A Way to Escape

To my daughter, 

                Today I want to write to you about overcoming temptation and negative feelings. Living in a large family with lots going on, there is naturally a lot of tension that occurs and sometimes you might get angry at how you feel you are being treated by others. I want you to know that it is okay to feel frustrated or angry or tempted to do mean things to others. These are all natural feelings that we experience due to the stresses of life. What is important is what we do with those feelings, whether we choose to get rid of them as quickly as possible or whether we choose to feed them by acting out negatively. I want you to know that you always have the choice and no matter what happens to you, you can choose to respond as Jesus would. Paul taught this, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). In other words, God won’t give you a temptation that you can’t overcome; He won’t give you trials that you can’t get through with faith in Him. There will always be a way to “escape” the temptation and choose not to follow your negative feelings. When you are tempted to steal treats you aren’t supposed to have, you can choose to eat something else instead. When you are tempted to yell at your parents because you are frustrated, you can choose to speak respectfully instead. When you are tempted to fight with your siblings, even if they are being rude towards you, you can choose to walk away.

Alma taught us one of the most important ways to deal with temptation as he taught the people of Gideon. He said, “But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering” (Alma 7:28). When we have bad feelings towards others, when we are tempted to be mean, when we want to do something wrong, we should humbly pray to our Father in Heaven and ask Him for His help to not be tempted above our capacity to bear. The Lord gave us the same invitation in a revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith: “Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work” (Doctrine and Covenants 10:5). We need to pray always for God’s help to escape the temptations of Satan and to come off conqueror. I want you to know that I know this is true. When I have faced my own challenges and temptations, as I have prayed to God I know that He has strengthened me and helped me to change my feelings and soften my heart. I have sometimes heard the phrase in our home when someone has done something wrong, “I can’t help it!” I hope you never say that; instead say, “I can help it with God’s help!” As you pray with all your heart for the Lord to help you, He will and you can always choose the right no matter what frustration you feel inside.

Love, 

Dad