Recently life has offered me a few challenges that have
challenged me emotionally, physically, financially, spiritually and
intellectually. I often shake my head
and wonder why so many things seem to happen at one time.
In the midst of these challenges I had two dreams within
days of each other. These dreams buoyed
me spiritually and helped me to see a more eternal perspective of my
challenges. I wish to share them in hope
that it helps others to take different view of their challenges. (by the way, these dreams were before the
floods in Arizona J )
First dream: I was
walking down a dirt path near a normally dry river. I knew my family was all waiting together at
a park at the end of the path. Walking
was laborious as there was a chain attached to me that I was pulling along and
I couldn’t see where it ended. I wanted
to take control of this chain and I saw a small trickle of water down in the
river bottom. I thought if I just went
down to the bottom of the river I could use the water to help lighten the load
so I could pick it up easier and take control.
Well, as anyone in the desert knows, if there is a trickle there may be
a flood. Sure enough, as soon as I got
to the bottom of the river the flash flood came and washed me away into the
churning whirlpool of water. I knew two
things immediately: 1. If I stayed strong and kept my body upright and head
above water I could survive. 2. This was
an opportunity to truly gain power over my chain because the amount of water
made the chain weight easier to bear.
So I straightened myself up and stayed above water while simultaneously
wrapping up the chain. Soon the water
began receding and I had gained control of the chain now wrapped neatly
together. As I extracted myself from the
water I noticed there was a fence and locked gate back to the path. However, the chains had shrunk into a key
that unlocked the gate that would take me to where my family was waiting. I unlocked the gate and walked through.
Second dream: I was
driving along a long dirt path to join my family at a recreational area. I could see storm clouds ahead of me. The road I was to turn on was also dirt, but
it had many dips and rough areas. My
family was waiting at the end of this road.
As I drove closer it began to sprinkle.
I knew that my little car would have trouble making it through the dips
if they became flooded and muddy. The
rain began to get heavier as I reached the road. I had to decide; was I strong enough to
confront the obstacles to reach my family.
These dreams sent me a contemplative mood. There were so many ways to look at the
meaning of these dreams while at the same time making me a little worried about
what other floods would enter into my life.
As I pondered on these things peace came over me. I knew that I would meet and overcome these
challenges and find the key to returning to be with my eternal family because
of my understanding of the Plan of Salvation that has been offered to me by my
Savior Jesus Christ.
The three main points that have enriched, increased my
understanding, guided my purpose and strengthened my faith and conversion are:
*the
definition of grace as strengthening and enabling power
*the
true understanding of endurance
*what
the character of Christ truly is and I can more fully become more like Him.
This is what Elder Bednar says about grace:
the word grace frequently is used in the scriptures to
connote a strengthening or enabling power:
“The main
idea of the word is divine means of help or strength, given through the
bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ.
“… It is
likewise through the grace of the Lord that individuals, through faith in the
atonement of Jesus Christ and repentance of their sins, receive strength and
assistance to do good works that they otherwise would not be able to maintain
if left to their own means. This grace is an enabling power that allows men and
women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their
own best efforts” (p. 697).
Thus, the
enabling and strengthening aspect of the Atonement helps us to see and to do
and to become good in ways that we could never recognize or accomplish with our
limited mortal capacity. I testify and witness that the enabling power of the
Savior’s Atonement is real.”
I know this to be true.
As I look back through the challenges I have had in my life and the
challenges I am currently facing I have seen how grace has played an important
part. I remember one day I felt I could
not go on with the pain I was dealing with.
I was curled up and racked with emotional pain. I prayed for relief, comfort and peace. I received that blessing and was able to
make it through that day and I had to continue to call on my Father and was
able to gain strength step by step, day by day. The woman I became after facing that
experience strengthened me and helped me become more of the woman that I want
to be because of this strengthening and enabling power. So my challenge to you is as you study the
scriptures look for the word grace and insert strengthening and enabling power. Also, think of how you have had the
opportunity to receive grace in your life.
Next is endurance.
Elder Bednar states, “to endure valiantly denotes possessing or
demonstrating consistent commitment, courage and determination in process of
time. We are to press forward and act as
agents and not just sit passively as objects and wait to be acted upon. We are to endure valiantly, and with faith in
the Lord Jesus Christ. To power to
become includes abiding, disciplined, persistence in both the good and the bad
of our mortal existence. “
Isn’t that an awesome quote! I think of the times of my life that I
struggled most, it is when I allowed myself to be passive and lost my
disciplined persistence. The happiest
and most at peace I have been is when I was being more consistent in my
commitment to Christ and his gospel and acted upon what I knew to be right and
true.
Finally, focusing on the character of Jesus Christ and
implementing those characteristic more fully into my life. The most important characteristic was his
focus on serving others. No matter what
was happening to Christ he always looked outwards. Elder Bednar writes, “Character is revealed,
for example, in the power to discern the suffering of other people when we ourselves
are suffering; in the ability to detect the hunger of others when we are
hungry; and in the power to reach out and extend compassion for the spiritual
agony of others when we are in the midst of our own spiritual distress. Therefore, character is demonstrated by
looking, turning and reaching outwards when the instinctive response of the “natural
man’ in each of us is to turn inward and to be selfish and self-absorbed. And the Savior of the world is the source,
the standard, and the ultimate criterion of moral character and the perfect
example of charity and consistency.”
These principles have helped me see my capacity, my
potential, that no matter what I face I can overcome it through faith,
obedience, endurance through the strengthening and enabling power of the Lord
and to look outwards to find, help and encourage others along our way.
I truly believe that if we implement these principles in our
life we can be strong and not be sucked into the whirlpools of challenges and
disappointments in our life and be able to take control of the chains holding
us back that we may be able to reach our most important and valuable goals in
life.
Love to you all.
