Unchangeableness

Reading:   Lectures on Faith: Lecture Third 19-26

The lectures on Faith were classes of instruction given "... On the Doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, originally delivered before a Class of the Elders, in Kirtland, Ohio."

How important is the idea of never-changing?  Having recently endured another presidential election, it is easy to see the importance placed on taking a position and staying with it no matter how the tide flows.  In my own life, I can certainly see the impact friends and family have had on positions I once held as immovable; I have wavered in certain beliefs and practices because of outside pressures and have stayed solid as granite in other areas.  I point this out because I think that "unchangeableness" is the shining star of the characteristics the brethren chose to described God.  

To be without trepidation or doubt about ones choices or beliefs is, in my mind, impossible.  There are too many angles and perception is too biased for the beholder.  Only God can, without the bonds of peer pressure and doubt, see all, every angle, every possible outcome, every scenario and playbook.  He can stick to His course because He is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent.  There is no room for the possibility of change - God is all.  There is comfort in this knowledge because it gives credence to the object which I have faith in, which I gain power from.  That object isn't going anywhere - trust in that and increase faith!

LECTURE THIRD (21-22)

 21. But it is equally as necessary that men should have the idea that he is a God who changes not, in order to have faith in him, as it is to have the idea that He is gracious and long-suffering; for without the idea of unchangeableness in the character of the Deity, doubt would take the place of faith. But with the idea that He changes not, faith lays hold upon the excellencies in His character with unshaken confidence, believing He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that His course is one eternal round. 

22. And again, the idea that He is a God of truth and cannot lie, is equally as necessary to the exercise of faith in Him as the idea of His unchangeableness. For without the idea that He was a God of truth and could not lie, the confidence necessary to be placed in His word in order to the exercise of faith in Him could not exist. But having the idea that He is not man, that He cannot lie, it gives power to the minds of men to exercise faith in Him.  

I'm not saying it's impossible to be unchanging but again, without all the information, and I do mean "all", there is no way to be without doubt on most things.  New information is discovered, a brighter light shines on a subject, and boom, we change our view...there is nothing wrong with that, we aren't privy to "all" and need to be somewhat flexible to newness. I find it more constricting to hold beliefs so tight that alternate ideas can't be introduced.  Let go, ease up a little, let God be unchangeable and allow for the possibility that our knowledge is not complete and needs continual tweaking. 

In the early days polygamy was enacted, practiced, then rescinded; did God change? Also, in the early days, blacks were not given the priesthood and then, through divine proclamation, they were, did God change his mind? Of course not, he had all the information and directed his children accordingly.  In due time we may understand the reason but why over-think it now?  Spend more time and effort in cultivating your faith by allowing The Lord to tweak you in his own due time and in his own, all-knowing, course.  You will be better for it!

~Kipling