An experience that taught me what “Charity never faileth” really means.

We’ve all been there. A thought to do something nice comes to your mind and within minutes you are thinking of all the reasons why maybe you shouldn’t go through with it.

What if it isn’t appreciated? What if someone else already thought of the same thing?  What if I am rejected? What if I somehow offend or annoy the person? What if I get overwhelmed because I already have enough on my to-do list? What if my action won’t really make any difference and is therefore pointless?   OR WORSE, what if the person thinks I’m a weirdo? I shudder to think!????????

What if?!

Oh, but what if all those things that came to my mind is just the adversary trying to prevent even the smallest kind act from happening?

What if my action is another piece of evidence to that person that the Lord loves them and is very aware of them?

You know those stories of when someone showed up at just the right moment? Yeah, sorry, I don’t have lots to tell of when I’ve been exactly what someone needed. As I think of it though, if we could have the view the Lord does, we would see how vital all our small acts of kindness really are. We would see how often we truly were exactly what someone needed.

A lesson in listening.

I did have one experience recently that surprised me. I was getting ready to head out of town when the thought came to me to reach out to someone and offer a very random service before I left. You guessed it, every single one of those “what ifs” came to my mind including the thought that this was cutting it too close to when I had to leave. I decided it was a good thought but it wasn’t going to work.

End of story right?  Not when the dang thought kept coming back to my mind over and over again. Thats the thing about Spirit, it can be pretty persistent. It must know exactly how I feel when I have to tell my kids to do something for the millionth time. Finally I decided,  “What can it hurt?! Just do it!”  Duh, I wished I had come that conclusion a lot earlier because now I was cutting it really close. Why do we do that to ourselves?

Butterflies and all I picked up the phone. I figured I’d be turned down but at least the “what ifs” would leave me alone. At first I was surprised, then humbled, and then I just laughed at myself. What a “coincidence!” Thats what she said at least. I knew it was a little more than coincidence. This random thought that popped into my mind happened to be the solution to something that came up just the day before.

A lesson in Charity.

I was so grateful for this experience but it really got me wondering why I don’t just act immediately when a good thought comes to my mind?  It would have been a lot easier to skip the exhausting back and forth in my brain and just DO!  I decided something must be missing in my understanding of charity.

So now, can I tell you something I’m a bit embarrassed to admit? I’ve lived 4 decades and just barely learned what the phrase “charity never faileth” means.

Charity is the pure love of Christ and so I always thought “charity never faileth” meant, no matter what, Christ will always love us. His love will never fail.

I even interpreted it slightly differently when I read a scripture with that phrase,

“Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.” 1 Corinthians 13:8

I interpreted that as, no matter what gifts we have the only thing that is everlasting and of utmost importance is that we have charity for others.

Yes, both these definitions of “charity never faileth” are correct but there was one very profound definition I have missed my whole life.  If I had known it, I probably wouldn’t constantly question good thoughts that came to my mind.

For weeks I had the question in my mind, “What does charity never faileth really mean?”  I almost forgot I had asked that question as I went on a family trip to Utah to go to the General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I sat in the conference center during the women’s session and listened to the most beautiful talks about service and charity.

As I heard Michelle D. Craig speak these words a light bulb finally went off.

“Never suppress a generous thought.” Sometimes when I have an impression to do something for someone, I wonder if it was a prompting or just my own thoughts. But I am reminded that “that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God.”
Whether they are direct promptings or just impulses to help, a good deed is never wasted, for “charity never faileth”–and is never the wrong response.

DING!

Charity Never Faileth: If you have a charitable thought DO IT despite all the “what ifs” that come to your mind because, even though you may never see the results,  your charitable deed WILL NOT FAIL. It can’t! We’ve been promised that!

I know what you are probably thinking. “Congratulations Amber, you finally figured out what most people already know.” But, there are so many different ways to see it…

Charity will never fail you so, IF ALL ELSE FAILS, TRY CHARITY!

If what you are doing now isn’t working, try charity.

If you don’t know what to do, try charity.

What do you feel like you are failing at?

Marriage?
Motherhood?
Friendship?
Church responsibilities?
Work?

I think I’ve felt like a failure in all these areas at one time or another.  Since charity will never fail, ask yourself how you can use it to find joy and success in these things?

OR what about…

If you are depressed
If you are angry at someone
If you can’t seem to forgive
If you are overwhelmed
If you focus on all the things you wish were different about yourself
If you’ve filled your life with too much “busyness”
If you need a friend
If you feel empty
If you have a problem that is pressing in on you

We often turn inward and focus on our own wants and needs as we seek success. We don’t realize it is that very thinking that is the cause of eventual failure.   Seek to know God’s love for you and others then share it through action. You just might be amazed with the results because “charity never faileth.”

What about you? Do you have a story about a time charity was the answer for a problem you were facing? Did someone’s else’s charity for you impact your life? Have you seen a small miracle because you followed through with a charitable thought?   I’d love to hear it! Share your story here.