DEALING WITH UNCERTAINTY

 

“We need to develop the capacity to form judgments of our own about the value of ideas, opportunities or people who may come into our lives. We won’t always have the security of knowing whether a certain idea is “Church approved”, because new ideas don’t always come along with little tags attached to them saying whether they have been reviewed at Church headquarters.” (Bruce C. Hafen, “The Believing Heart”, p 63)

Elder Hafen goes on to say how imperative it is for us to learn to govern ourselves with the correct principles which we have been given and in the process use good judgment that bridges the ideal with reality. He says that “choosing between two principled alternatives (two goods) is far more difficult than choosing when a stark and obvious contrast pits good against evil”.

Often we come across situations that are gray areas that require our judgment of direction we would take or ideas we would side with and approve of. Consider the ambiguity that exists in the scriptures as a great example of this: The Lord has said that He cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance, yet elsewhere He said, “I have forgiven you your sins” (D&C 1:31; D&C 64:3). To really understand this, we need to know the higher principle of the Atonement of Jesus Christ which includes the elements of justice and mercy.

The Saviour also said: “Do not your alms before men, to be seen of them” but He also said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works” (Matthew 6:1; 5:16). Likewise, He said: “In me ye might have peace” (John 16:33). Isaiah named Him ‘The Prince of Peace’, yet the Saviour has also said: “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.” (Matthew 10:34). Ambiguous scriptures like these highlight the importance of employing a sound thinking process to understand that two different concepts are at play here.

I had an experience of having to choose between ‘two goods’ in my youth. At 17 years of age I yearned to join the Church but as a minor I needed my parents’ permission. My father would not consent and told me if I joined the Church I would have to leave home. I was raised in a very strong patriarchal family and had always obeyed my father but back in 1975 I had to make a choice between the 4^th commandment of honouring my father and my mother or the Saviour’s call: “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me….and he that taketh not his cross and follows not after me, is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:37,38)

I chose the latter. The ideal would have been to obey my parents but the reality was that they were not spiritually inspired. The ideal for Nephi would have been not to commit murder but the reality was that Laban was the stumbling block that would have spiritually crippled the Nephite nation had they not taken the brass plates with them to America. The same applies to David who slew Goliath to prove that there was a God in Israel whom Goliath was defying.

The difficult choices we make in the midst of ambiguity are essential for our spiritual maturity else what’s the point of being here? It reminds me of this: “For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things, for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.” (D&C 58:26)

It also reminds me of people who pray about every step they take in their lives and ask how to do it. I don’t find this overly productive to our spiritual growth. We need to be wise in our dealings and choices and seek God’s approval in directions we take after we have assessed and made the decision (D&C 9:8). And always we should choose the higher good that aligns with the reality we are in.

Perhaps the greatest guide should be that simple question:  “What would the Saviour do?” 

Because after all, He is the light, the truth and the way……

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Divine Meditation by Greg Collins)