True Stability

I think stability is something that everybody seeks to have in their life on a regular basis. Whether it is sought after consciously or subconsciously I think it can be categorized in the ‘basic needs’ of our life. As humans we like to have a feeling of security in consistency and a strong footing on a solid foundation. When things aren’t stable in our life we tend to reach out and grasp onto anything and everything that is secure, whether that is a significant individual in our life, our beliefs and/or religion, or a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream; whatever it is it differs for all of us.

Firm. Permanence. Without Change. Dependability. Steadfastness. Constancy. Balance. Strength. Steadiness. Reliability. Solid.

What things are in your life that brings these elements of stability? How does the world offer stability in our lives? Can we offer stability to others? If so, how? Are the characteristics that make you up stable? Is there anything in this life that offers us complete, consistent, 100% stability without fail?

On a macro scale, it seems like the more I think about worldly stability the more I realize the lack thereof. Governments, food/gas prices, education, agriculture, industry, businesses, international affairs, etc. These are all things, plus much more, that we can’t rely on and that aren’t consistent. They fluctuate on a day to day basis and often times can’t even be predicted leaving us guessing and wondering. But in the midst of all this instability around us we have seemed to adapt because it is a way of life. Or maybe it’s the fact that it’s too big to put our hands around to make any kind of difference, even if we did try. Or maybe it is that we are trying to gain stability on a micro level – in our personal and family lives – that even attempting to gain stability on a macro level is totally beyond us so we leave it to the big dogs to take care of it. But how much can we rely on them….?

Gaining stability on a micro level comes from many different avenues ranging from people in our life to personal beliefs/religion, to materialism (and many other unmentioned ways). But even these things can bring some fluidity too. People come and go in our lives either as a natural way of life, or they can also be taken from us at a moments notice. They can bring stability to our lives for a time and that time can vary from a little to years upon years. Can people still bring stability when they have gone from our life?

When I have certain kinds of days one materialistic thing that I like to reach for is Ben & Jerry’s Half Baked ice cream. I find great comfort in absorbing myself in the melted mixture of vanilla and chocolate ice cream with chunks of brownie and cookie dough. But the pint of ice cream is only so big and will only last for so long. And there is even the possibility of the grocery store being sold out of it when I go to indulge myself in this emotional ritual. Materialistic stability seems like an oxy-moron because it can only temporarily satisfy our momentary cravings by bringing about a false sense of hope for something solid, sure, and unchanging. No matter how much we reach materialistic things it never seems to ever fulfill us, but rather turns some of us into addicts and throws us into a cycle of material spending.

On the other side of materialistic stability we have such items like houses, appliances, water, electricity, heat, etc. that we heavily rely upon. We think of these things as stable in our life because they seem to always be there; the light always turns on when we flip the switch, the water runs from the faucet when we twist the knob, with the push of a button or two we can heat or cool the house, the twist of a dial we can wash and dry our clothing or wash our dishes. As a storm passed through Rexburg the other day and my power went out I realized again how unstable the things we have everyday that we take for granted can be gone in an instant. And if we aren’t prepared for disaster like this even more instability will enter our lives because we then turn to survival mode.

Think of all the natural disasters that happen around the world on a large scale – earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis – as well as the many smaller natural disasters that happen in our neighborhoods – house fires, crop lands/live stock failing, flooding, etc. The lists could go on and on!

The world is changing. Our towns, cities, and neighborhoods are changing. People come and go. There is so much fluidity in our lives it seems like grasping for any kind of stability is near impossible. Where can we find it?

The gospel of Jesus Christ offers us the complete, consistent, 100% stability we need in our life. The God of heaven is an unchanging God. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He has created laws, commandments, and given us promises that are never changing and that bring assurances that can never be doubted. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are the foundation that we must plant our feet upon to gain true and everlasting security.

“For I know that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity” (Moroni 8:18).

“And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall” (Helama 5:12).

What an amazing promise! If we build upon Jesus Christ he promises us that we won’t fall. What more stability could you ask for? Who more can you rely upon than our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ? There is no other thing or person that gave give us the complete stability in our life that they can and offer to us. They will always be there; they will never forsake us. They will always be there to listen to us when there is no other listening ear. They will answer our pleas, cries, and prayers. They will bless us with our individual needs that nobody else could ever fulfill in our life. They are there in the most loneliest times in our lives, as well in the times we are surrounded by the many people that love us. They know our joys and sorrows, our pain and rejoicing, our dreams, desires, wants, fears, strengths, weaknesses. They bless us with every thing we have – down to the very breath we breathe. They “[preserve] you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another” (Mosiah 2:21). They are our all in everything!

“And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved.” (Omni 1:26).

If we come unto Them, the most firm, dependable, steadfast, constant, reliable, solid, and stable Beings, they will give us all they have, even the heavens and eternities above!