The Windows of Heaven

So I just read and listened to this absolutely amazing talk from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints General Conference. The talk was given by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. It is titled The Windows of Heaven.

This was a beautiful reminder of the value and blessings of paying tithing and a reminder that the Lord uses the tithing of his people to bless the Church, but it is used in inspired ways.

I guess what really struck me about this article is how Elder Bednar spoke of the blessings we receive from paying our tithing faithfully. We are promised if we:

 10  Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

11  And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.

12  And all nations shall call you blesses: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.

Malachi 3:10-12

But Elder Bednar emphasized that though we may receive spiritual and temporal blessings they are not always in the ways that we expect.  "We may need and pray for help to find suitable employment. Eyes and ears of faith are needed, however to recognize the spiritual gift of enhanced discernment that can empower us to identify job opportunities that many other people might overlook--or the blessing of greater personal determination to search harder and longer for a position than other people may be able or willing to do. We might want and expect a job offer, but the blessing that comes to us through heavenly windows may be greater capacity to act and change our own circumstances rather than expecting our circumstances to be changed by someone or something else.

"We may appropriately desire and work to receive a pay raise in our employment to better provide the necessities of life. Eyes and ears of faith are required, however, to notice in us an increased spiritual and temporal capacity to do more with less, a keener ability to prioritize and simplify, and an enhanced ability to take proper care of the material possessions we already have acquired. We might want and expect a larger paycheck, but the blessing that comes to us through heavenly windows may be greater capacity to change our own circumstances rather than expecting our circumstances to be changed by someone or something else."

These words have struck me with such a feeling of truth and power that makes me want to change the way I look at the blessings I receive from paying my tithing. I must actively search for how the Lord has blessed me instead of focusing on what I don't have or appear to have and find the "greater capacity to change [my own] circumstances."

I encourage everyone to read this talk as it will inspire and uplift and hopefully encourage us to look for the blessings and make positive changes in our lives accordingly.