I have always looked at life in two dimensions, or the surface. I assumed that I had work to do that included getting an education, earning money, raising children, buying a house, cleaning my room, buying a car, fixing the leaky roof, making a good, healthy dinner, working in my business, being successful, and so forth. All of this "doing stuff" occupied all of my time, and gave me a sense of accomplishment -- I was doing "LIFE."
However, now I am beginning to see a different side of life -- the underlying reason for all this stuff. I see that all of the things I do have a different purpose than to occupy my time and be "successful." I'm not just filling my needs, sustaining life, and giving the leftovers to others. Each situation, each need, each activity, every talent and ability and every problem have another underlying purpose: to learn, grow, and become close to God. There is a spiritual growth that happens especially as we encounter problems, difficulties, suffering, pain, and hardship. One pioneer who traveled to Utah pulling a handcart through a snowstorm said:
"... [We] came through with the absolute knowledge that God lives for we became acquainted with him in our extremities.
"I have pulled my handcart when I was so weak and weary from illness and lack of food that I could hardly put one foot ahead of the other. I have looked ahead and seen a patch of sand or a hill slope and I have said, I can go only that far and there I must give up, for I cannot pull the load through it. ... I have gone on to that sand and when I reached it, the cart began pushing me. I have looked back many times to see who was pushing my cart, but my eyes saw no one. I knew then that the angels of God were there.
"Was I sorry that I chose to come by handcart? No. Neither then nor any minute of my life since. The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay, and I am thankful that I was privileged to come in the Martin Handcart Company."
The handcart wasn't important. Arriving in Utah wasn't important. Walking wasn't important. Food, or lack thereof, wasn't important. The snowstorm wasn't important. All of these things were only tools to achieve an end that really was important: "to become acquainted with God." It is in the extremities that we really come to know Him. When we cannot do what we feel we need to do, then God helps us and we realize we are not alone. Without coming to the point of exhaustion, the "end of our rope," or the absolute limit of our abilities, we may consider that we did something to fix the problem. Only when we can say, "I cannot do it, I need help..." we look to God. Then when help comes we can really recognize the hand of the Lord.
Right now I took on a business that I don't know how to run. The Lord directed me here. It took me a short time to figure-out that I am in way over my head. I could quit my own business and just take a cushy job working 9-5 and making sufficient to live, having time off for vacations, and so forth. I have often thought I would rather do this, however, I have learned so much during these past few years that have helped me to come to know God. I have seen His hand in sending angels to help me when I was at the end of my rope and completely discouraged. I have looked at the books and realized that there was no way we were going to make it through the month -- over a year ago. We're still here! It just keeps working. I know it's His hand helping me.
Because of these problems I have prayed with more feeling than ever in my life. He has spoken to me, calmed my troubled heart, and sent the Holy Ghost to comfort me. He has taught me about what is really important: accepting the sacrifice of the Lord, Jesus Christ. I feel it. I know it. I know why. I know that no amount of suffering in this life can compare to Eternal torment, and He has already paid that price. I know that every person already agreed to accept His Atonement before even coming to Earth, and must keep their promise to repent or they will suffer. Everyone needs to know these things. I know He loves all of His children and makes it easy for them, if they will choose Him. I have come to know God in my extremities! I'm so grateful for the problems, pain, hardship, and suffering -- "the price is a privilege to pay." I would be willing to suffer anything to know what I know now.
Spiritual Muscles
When Micah Ashby wanted to build muscles we bought a weight machine. The tendency for a boy is to do what he can, but that doesn't really build bulk -- it's only in doing one or two reps more than he can that the muscles get bigger. Nobody can do it for him, or force him to do it. He has to want to push that bar up. Spiritual muscles are like that. When we are only doing what we can in life, we don't build spiritual strength. It's only when we are doing more than we can that we grow, learn, and improve. We also have to want to grow. Others can tell us how, but unless we do the work we won't get the benefit.
I have a picture of two of my children on a steep incline in Space Mountain at Disneyland. One has a grimace and white-knuckles, and the other has her hands in the air with a big smile. The first seems to be saying, "STOP!" and the other is enjoying the ride. I have noticed that most people have quiet and easy lives -- until they come to Christ. As a Ward Mission Leader, I have often counseled people who are about to be baptized to prepare them to find more difficulties. I tell them, "You just got off the merry-go-round and got on the roller-coaster. Hang on! The more problems you have, the more you will learn. Don't try to stop it, this is the hand of the Lord helping you to grow up spiritually."
The deeper meaning to every experience in life is to ask, "What can I learn from this?" The situation in which we find ourselves is not really the issue, but rather the potential for learning that it creates. If there is no potential for learning; if a circumstance doesn't cause us to stretch and grow and change, then it isn't useful -- we are just spinning our wheels. A quiet, easy, stress-free life is not what will bring us to know our Creator, but rather lots of ups and downs. When we really understand this concept we can be grateful for all our pain, trouble, and adversity. We can forgive easily, knowing that whatever problems others cause us is for our growth and benefit. The idea of spiritual growth as a purpose of life changes my whole perspective. The sense of: "this (hardship) is not supposed to happen!" is gone, I'm no longer on the roller-coaster screaming, "Stop!" but rather enjoying it -- and I have peace. It is supposed to happen, and it's for my benefit. Every experience can be a lesson that brings me closer to my Father in Heaven.
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