Doing the Right Thing is Never a Waste

In Acts Chapter 3, there is a story of a man who was born lame who had his friends or family bring him to the gates of the temple every day. He most likely had no idea that if he kept going to the temple long enough, a man would walk up to him and miraculously heal him. After forty years of no healing for his legs he had likely given up any hope of walking in this life. But he kept coming back to the temple anyway because even if there was no healing for his legs, he could at least be near to his God. We may face problems, perhaps for years and decades with no relief and no hope in sight. It may seem illogical or a waste of time to continue reading scriptures and partaking of the sacrament and going to the temple when our good deeds don’t earn us enough heavenly brownie points to unlock the miracle we’ve been praying and waiting so long for. And while always abounding in good works is no guarantee for specific miracles, it is still the surest path to the most peace and happiness and fulfillment in this life. If we keep coming back to the scriptures, and to church, and to the temple day after day and week after week, we will be spiritually fed and healed and uplifted and sustained and maybe one day, we might just get that miracle we gave up hope on.