How many fingers do you see?

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In the 1998, a film called Patch Adams was produced. The film was about a doctor who went through self discovery. In it there is a scene where the doctor's hand is grabbed by the patient, and he boldly asks Doctor Adams, "How many fingers do you see, Ed?" The doctor says four as he refers to his own four fingers. The patient saw the solution and pointed out that the Doctor was wrong. There is an exchange and the Doctor (played by Robin Williams) sees what the patient (played by Harold Gould)  sees, all the fingers.

Satan wants us to think we are the problem and not sin, and by getting rid of ourselves, we solve things, but that is not so. We are not the sins commuted as much as dirt is on clothes are not the clothes are not the clothes themselves. Christ wants us to see Him in our lives, but as much as He is holding our hands and whispering through the Holy Ghost's comforting words, we seem at times not to harken (profoundly and deeply listen) or behold (to watch with full intent). We let the coolness distract us, or troubles overwhelm us so that when Christ takes our hand and says to us, "How many fingers do you see, son... daughter..." We can start to see eight, His hand in ours, and that He has been here the whole time.

When I saw the film back in the day, I marveled at how such a scene changed the man. He began to see people and solutions, not problems and sickness. Our Savior sees us as the same. He doesn't look to heal the ailments that are in our way but to heal us, sometimes in our ailments, so that we look beyond our ailments and see Him. The scriptures are full of examples of simple men who have trouble but see the Savior in their lives. 

Sometimes, like a parent who loses their child in a mall, we wander off and lose our way; we lose the vision of what God has in store for us. We then have to rediscover the Plan for us, rediscover the scriptures or Atonement, and work on our spirits to behold and harken like the prophets. It takes time. Maybe we wondered because, not of sin, but career, family, injury, or just grew apart. I would encourage you to reconnect with God. Go back to the fundamentals, namely faith, repentance, covenant renewal, and prayer. Build the spiritual muscles you know you have and reconnect with a loving parent looking for you. Call out so He can hear you. Remember the words of the Centurion, "I believe, help me, my unbelief."

Have a great week. You got this.