This past Sunday our lesson was a on a a talk by Elder Maxwell from 1991. It was all about how adversity and afflictions serve to teach us and make us stronger. "For whom the Lord loveth he chaseneth." That's basically what this talk was about. The quote that stood out the most to me was this:
"One's life...cannot be both faith-filled and stress-free."
When that was read on Sunday I unwillingly let loose a "darnit!" Sometimes I wish it were more simple to live the gospel and not have to deal with the stress it brings. But that's not the case. Elder Maxwell put it pretty powerfully here:
"... how can you and I really expect to glide naively through life, as if to say, “Lord, give me experience, but not grief, not sorrow, not pain, not opposition, not betrayal, and certainly not to be forsaken. Keep from me, Lord, all those experiences which made Thee what Thou art! Then let me come and dwell with Thee and fully share Thy joy!”
Ouch. I'm sure I've been guilty of thinking those thoughts. Another darnit! So this talk has helped me realize that if I want to get better and become more Christlike, I really have to work at it and put up with hard things. Sweet. I just can't wait. :)
Neal A. Maxwell, “Lest Ye Be Wearied and Faint in Your Minds,” Ensign, May 1991, 88
1 comment:
Double darn. But, we DID sign up for it.... with joy and smiles so.... Thank goodness for lessons and reminders because it's easy to forget the grand scheme and let ourselves become grouchy about life.
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