become easier as we work to become the person we want to be. We can seek his support, praying for strength to withstand temptation and to know his will for us. We can work to recognize spiritual promptings.

Then, when opportunity presents itself, we are ready to act as an instrument in his hands.

Glenna M. Christensen is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Idaho Statesman’s weekly faith column features a rotation of writers from many different faiths and perspectives.