Do My Part
- hayportpat
- Apr 27, 2021
- 3 min read
I sat for a while debating if I wanted to include a post relating to my religion preferences. Then one of my professors reminded me that doing my parts requires sharing what I know and believe.
I believe in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and would like to share something that touched my heart during my studies.
The Old Testament - Moses 7:26-41
During this part of the scriptures Enoch is with the Lord and is shown the grip Satan has on the earth. The Lord weeps and Enoch asks the Lord why He would weep when He had already done so much for His creations. The Lord tells Enoch that he was the one who created all things, including agency. He had taught the children to love each other and God, but they were now filled with wickedness and this would bring about their doom.
At first I struggled to understand why the Lord would weep, but then I had an experience that opened my eyes. One Sunday morning I opened my Instagram account and went to check my "For You" page. In the top right corner there was a video that caught my attention. Clicking on the video lead me to unexplainable sadness. I watched as hundreds and thousands of lives had their agency ripped out of their hands. Broken families, final goodbyes, lost lives, tragedy, and outrage filled the screen. As tears streamed down my face, I sat frozen for hours. How could the action of one man cause such horrendous loss? Why? I was furious and sad. I wanted to take the pain away from these families. I wanted to undo the things that had been done. I would do anything to take the pain away from so many people. Even if that meant, I took the pain upon myself and suffered alone so they didn't have to. Then I thought of Jesus Christ and it dawned on me, "This must be the reason He could do what He did for everyone." Just like it hurt me to watch this, it probably hurt the Lord even more. He didn't want to see His people suffer. He didn't want us to use our agency for wrong. Of course He wept! Who wouldn't! The very knowledge and gift He gave to his children, was being used for the wrong purposes.
This also answers another question a lot of people often wonder; If the Lord loves His people so much, Why does He allow them to suffer? I will share two answers I have received from my studies, but I encourage you to read and pray for your own witness of it's truth.
One, he doesn't. In Moses the Lord tells Enoch that He gave man all knowledge. This means He taught them the differences between righteousness and wickedness. He then tells Enoch that He taught them to use their agency for righteous purposes only, but still the people fell into wickedness. Why? Because of their agency. Just like I can choose to believe in the gospel, others can choose not to. The Lord does not believe in taking that gift away and He never will. However, our agency affects more than just ourselves. In the video I watched, one mans decision costs hundreds of innocent lives. None of them had a choice in that. None of them went there knowing this man's agency would cost them their lives. Agency isn't a one way street. It can cause suffering to others when it is used for wicked purposes.
Two, The Lord loves us enough to put us through the required pain and suffering we need to grow. He cares more about our growth than He does our comforts. Think about it, when are the times you have learned or grown the most? Was it when you walked into the same job you have been doing every single day for the past twenty years? Was it when your life sailed smoothly? I doubt it. Whether you are religious or not, comforts are nothing more than a block in the road. They ultimately stop your growth and put you in a stand still position. The Lord knows that, so He gives us trials that will help us break down those comforts and move further ahead on the path.
I have a firm testimony of the gift of agency. When used for righteous purposes, it can positively affect the lives of millions. I know that Jesus Christ paid a price I could not pay for myself. He suffered and bleed at every pore because He loves everyone. He understands and knows all that we go through.
Now I challenge you to learn for yourself. What do you treasure? Are you using your agency in a way that will not bring harm upon others? How will you stand up to do YOUR part?
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