Man finds it hard to get what he wants, because he does not want the best; God finds it hard to give, because he would give the best, and man will

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2 Man finds it hard to get what he wants, because he does not want the best; God finds it hard to give, because he would give the best, and man will not take it. George MacDonald (A man who inspired C.S. Lewis.)[15]

3 BYU I HOPE Brigham Young University Rexburg, Idaho October 4, 2016 How to sell your contract in 24 hours page 11 When I know What I want but God Knows What I need page 2 19 Effortless Dating Ideas page 37

4 Devotional Summary Curtis Castillo I Know What I Want But, God Knows what I need. because of an addiction my father had to alcohol. There were other trials that came simply because we didn't have the gospel. Those trials affected us for years. That particular day, during the sacrament, I felt somewhat sorry for myself. I wished and wanted that life had been different. In my heart I cried to God, "Why didn't you give us what was good? Why did it have to be so bad?" Now, I didn't doubt in God's love for me or His plan of salvation--the macro plan. I did doubt, however, in the micro plan--the small plan He tailored for me. Do you ever feel that way? If you're like me, you know it's true, what Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught: "Having faith in the Father's macro plan of salvation includes making allowance for His micro plans as well."[2] However, sometimes you, or at least I, need a reminder that God "knoweth all things" and possesses a perfect understanding of my life, wants, needs, and desires.[3] Christian Church Marquee Signs Over the years, I've enjoyed reading marquee signs outside Christian churches. Sometimes they post messages that are fun or insightful. For example, during a particularly snowy winter, one pastor wrote, "Whoever keeps praying for snow, we're impressed. Now pray for world peace." "Honk if you love Jesus; text while driving if you want to meet Him." Another message said, "I was addicted to the hokey pokey thing, but I turned myself around." Some messages read as if God wrote them: "Keep using my name in vain; I'll make rush hour longer" or "What part of 'thou shalt not' didn't you understand?" One sign said, "Don't make me come down there!" If you and your roommates had a marquee sign and God wrote to you, what would He say? One thing He's said to me over the years is this: "You know what you want; I know what you need." Elder Richard G. Scott observed that when we ask God in prayer for things we want, it "does not assure that [we] will get what [we] want. It does guarantee that, if worthy, [we] will get what [we] need."[1] Why Did it have to be so BAD? Years ago while taking the sacrament with my wife and kids, I lamented about my younger years. My mother, sisters, and I experienced some severe trials in our home As I partook of the sacrament and thought, "Why didn't you give us what was good? Why did it have to be so hard?" I felt something. If I could put into words what I felt, God said it was this: "My son, you want what's good; I want what's best. What I gave was the best." In other words God was saying, "That was part of your plan to give you 'experience' and 'be for' your 'good.'"[4] One reason we sometimes struggle to trust that "all things work together for good to them that love God" (Romans 8:28) is because we can't see the end from the beginning. We can only see here and now. God, however, sees past, present, and future all at once. He told Moses, "All things are present with me, for I know them all."[5] "We are looked upon by God as though we were in eternity," Joseph Smith said.[6] Thus, what may look bad in the present may become something good in the future. For example, in this image you can see this young man push the other young man. What you can't see is if he pushes to hurt or help. Look at the expression on their faces and their body language. Does he want to hurt or help? Now let me show you the whole picture. Now what do you think? It's a good thing, right? Rather than pushing him to hurt, he's pushing him to help get him beyond the oncoming car. Joseph of Egypt If you take a snapshot of the life of Joseph who was sold into Egypt, and merely look at his younger years, it looks bad--especially when you consider he was in bondage for about 13 years. But when we pan across Joseph's whole life, we see that God wasn't punishing Joseph; He was preparing Joseph for something better. In Genesis 37 we learn that Joseph traveled to Dothan, the place where his brothers imprisoned him in an empty cistern and sold him to the Midianites. When you read Genesis 37, from the time Joseph arrives into Dothan until he's carried to Egypt, God seems to be missing. Timothy Keller observes, "There is no mention of God anywhere here. God never speaks.... God seems to be utterly, absolutely, completely absent.... Yet He must have been managing down to the [most minute] detail... all the awful..., all the terrible things, all the things that [seem] to make no sense."[7] God's seeming silence, however, is neither evidence of His absence nor of His lack of care. Yet I'm sure there were moments when Joseph thought that was a strange way for God to show His care. Perhaps he thought, "God, I just want to go home and be a shepherd." But God wanted Joseph to be more than a shepherd; He wanted him to be a viceroy--a ruler over Egypt. But even more than a shepherd or a viceroy, God wanted him to be a savior. Joseph would later tell his brothers, "God sent me before you to preserve you... and to save [you].... It was not you that sent me hither, but God.... Ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good."[11] Not only did God turn his brothers' evil into Joseph's good, but He was also "with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man.... And Joseph found grace in his sight.... And [God] shewed him mercy, and gave him favour."[12] Here's the lesson: even during the crucible of our lives, we can trust that God is aware of us. He is with us, and He will bless us. When doors closed in my life, other doors opened. One door that opened led me to become a seminary teacher for the Church Education System. It was an occupation that was ideal for my personality and family, and eventually it would bring me here to BYU-Idaho to teach in

5 the religion department--a move I consider the greatest blessing of my career. George MacDonald, a man who inspired C. S. Lewis, said, "Man finds it hard to get what he wants, because he does not want the best; God finds it hard to give, because He would give the best, and man will not take it."[15] Thus, we may have to be patient because "all things must come to pass in their time"--even understanding.[17] However, with the Savior's help we can learn to not only say, "Thy will be done[, Lord]," but patiently also, "Thy timing be done."[18] Although I know that, I forget sometimes-especially when I don't get what I want or what I think I need. In those moments, I need to remember what the Garden of Eden taught Eve. God said, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat, But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it.[19] I suspect there was an infinite number of trees in that garden. Since it was before the Fall, I suspect most of trees and plant life were edible. That being the case, it's interesting to note what Satan tempted Eve to focus upon: all the things she could have, or the one thing she couldn't. Right? The thing she couldn't have! Satan applies the same tactic to us. As I partook of the sacrament on that day years ago, rather than look at all the good things in my childhood that I did have, I looked upon the good things I didn't have. I overlooked all the goodness, love, and sacrifice my mom, Barbara, gave me and how she taught me to believe in God. That belief would sprout into a desire to know God when I was about your age. By focusing on the bad, I overlooked all the good in my dad, Curtis. He was good with kids, funny, a hard worker, and he loved me. I also overlooked my wonderful sisters, Anna and Beth. They helped me grow up, and loved me even though I was a stinker. To focus on the one figurative "tree," the seeming bad in our lives--whether past or present--blinds us from all that's good, all that God's given, and all He still gives. Conclusion I n conclusion, in light of all that I've said, permit me to share two more church marquee signs I saw recently. One said, "God help me to be the person my dog thinks I am," and the other sign said, "God is the potter, not Harry." God will help you to be not only what your dog thinks you are but what God knows you will be, because He's the potter. But remember, though, we know what we want, but "your Father knoweth what things ye have need," said Jesus.[20] So if something is shoving you on life's highway, maybe it's shoving you away from harm or toward what's good, better, or best. Remember, God cared for Joseph by hiding it. And even in His seeming absence, He's aware of us, and we can still prosper, like Joseph, and receive grace, mercy, and favor. So ask, seek, and knock in prayer; but remember, you may not get what you want but if you stay faithful, you will get what you need--and perhaps find in the end, like me, what you needed you would later discover was also what you wanted. I bear my testimony that God lives, and Jesus is the Christ, and They can manage my life so much better than I can. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. Notes: [1] Richard G. Scott, "Trust in the Lord," Ensign, Nov [2] Neal A. Maxwell, Lord, Increase Our Faith, 38. [3] 2 Nephi 9:20 [4] Doctrine and Covenants 122:7 [5] Moses 1:6 [6] Joseph Smith, Teachings, 356. [7] Sermon by Timothy Keller found at westloop-church.orgindex.phpmessagesold-testament 15-genesis79-the-hiddnness-of-god-genesis [8] Gordon J. Wenham, Genesis Vol. 2 of Word (1994). [9] Genesis 42:21 [10] 2 Kings 6:16 [11] Genesis 45:7-8; 50:20 [12] Genesis 39:2, 4, 21 [13] Spencer W. Kimball, "Small Acts of Service," Ensign, Dec [14] Matthew 7:7-11 [15] George MacDonald, The Complete Works of George MacDonald: Novels, Short Stories, Poetry, Theological Writings & Essays (e-artnow, 2015). [16] Burton, Christopher, Why Michigan, Ensign, Jan. 2015; emphasis added. [17] Doctrine and Covenants 64:32 [18] Neal A. Maxwell, "Plow in Hope," Ensign, Apr [19] Moses 3:16-17 [20] Matthew 6:8