Neal A. Maxwell wrote in his book “All These Things Shall Give Thee Experience:”
“. . . .In viewing life as a school in which the gospel message facilitates growth, we also see how very generous and loving God is. Past mistakes and imperfections need not keep us from present and future joy.
One of the classic cases of pain and genuine suffering (because of reproof) is Eli, who, as a prophet, had apparently “not restrained his sons” from doing evil, and who apparently had been insensitive to some of the promptings of the Lord and thereby had, ironically, to hear the message of the Lord from a much younger Samuel. But to Eli’s everlasting credit, when he realized the Lord had been communicating with Samuel, he told Samuel to tell him “every whit” and to hold back nothing. After Samuel recounted what the Lord had said to him, Eli, long familiar with the Spirit of the Lord, said, “It is the Lord: let him do what seemeth him good.” (1 Samuel 3:18.) In those painful moments Eli had learned, as we all must, to do as Peter said with regard to our relationship with the Lord: “Casting all you care upon him; for he careth for you.” (1 Peter 5:7.)
Eli still knew enough about obeying to obey. He knew that he must not rebel against an omniscient God’s purposes, but that he must—and could—remain a part of them.
. . . . Peter overcame a failure experience to become President of the Church.
Paul overcame the stigma of being a persecutor and became an apostle with the widest missionary sway of his time!
The Justice, mercy, and love of God blend appropriately in providing us with adequate growth opportunities in this life. We will not be able to say shruggingly at judgment time, “I was overcome by the world because I was overprogrammed or overtempted.” For the promises are that temptation can either be escaped or endured. (1 Corinthians 10:13). The promise is also that throughout tribulation God’s grace is sufficient for us—He will see us through. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
The thermostat on the furnace of affliction will not be set too high for us—though clearly we may think so at the time. Our God is a refining God who has been tempering soul-steel for a very long time. He knows when the right edge has been put upon our excellence and also when there is more in us than what we have yet given. One day we will praise God for taking us near our limits—as He did His Only Begotten in Gethsemane and Calvary.
But would one so submit to a God who was not both omniscient and all-loving and enter the “furnace of affliction”? Might we not resent it all otherwise?
How much glorious inner comfort came to Christ on Gethsemane and Calvary from His knowing that, literally, He did “nothing” save that which “he seeth the Father do.” (John 5:19-20)
Even the Savior had His Model!
Thus, for a host of reasons, correct conduct under stress is more likely when one has correct expectations about life. If we understand the basic purpose of life, we will find it easier to see purpose in our own life.
~Neal A. Maxwell, ‘All These Things Shall Give Thee Experience’ (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book 1979) p.45-47
To be continued. . .
