I had this question come to my mind recently, and it has completely reframed how I, an already devoted Christian, have seen some issues in my life.

Do I really, really believe that following commandments, keeping covenants, and living by certain principles will make me a better person?

Or do I sometimes think that I know better?

We talk a lot about this idea of having the law “written upon our hearts”.

Really believing Jesus with our whole heart.

Jeremiah taught the same idea:

“But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:33)

But what does it really mean to have the law, the commandments, our covenants, written in our hearts?

I think it means being able to wholeheartedly answer that first question with a resounding YES.

Believing that 5 more minutes of being in the scriptures and communing with God is better for my life than 5 more minutes of sleep.

Trusting that taking that first awkward step toward reconciliation is better than sitting in contention.

Knowing that turning off that TV show will be better for my soul than the few fleeting moments of entertainment.

Hoping that attending the temple will far outweigh anything else I could be doing during that time.

I would bet that the majority of people “know” with our minds that it’s good to keep the commandments.

It’s good to follow God’s law and keep our covenants.

But Jeremiah is encouraging us to think…

Do we REALLY, deep down, in our hearts, believe that life is better with Jesus?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Better with Jesus? first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Which somehow immediately signaled to my children that this was now a toy to play with.

I looked over from my prep work and saw them jumping on the foot pedal and slamming the lid up and down.

“Hey, please stop playing with the trash can like that! You’re going to break the trash can or one of you is going to get hurt.”

Within 5 seconds of me saying that, the howl of pain came.

My daughter’s toe got a nice little cut on it from the foot pedal on the trash can that started bleeding all over the floor.

I immediately stopped what I was doing and helped her get comfortable, cleaned up the mess, and cuddled with her after the bandaid had been put on.

My heart was filled with compassion for this cute little girl who just wanted to have fun, ignored mom’s warnings, and was now having to deal with the painful consequences.

It’s tough being 4 years old and figuring out how the world works.

And I have to imagine that our Heavenly Father feels that to an even greater degree.

He sees us downplaying commandments, skipping the small but important things, and placing our value in things that don’t last.

And yet what does He do?

“But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.” (Lamentations 3:32)

He has compassion on us in our own self-inflicted suffering.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Self-inflicted struggles first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

My two year old proudly (and loudly) said that after taking his piece of bread for the sacrament recently.

I quietly whispered that we needed to wait for them to finish passing the bread and then bless the water.

“I am thirsty!”

My little boy was thinking very practically— he was thirsty, and so he wanted the water.

When our bodies are thirsty, this natural sort of longing occurs.

I weirdly wake up super thirsty every single morning and immediately chug my water bottle that I leave right by my bed.

And when I’ve been outside in the hot desert summer, I get desperate for a cold drink to cool me down.

This is similar to what I feel when I’m going through a different kind of struggle or trial— I just want that relief.

I want the struggle to be gone.

I want to relax and feel all better.

But I’ve realized that the Lord often doesn’t just take away our struggles.

He doesn’t usually take us out of the Sun permanently, shielding us from any discomfort forever and ever.

He instead gives us that nourishment, that replenishment that we need in order to make it just another day.

“For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.” (Jeremiah 31:25)

He gives us that living water.

That everlasting drink that helps our souls hold on just a little bit longer.

That push of energy to grow a little bit more.

That source of life.

Every week. Every day. 

We need that water.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post The everlasting replenishment first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I’ve been part of large events that get cancelled or dramatically changed just days beforehand.

I’ve forgotten a really important grocery item at the store.

I’ve asked someone else to do something and they’ve done it completely differently than what I was intending.

I’ve had someone get sick and not be able to do something we had been looking forward to for a long time.

Mortal life is filled with all sorts of things that “go wrong”, from small but still obnoxious errors, to big dramatic changes that are stressful and sometimes even heartbreaking.

Things weren’t supposed to happen like this!

When Jeremiah was a prophet, he was asked by the Lord to have his scribe record some important prophecies.

But then the king took the scroll with Jeremiah’s revelations and burned it, piece by piece!

What?!

The Lord ASKED for these to be written down, and now they were quite literally gone in flames.

But God knew what was going to happen.

“Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll”. (Jeremiah 36:28)

And then the Lord gave Jeremiah even MORE new revelation to include!

Isn’t it comforting to know that nothing comes as a surprise to God?

He knew what the king would do, and He had a plan in place to keep these important prophecies preserved.

People still have their agency.

I’m sure the Lord hoped the king wouldn’t burn Jeremiah’s writings.

And maybe He hoped that the people around you would have made better choices, too.

But He still isn’t even surprised.

In fact, it seems to be these kind of moments when God works His greatest miracles. He rains down blessings even more. He softens our hearts at just the right moment.

Nothing is a surprise for the Lord.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post No surprises first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.