“The
ultimate purpose of the Atonement [of Jesus Christ] is to ensure our happiness
and joy. But the Lord achieves that purpose in our lives through the
interaction of conflicting forces that, at first, seem determined to rob us of
the joy we seek. Paradoxically, our purest joy emerges from the natural tension
between those opposing forces.” (Elder
Bruce C. Hafen, “The Broken Heart” p 63)
We
often think that opposition in this life which befalls us is arbitrary because we
are living in a world of opposites but I had an insight the other day into the process
of opposition and its role in our lives. I realised that all the opposition I
have been through that marred my happiness is everything that I was intolerant
of before it showed up in my life.
This
opposition came in the form of trials which I now understand had no aim to
destroy my happiness and make me miserable but to test my resolve to adhere to
the truth in the midst of my emotional distress. That was its primary purpose.
I could see when I understood this that all the opposition we are confronted
with in our lives is not random and is tailored to us personally. It has to be
opposite to our personal values, ideals and plans for it to be a test.
I
know for a fact that my reality does in no way resemble that idealistic view I once
had of myself and my life. In fact, my life ended up being the very opposite of
what I had once imagined. I know there are people in the world who have the
life they have always wanted so I presume they are tested differently but I
know we are all on testing ground in some way. And sometimes the ease of life
can be a testing ground too. It makes some of us forget God.
Consider
Job and his experience with opposition:
Job was “a
perfect and an upright man, one that feared God and eschewed evil” (Job 2:3).
His love for God was beyond fault. Job’s service to his fellowman was incredibly
impressive (Job 4:3; 4:4; 29:12;13; 29:1516); 31:32). In short, Job was righteous, did
good continually, was incredibly respected in the community and he was
fabulously wealthy. You could say, his life was perfect. Then came the
opposition to that picture perfect life.
Job went
from the pinnacle of society to living in rags on the outskirts of the city, in
constant pain, not understanding what has happened to him. He went from a
picture of perfection to being disfigured with boils, and worms and maggots
were bred in his sores (7:5). He ended up living outside the city on the refuse
heap where outcasts and lepers lived. (7:14). Whereas, everyone in his
community honoured him before, he suddenly became an outcast.
He who had
loved God beyond reproach felt that God had forsaken him ((19:6,7-13); His
friends scorned him (Job 16:20), he became estranged from his wife who told him
to curse God and die (Job
2:9; 19:17); he lost his friends and respect
of his servants (19:14-16); young children despised him and mocked him (19:18);
and everyone he loved turned against him (19:19). In other words, all that was
good in his life turned opposite.
This is my theory. The greater you are, the greater the tests of opposition.
The test has to equal the stature of the man or it is not a test. If your life
is particularly difficult and it is not in consequence of your own making
through sin, be comforted, you are among the greats!
- CATHRYNE ALLEN
(Art: Path to Light by Ivan Guaderrama)
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