I Cry Unto My God in Faith

One thing that impresses me about Nephi is the way that he consistently turned to the Lord in faithful prayer when he was in times of need. When he needed to understand the things his father was teaching, he recorded, “Having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father” (1 Nephi 2:16). When his brothers tied him up and left him for dead, he “prayed unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethren; yea, even give me strength that I may burst these bands with which I am bound” (1 Nephi 7:17). He was miraculously delivered through that prayer of faith. When he was overcome with sorrow because of the vision he saw of the destruction of his people, and when his brethren were disputing with each other over the words of their father, he recorded, “I was overcome because of my afflictions, for I considered that mine afflictions were great above all, because of the destruction of my people, for I had beheld their fall. And it came to pass that after I had received strength I spake unto my brethren, desiring to know of them the cause of their disputations.” Most certainly that “strength” came through his fervent prayers to the Lord. In fact, to pray was the first thing that he encouraged his brothers to do, asking them, “Have ye inquired of the Lord?” (1 Nephi 15:5-8) Nephi knew how to inquire of the Lord, and it pained him to see that his brothers refused to do likewise.  

After Nephi and his family arrived at Bountiful on the shores of the sea, he was led by the Spirit to go into the mountain. He recorded, “And it came to pass that I arose and went up into the mountain, and cried unto the Lord” (1 Nephi 17:7). Those prayers led him to receive instructions from the Lord on how to build the ship, and he continued throughout that difficult process to go to the Lord in prayer: “And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things” (1 Nephi 18:3). He was able to accomplish great things because he first prayed with great faith in the Lord. When he was later tied up by his brethren on that ship he again turned to the Lord in prayer: “Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions” (1 Nephi 18:16). Once they finally let him go, Nephi sought the Lord in prayer for help against the storm: “And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord; and after I had prayed the winds did cease, and the storm did cease, and there was a great calm” (1 Nephi 18:21). Once in the promised land he struggled again with his brothers, and he pled with the Lord for His help: “O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?... O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies!... O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever” (2 Nephi 4:31-34). After recording these powerful words of prayer he summarized, “Behold, it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cry much unto the Lord my God, because of the anger of my brethren” (2 Nephi 5:1). Again and again, Nephi turned to the Lord in fervent prayer for help, and the Lord always heard him. Towards the end of his life he summarized how he prayed for his people: “But I, Nephi, have written what I have written, and I esteem it as of great worth, and especially unto my people. For I pray continually for them by day, and mine eyes water my pillow by night, because of them; and I cry unto my God in faith, and I know that he will hear my cry. And I know that the Lord God will consecrate my prayers for the gain of my people” (2 Nephi 33:3-4). He is an incredible example to us of praying with faith in times of need, and his words encourage us to likewise cry unto our God in faith in whatever struggles we are in.