Struggling Against the Lord

As I read the story of the people of King Limhi this morning a simple thought popped into my head.  The people of King Limbo were in bondage to the Lamanites who taxed them heavily and for all intents and purposes generally made there everyday lives pretty miserable. This state of being came about over time as they ignored the commandments of the Lord and did not live according to His statutes. In verse 24 of Mosiah 7 we read where King Limhi is speaking to his people

Yeah, I say unto you, great are the reasons which we have to mourn; for behold how many of our brethren have been slain and their blood has been spilt in vain, all because of iniquity.

As King Limhi's people were in bondage they had a desire to reprice their burdens. Therefore they went to war with the Lamanites on more than one occasion. Each time they lost and lost many of their brethren. All because they were living the way that they should have been living. After they have been sufficiently humbled and begin to live according to the Lords commandments the Lord heard their cries and sent Ammon from Zarahemla to help them. He devised a plan to get the Lamanite guards drunk on a certain night and then at night all of the people were able to escape without the shedding of blood.

This here is a great example to me of the difference of trying to do things without the Lords help and then with his help. When they were living wickedly, they were not able to escape because they did not have the Lord with them, and they suffered great losses trying to fight the Lords will. When they listened to the Lord and followed his commandments, they were able to easily escape and not a single soul was lost. This is a great reminder of the importance of always staying close to the Lord and following his commandments.