Allow Suffering

Jesus said, "I have suffered the will of the Father in all things..." (3 Nephi 11:11)

Jesus Christ saves us because of a covenant He made. He always did the will of God. He never didn't do the will of God. He kept all His promises. We all made the same covenant with our Father in Heaven that we would obey Him in all things, but only Christ did it.

The Atonement was the ultimate example where He clearly did not want to do it, but allowed the will of God.

"And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." (Matthew 26:39)

"And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt." (Mark 14:36)

"Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done." (Luke 22:42)

He allowed all the pain and torture that Satan and his minions could inflict. The words "allow" and "suffer" are synonymous. He suffered "in all things." Everything God required of Him, He accomplished. He did not shrink. He made it obvious that it was not His own will that He was doing, but rather allowing the will of God to fall upon His soul.

This is submission, to allow the will of God, though it be painful as He described to Joseph Smith:

"Therefore I command you to repent—repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore—how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not. For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; but if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men." (D&C 19:15-19)

He allowed the evil minions of satan to torture him, as was the will of the Father. He loved them according to the Love of God. God is love. He does not hate or reject even one of His children. Satan and all the powers of Hell are the children of God. He loves them. He did not reject them, rather they rejected Him. Christ loved them enough to overcome them, allowing torment by them in submission to the will of God for their benefit as an expectant mother endures indescribable pain to bring her child into the world -- and loves the child. She allows the suffering for love.

In like manner, knowing how Christ suffered for me, I can allow the will of God to work in my life. I have the strength to overcome because of what He did. I would not ask, "Why me?" but rather I would "suffer the will of the Father in all things." That means simply to allow the will of God. I must stop resisting evil, but rather allow it, like Jesus did. He said:

Resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:39-45)

God suffers evil. God allows evil. God allowed Lucifer, His enemy, and our enemy, to tempt us and try us. God is good. God is love. God is the epitome of all that was spoken in the previous passage. He turns the other cheek and allows Himself to be smitten again. He gives more to those who steal from Him. He loves His enemies and does good to them who hurt Him. He blesses those who bring Him pain. He allows the evil children and does not destroy them or fight against them. He gives them sunshine and rain. He loves them. We become His children when we do His works, allowing evil. Submitting to His will. Suffering evil. Suffering. Allowing. Becoming "submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father." (Mosiah 3:19)

Whatever I have to suffer is the will of God. Whatever pain, torture, deprivation, hatred, rejection, loss, or evil is given to me by my loving Father in Heaven. I must allow it. I must suffer it, as Paul who said, "I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." (2 Corinthians 12:10) This is a true follower of Jesus Christ.