Neal A. Maxwell wrote in his book “Even As I Am,” starting from page 34:
. . . . “Oh, how glorious and wonderful is “this Jesus Christ”! If contemplating the doing all of these things—to become more and more like Him—makes us feel discouraged, intimidated, and overwhelmed, we need to remember that He never said that it all had to be done in one day. Rather, if we could not travel fast, we could at least be steadfast and press forward doing things in wisdom and order and in a pattern of paced progress, first achieving correct direction and then added momentum. It is the labor of a lifetime and more.
The conditions upon which true joy are based (joy such as He has) are fixed and cannot be altered. It is merely a question of whether or not we wish to come to terms with those conditions—now or later. It is a decision in which, in the justice of God, we are the sole determinants. When we do so decide, we are really in no position to dictate the terms of our own surrender—especially to Him who suffered for our sins, which suffering caused Him to “bleed at every pore.”(59, for each numbered reference, scroll down)
As we ponder the attributes to be developed and eventually to be perfected, it is helpful to contemplate what happens when we not only lack the desired attributes but, instead, display their opposites: “And unto thy brethren have I said, and also given commandment, that they should love one another, and that they should choose me, their Father; but behold they are without affection, and hate their own blood.”(60 scroll down)
“The Lord’s indignation is kindled when we refuse to keep the two great commandments which tell us to follow Him and love one another. His indignation is truly aflame when we live without affection for our fellows and hate our own blood. Why? Is it merely because we miss two points on an abstract checklist? Rather, it is because lacking in those attributes, we inflict so much misery upon others and upon ourselves. Furthermore we thereby follow Satan, the father of misery.[61 scroll down] We chose not to follow Lucifer once: let us not go back on that decision now!
One important point must be made about the quality of eternal attributes: In acknowledging His patience or mercy, even when we do it worshipfully, we are only acknowledging mercy and patience as we now know them. His perfection of these two attributes places His mercy and patience (and this is true also with all the other virtues) almost beyond our reach or understanding. The most clear cut and laudatory act of mercy we have known or the most superlative display of patience within our experience does not even approach His mercy and patience. At best, our degree of development is only “a type and shadow of things which are to come.” [62] ~ Neal A. Maxwell, Even As I Am (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book 1982), 34-35
To be continued. . .
