Have you ever experienced when things fall into place or line up just right? Are those moments when you feel like God is confirming that you are on the right track? I feel like that is a common mindset to have. "When things fall into place that is God's way of saying I'm doing the right thing." I have experienced this myself. I feel like it is comforting and reassuring. I will find myself looking for it, things falling into place.
Does this mean when things don't work out smoothly that we are on the wrong path? Or when life is too hard and stressful that is a sign that we are doing the wrong things? I used to think this way, but I don't think so anymore.
Job 1:1,12 "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and on that feared God, eschewed evil...And the Lord said unto Satan, behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord." From what we can tell Job is a righteous man who wants to serve and obey God. God is letting the adversary attack Job. Does this mean Job was doing something wrong?
No. Job wasn't doing anything wrong. In fact, I think he was being obedient and a disciple of Christ which is why he was attacked. "A central theme of the book is the difficult question 'why do the righteous suffer?' Although the book never fully answers this question, it does clarify that trials and afflictions are not necessarily evidence that a person has sinned." For me, difficulties can even be a testament that we are doing what the Lord wants us too and the adversary is trying to stop us from continuing in righteousness.
In a recent podcast, Sister Michelle D. Craig talk about what she went through months leading up to a general conference in which she was assigned to speak. She said, "I feel like Satan attacked me in every area of my life... Satan really doesn't want these messages to go out. But those that stand at the pulpit really have paid a price to to receive the revelation and then to prepare a talk and to deliver the message that God wants them to deliver."
I have had a similiar experience for the last 1.5 years. I am serving as the Relief Society President in my ward. When people ask me how it is going my response has been, it is heavy and so rewarding. That is true. I have has some of the most incredible and spiritual experiences that I have ever had. I'm so grateful for them. I also feel like I am being personally attacked by the adversary on all fronts. It has been very discouraging at times.
I feel like Job when he said, "What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life? Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass? is not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me? To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty." Job 6:11-14
What strength do I have left to keep fighting back? What wisdom have a gained to have an advantage over the enemy? Why am I being attacked when I am striving to be obedient and serve? It is difficult. Very difficult.
I was reminded of a quote given my President Henry B. Eyring, "My mother used to say to me when I complained that things were hard, 'If you are on the right path, it will always be uphill." The covenant path is not an easy or smooth one. I think we still have those times when things fall into place, God confirming a decision. However, the whole path itself will be like climbing a steep mountain. It wasn't supposed to be heavy.
Why? That is the question Job had and wasn't quite answered. I will share what I feel like the Holy Ghost has been teaching me. The Lord allows these attacks to happen to us, so we have many opportunities to choose Christ, again and again. We will also get to show that our choice is genuine. We chose Christ because we wanted too. We are proving to God that we can be trusted with more because we continue to keep striving forward. Pres. Eyring also said, "When we go and do what we have been told and do it the best we can, we qualify for more instructions of what to do. If we do not act, we will not receive further instructions."
These attacks are also allowed so we can see where we need to strengthen ourselves. How do we strengthen ourselves? I like what Pres. Eyring said, "You can se the bar higher for yourself to get more power of faith to pray for the gift of the Holy Ghost. You can set it higher for yourself to have the scriptures opened so that you will come to know the Savior's voice. You can set it higher for yourself to be obedient in the things He asks of you. And you can set he bar higher in your expectation for peace in this life and your hope, even your assurance of eternal life in the world to come. You can set your expectation for yourself a litter higher and then a litter higher, with confidence that a loving Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son will send you the Holy Ghost and life you higher and higher, toward Them."
We become stronger by strengthening our weaknesses. Consistent changes and improvements, no matter how small, will give us strength. What changes and improvements do we make? Pres. Eyring answered that as well, "There will be some private things that you need to repent of. There will be somethings you need to begin to do that you haven't been doing. The Holy Ghost will tell you what those are and tell you all things that you must do. And I have every confidence you will not be overwhelmed, that Heavenly Father and the Savior will life you up, and the Holy Ghost will be your companion in a more constant and powerful way."
When I act on the changes the Holy Ghost is prompting me to make, will make me stronger. I will draw closer to the Lord. I will be able to withstand the attacks of the adversary better. I will become a stronger and more trusting disciple of Christ.
Jacob 4:6-7 gives a more spiritual aspect to my response, my calling is heavy and so rewarding. These scriptures say, "Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains or the waves of the sea. Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things." I have witnessed and experienced some pretty incredible things, but my weaknesses are shown and I can be attacked. All of which can help point me to Christ. He can strengthen me if I put forth the action to show that I want to be strengthened.
I will end this post with my favorite scripture that ties all of this together. It is also the same attitude that Job ended up having even after all the trials he faced and attacks that were set against him.
Helaman 5:12 "And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."
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