Enjoy the ride!

As children, we go to school and continually fight against the teachers' instructions. Then we grow up and go to work, and, again, fight against our bosses instructions. We seek the advice of tutors, counselors, coaches, and doctors to help us in our lives, and then continually fight against them. I find this all the time. People pay me to tell them what they need to do to be healthy, and they understand and know, but they don't do it. The fight of wills is not only outside us, but inside as well.

The object of life is to be continually in the will of God. Jesus said, "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." (John 6:38) If we are to follow Him, we are to do the same. The question comes to mind, how do we know what is the will of God? AAAAHH! There's the rub! Many assume they know the will of God by thinking they know what is right, just, and good. The problem comes when that which seems good, is bad. It may seem good to "take from the rich and give to the poor," but this is stealing. On the other hand, it may seem wrong to sacrifice our business, family, or home. The paradoxical nature of good and evil make our decisions difficult. How, then, can we know the will of God? I think there is an easy way.

Keep the commandments

When a rich, young ruler asked Jesus what he could do to obtain Eternal Life, he was told, "Keep the commandments." The ruler answered, "All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions." (Matthew 19:20-22)

We also ask, what are the commandments? ...And immediately think of the Ten Commandments, "Thou shalt not..." as the will of God, but this is really a very basic start, like a parent giving a child the simple rules that he must always follow. Beyond these is the ultimate commandment -- to love God. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy might, mind, and strength; and in the name of Jesus Christ thou shalt serve him." (D&C 59:5) The rich young ruler was not willing to take that step.

Your path of Love

How do we love Him? How do we serve Him? I would submit to you that the will of God is the path of your life. God is in all things. The Prophet Joseph Smith revealed:

"He comprehendeth all things, and all things are before him, and all things are round about him; and he is above all things, and in all things, and is through all things, and is round about all things; and all things are by him, and of him, even God, forever and ever." (D&C 88:41)

All means all, and all is all all means. This doesn't leave anything out. In other words, He is in our lives. He knows all things. He knows the end from the beginning. There is a plan, and that plan is carried out exactly, to the letter. We cannot surprise Him. He will never say, "Gee! I didn't know that was going to happen!" He knows every blade of grass, and every gnat. He knows His children well, and each path is known to the end.

If this is true, then the course of our lives is known by Him, and we are given all we need to be the best we can be. I have always imagined how my life was going to be, and it turned-out to be very different. I have been resisting what I thought was the wrong way. I have thought I was driving a car, but really I am strapped into a roller-coaster ride. I'm thinking, "Left" but the car I'm in is going right so I resist. I want it to stop. I want to rest. I want to back up and take a different road. But, none if this can be. I don't have control.

Doing the will of God, therefore, is allowing what is, to be. It is staying with the roller-coaster car through every twist, turn and loop-de-loop -- and loving it! It is being content with what we are given. It is being grateful for everything. It is praying for our Eternal salvation, and then letting God guide us. We don't do anything. We don't control the car. It's on a track, and God is the switch man. He decides what track we go on next.

The rich, young ruler was not willing to give up his own control and put his trust in God. He didn't do as he was told. To do the will of God, then, is to seek his counsel and simply be willing to do whatever He says. He tells us of Eternal Life, and we decide. We say, "I want that" and ask Him for gifts of the Spirit that will help us on our path. Keeping the commandments is doing exactly as He directs each day of our lives as we go through our journey.

Most of this direction is not a voice or Jesus telling you to "go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor," but rather it is the direction of our roller-coaster car. We are placed in situations where we need to make choices. We feel the need, and do it, then He will switch us to a different track. We let go of our own ideas and begin to understand His. This process happens gradually, over time. "For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have." (2 Nephi 28:30) The rich, young ruler will lose everything he has, sooner or later. But if he chose to do God's will, his track would have been very different!

May I submit that we often do the same? We ask God for gifts, but when we find out the sacrifice required to obtain them, we opt out, or fight against it. We think that it isn't right. But, whatever God does is good -- by definition. When I asked for the gift of charity, and was told to sacrifice my business, family, home, and everything I had built up, I resisted. However, I listened to the Spirit, and eventually gave in. I thought that would be all, but now I find the need to give more. It never ends. Each road we go down is a sacrifice, and a blessing. Jesus said, "And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life." (Matthew 19:29) It may feel wrong, but we have to put our trust in Him.

 

We aren't in control. When we try to be in control, we resist the will of God. He is in control. In order to know His will, we need to let go of control and put our trust in Him. "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6) When I was young I was afraid of roller-coasters until my best friend, Ronne, told me what his dad told him, "They don't make them to kill people." They are made to be safe, and fun. So, we went on the brand-new Revolution at Magic Mountain, and I immediately wanted to go again. It was exciting! We went four times in a row. By letting go of control, and putting my trust in the creator of the ride, I found it fun. I am a witness that God does direct our paths; indeed, He created the paths we go down. This is His will. There is no need to resist the course of our lives, or try to be in control. Trust in Him. Do His will. Let Him direct your paths. Let go of your own will, and enjoy the ride!