Faith in Action | 1 Nephi 3:7

Heavenly Father does not ask us to do anything without providing the means to accomplish it, but this promise requires faith and trust in Him. The Lord is using Nephi as an example to teach me how He will provide a way. In this example, it took Nephi three tries to get the plates of brass:

1. The Lord will reveal his will (1 Nephi 3:11). Casting lots--similar to rolling dice or flipping a coin--was thought anciently to be a way of revealing the will of the Lord. This approach takes faith and an open heart. It may come as a voice of warning or a scripture that jumps out at me. These were extraordinary times and Laman seemed to be the most equipped for this kind of negotiation so the hand of God seemed to be with them. However, Laban had his free will and chose to go against the will of God.
2. Study it out in your mind and choose an appropriate path and then move forward with faith (1 Nephi 3:23-24). This path takes faith, pondering, and action. I can use this method by studying the situation out in my mind and then through quiet meditation go to the Lord for direction. Again, Laban used his free will to go against God. How often have I gone against His will and become a hindrance to others and their answer to prayer?
3. Total reliance on the Lord and His Spirit (1 Nephi 4:5-6). This may seem like #1 on the surface, but it is far from it—it takes total faith and trust in the Lord. Nephi had no plan or knowledge of what the Lord want him to do, but the Lord revealed His will one step at a time. Heavenly Father wants me to be self-reliant but to be truly self-reliant I must learn to fully trust Him and trust that He will reveal His will to me. In other words, I can't trust in myself without the spiritual backing of the Lord. However, in order to have that backing, I must trust Him completely and be willing to do His will no matter what. Laban was not given a choice this time—the Lord provided a way for Nephi to accomplish His work.

It will take work and it may take different avenues but the Lord will ALWAYS provide a way. On the other side, the Lord may give me several chances to follow His will but if I become a hindrance then He will work around me and I will be denied the blessings He had in store for me.