This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Sunday Morning Session of the April 2011 Conference.
So many good talks this session. Elders Uchtdorf and Bednar both gave classics. But the talk I thought about most was by Elder Paul V. Johnson of the Seventy. He talked about the consecrating process of going through trials, and started off with that Orson F. Whitney quote I've always liked that says "“No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. … All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable. … It is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire.” Then Elder Johnson says,
At times it may seem that our trials are focused on areas of our lives and parts of our souls with which we seem least able to cope. Since personal growth is an intended outcome of these challenges, it should come as no surprise that the trials can be very personal—almost laser guided to our particular needs or weaknesses. And no one is exempt, especially not Saints striving to do what’s right.
That's actually kind of a hard saying. Trials that target our most vulnerable places? Burdens with which we seem least able to cope? Is that cruel of Heavenly Father? Of course I know it isn't. But it's definitely a pattern that requires us to trust Him. It goes right along with Elder Eyring's statement last week that God is "strengthening us to bear the weight of eternal life." I think about this all the time. Do I trust God, or don't I? My usual excuse is "I trust Him but I don't trust myself." But that's dumb. Trusting Him is also trusting Him to get me where I need to go. And how He's doing that is partly through these personal, laser-guided trials meant to strengthen my soul exactly where it needs strengthening!
I liked that Elder Johnson acknowledged this:
In the midst of problems, it is nearly impossible to see that the coming blessings far outweigh the pain, humiliation, or heartbreak we may be experiencing at the time.
Nearly impossible! True. But his implication is that we still have to try to see it. It's hard, but searching for the blessings is something we do for our own sakes—to give us hope and perspective.
The Apostle Paul taught, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” It is interesting that Paul uses the term “light affliction.” This comes from a person who was beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, imprisoned, and who experienced many other trials. I doubt many of us would label our afflictions light. Yet in comparison to the blessings and growth we ultimately receive, both in this life and in eternity, our afflictions truly are light.
Clearly Elder Johnson can read my mind:
Sometimes we want to have growth without challenges and to develop strength without any struggle. But growth cannot come by taking the easy way.…We must be careful that we don’t resent the very things that help us put on the divine nature.
As I was just writing about, I really DO resent those things too often. I get so frustrated with the parts of life that interrupt and disrupt all my lofty thoughts and good intentions! Of course I know that the mundane acts are important. It's important to discipline a child with love. It's important to create an environment of order and peace. It's important to shop for food to feed our family. It's important to make dinner and teach cooking skills to my "dinner helper." But, as I was crying out to Heavenly Father in frustration today, those things only FEEL important when they go well! When they go badly—the discipline fails, the chaos conquers, the food disappoints, the dinner helper complains—these everyday acts feel like the worst ways to spend my time! They feel like a complete waste, in fact!
But that's me wanting growth without challenges and strength without struggle again. And it's not possible. And I need to broaden my vision and see that God is working through those very things to help me "put on the divine nature."
I had to laugh at Elder Johnson's closing paragraph:
Someday when we get to the other side of the veil, we want more than for someone just to tell us, “Well, you’re done.” Instead, we want the Lord to say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”
Honestly, some days I think I'd happily settle for "Well, you're done." But…not really. I do want to cooperate in God's transformation of my soul. I do want to become someone He can be proud of.
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