I reflected on something during this past Easter that has changed my life. It came to me this year because I was ready for it.
It has been extremely difficult for me for many years to actually verbalise to God my ‘full’ submission to His will. I have had a desire to do it but the actual commitment always conjured up in my mind that God’s will would probably include pain; more than I have already suffered. Remember King Benjamin’s discourse on overcoming the natural man, part of which states that we need to be willing ‘to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict’ upon us (Mosiah 3:19)? “Inflict” is a hard word. The dictionary defines it as: to impose as something that must be borne or suffered; to impose anything unwelcome; to deal or deliver as a blow. Hence my fear….
What intrigued me this Easter was the Saviour’s complete willingness to suffer ‘the blow’. Before facing the agony of Gethsemane, Jesus said to His disciples that the hour was coming when they would be scattered and go their own way leaving Him alone and then He said: “….yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me” (John 16:32). On another occasion He clarified this by saying: “And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him” (John 8:29). These statements indicate that He had confidence in Father’s assistance for the duration of his upcoming crucible because He was willing to do His will. Imagine His surprise when that assistance was withdrawn; when He became ‘sore amazed’ (Mark 14:33) to the point of asking: “My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Did He have the power to come down from the cross when that question crossed His lips? Yes He did. But even when He felt abandoned, He pressed on submitting to Father’s will, no matter how gruesome the inflicted ‘blow. And then He was able to say prior to His last moment: “….Father it is finished, thy will is done….” (JST Matthew 27:50a)
Some years ago I had a priesthood blessing from my Bishop. In it he said that my life was planned for me in pre-existence and that I accepted that plan because of my great faith in Jesus Christ. Last year I had a very vivid memory of a moment in my pre-earth life. I was sitting with the Saviour and I heard Him say to me: “I will save you and I will make up for everything.” I understood then more fully why I had accepted that plan, which has included some painful ‘blows’. I remembered His promise to me this Easter and I knew I was ready to fully submit and I have wondered since I have done so why I had waited so long because so many of my fears and worries have fled and have been replaced by trust that ‘all things work together for good to them that love God’ (Romans 8:28).
We might have to suffer some blows in this life. And we might have to suffer them alone. But fortunate for us Christ has suffered them all. By virtue of our discipleship, we have access to His reservoir of endurance, strength and power that is offered to all the faithful. May we be able to say, without trepidation and fear: “I do always those things that please Him”, following the example of Him who submitted to it all that He might overcome all and make it possible for us to bear it all.
Cathryne Allen
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