I did struggle for a few days with that scripture - 2 Nephi 5:21. In fact, I kept rereading it every night for a few nights thinking that by really paying attention I might come to understand what was going on there. After a few nights I finally gave up, sort of.
I just pressed on.
It didn't get better, in fact it just got worse, talking about the Lamanites being a scourge to the Nephites (of course, that prophesy is fulfilled over and over again in the Book of Mormon).
But then, quite abruptly, the talk about the cursed Lamanites stops, and suddenly Nephi feels it is pertinent to include here that he is making this record by the commandment of God, and that he is trying to write things that are pleasing to Him.
Then Nephi writes, "And if my people are pleased with the things of God they will be pleased with mine engravings which are upon these plates."
And suddenly, that knot left in my stomach by 2 Nephi 5:21 unwound itself, and I felt peace.
Why?
Because I am pleased with the things of God (most of the time). And so, I can be pleased with (or my soul can delight in) that controversial verse in 2 Nephi chapter 5 in the Book of Mormon. Especially after writing out all my thoughts in the previous post (a post which I thought about writing when I first read the verse, but the thoughts weren't complete yet) I now feel comfortable, even happy, with that verse.
God doesn't make bad things happen, but He knows bad things will happen, and He also knows how to protect us from the potentially spiritually damaging side effects of those bad things - but we have to obey Him, and come unto Him, and be saved by the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ whom He sent.
What examples can you think of where the Lord has protected good people from the effects of wickedness? What about times when He has allowed wicked men to affect the wicked? How can we protect ourselves (and our families) from the wickedness in the world?
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Every time there is a war there are both good people being protected from wicked and good people being affected by the wicked. I always think of Corrie Ten Boom and being grateful for the fleas in the concentration camp. Wicked is in the world. We need the opposition. We need scourges, resistance, to fight against so that we develop strength and remain strong. We can't protect ourselves and our families from all wickedness. Bad things may happen. It's terrifying. What we can do is arm ourselves with obedience against the influence of wicked things, so that we have the Spirit. we make righteous choices and can gain strength and keep perspective in wicked times.
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