Wednesday, March 7, 2007

gospel perspective

It was a long day. Operating on less than three hours of sleep made things interesting, and the way the night is looking now I might not be in much of a better position tomorrow. I did get my history midterm finished, I had a productive voice lesson and an even more productive choir rehearsal, I hung out with Salad, Bob, Mulan, Judith, Romulus, and Remus (gosh I love coming up with pseudonyms =D), and Salad and I had a nice, long talk. About two hours long, and it had to happen in the car because it was too late to happen in one of our apartments. It was a good discussion, though, and was beneficial for both of us.

So I've found myself talking about gospel perspective a lot. I think it's the main thing that people lack when they become disenchanted with the church and when they choose to do things contrary to God's will. Part of who I am is that everything I do is done with the gospel in mind. Even when I do something wrong, it is knowing that there will be inevitable consequences for my actions. The gospel allows us to glimpse the eventual end of things. How much easier is it to deal with mortal life when you can honestly keep in your mind's eye the prospect of eternal life? Mortal life is insignificant when compared to the vast course that our eternal lives can take. Things we deal with in this life can be horrible, can be difficult, can be debilitating, and can just plain suck - but a gospel perspective allows us to see past it all. Gospel perspective helps us to see through the lies of the adversary as he attempts to subdue us. It helps us to push through temptation and reach towards righteous goals. It keeps us on the path that God has laid out for us. Gospel perspective is what keeps me safe day to day.

It hurts so much to see people struggling through hard times in life without maintaining a gospel perspective. God loves us and wants us to be happy and to fulfill the measure of our creation.

...with great mercies will I gather thee....with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord they Redeemer....For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.
How long can rolling waters remain impure? What power shall stay the heavens? As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in it decreed course, or to turn it up stream, as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints.

1 comment:

Kengo Biddles said...

You know, it's hard sometimes to remember that because you start to feel like you're not in 2 Nephi or other scripture, but rather Mosiah 23:21 "Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith."

Miki and I have been here for what feels forever, and me, well, much, much longer than that.