I can see the picture in my head, and I would look ridiculous.

I can imagine others looking at me with all my armor on.

“That looks so restrictive!”

“How do you have any fun with that stuff on?!”

“What are you preparing for? Nobody is coming.”

Similarly, to keep God’s spiritual armor on, I’m trying to learn truths, share the gospel, keep the Spirit with me, be righteous, and increase my faith daily.

It’s a lot of work to actively decide to wear it every single day.

So why do I choose to put that armor on and keep it on?

“Wherefore, lift up your hearts and rejoice, and gird up your loins, and take upon you my whole armor, that ye may be able to withstand the evil day, having done all, that ye may be able to stand.” (D&C 27:15)

It’s all more than worth it when the tough times come zooming at me all at once, and my time for preparation is suddenly gone.

When the health challenges, the huge life decisions, the sorrows, the heartbreaking events, and the overwhelming days start piling on…

I’m grateful for the heavy suit of armor I’ve built around myself.

Sure, the armor might seem restrictive to an outsider.

But when the fiery darts start to come, as they always do, boy, am I grateful for my preparation of spiritual armor.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Heavy armor first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I’ve had this experience recently, and I’ve been praying constantly for how to help solve this person’s problems so that they aren’t in so much pain.

But the impression that keeps coming back to my mind is: “This is their trial to deal with. What you can do is support and love and lift.”

And I’ve taken that to heart.

I can’t take away the trial or the pain or the heartache.

But I can love and support and lift this person through little acts of service, communication, heart-to-heart conversations, and lots of prayer.

So often, the story of Moses raising his hands in prayer to help the Israelites win their first battle in the wilderness is interpreted one specific way.

But these words touched my heart as I read Exodus 17:12:

“But Moses’ hands were heavy;

“and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon;

“and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side;

“and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.”

Two friends.

One of them a brother, in fact.

Staying by Moses’ side until the sun set.

They couldn’t take away the heavy task that had been given to Moses, of staying with his hands raised in prayer.

But they knew that they could be there to love, support, and lift.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Lifting the heavy hands first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.