Several times throughout the Book of Mormon, the Lord repeats this promise: “Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land.”
That may give us the expectation that if we live the gospel, we will be blessed with happiness, money, and good health.
However, on an episode of the All In podcast, former Brigham Young University religion professor Camille Fronk Olson points out that, if we look at the promise’s exact wording, prosper may not mean what we think it does. In fact, its true definition may be bigger and better.
We Don’t Believe in Prosperity Theology
Camille explains that the restored gospel of Jesus Christ does not support prosperity theology, meaning we don’t believe that God automatically grants financial and physical well-being to His believers.
Even so, we may still have specific expectations for how we think God should bless us.
“It’s really easy to fall into that idea that God is bound to give you what you pray for,” Camille says.
But when we see that righteous people in the Book of Mormon still experienced hardship, war, and familial discontent, we can understand that prosperity doesn’t equate to success in all things. For example, Camille recalls something one of her friends heard from a Russian convert: “I read the Book of Mormon every year so that I don’t forget that bad things happen to good people.”
A Different Definition of Prosperity
Let’s reexamine God’s full promise to Lehi and his descendants:
“Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; but inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence.”
Camille sees this promise as an equation—if being cut off from the Lord’s presence is the opposite of prospering, then prospering equals being blessed with the Lord’s presence.
“He’ll open the windows of heaven,” Camille says. “He doesn’t throw down money from heaven on you. He pours out revelation. He pours out inspiration. He pours out guidance and direction and help. Prospering in the land [means] not being cut off from His Spirit. It’s being connected to Him.”
The Greater Blessing
Though keeping the commandments may not grant us the blessings we would prefer, having the companionship of the Spirit can still bless us in unexpected ways.
“No matter how old you are, you look back in life and you recognize blessings that come from listening to the Lord,” Camille says. “And oftentimes at first, they’re not what you would immediately think of because they’re not obvious outward blessings. But they are what we need at the exact time we need them, and they put us on a path where God sees that we will be the most fulfilled and where we can do the most good.”
Sorrow and disappointment can become our greatest blessings because they can turn us to our Savior. Camille shares:
“I believe we knew it from the very beginning that this would be a time where we would learn sorrow. It’s in those times of difficulty and hardship that we recognize we don’t have the answers, that He is the one [who] has them.
“Sometimes I can get talking, and it sounds like [it’s] easy to put your trust in Him. I’d just say it becomes easier.”
Regardless of all that does or doesn’t happen in our lives, one promise is always constant: if we keep the commandments, we will be blessed with God’s love and presence. This is the greatest blessing of all, better than money, health, and untainted happiness. It’s a blessing that saves our very souls.
As Jesus Christ said to His followers in Doctrine and Covenants 84,
“I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.”
More articles for you:
▶ The question to ask yourself when it feels like God withholds an answer
▶ 3 words to remember when you can’t seem to feel God’s love
▶ This music video will help you face your trials with more faith
Finding our way through unmet expectations
Available at Deseret Book, deseretbook.com, and via Bookshelf+.
