Over the past couple of weeks, my mind has been consumed with thoughts of the disparities of the world. I've heard many discussions on the radio about the seemingly unfair conditions of the world. Some people live abundant lives with a vast amount of wealth. Some of these people are good people who live according to the pattern set by the Savior Jesus Christ. Others are bad people, living according to the pattern of Ebenezar Scrooge before the visits from the ghosts. At the same time their are many people living in destitution. Some of these are bad people who would live according to the pattern of Ebenezar Scrooge if they had wealth. Others are very good people who live according to the pattern set by Christ inspite of their lack of wealth. The trials of wealth are vastly different between the people of the world.
But it isn't all about wealth either. We can also look at trials of health and mental strength. There are trials of morals and principles. And their are emotional trials and struggles. Everybody in the world suffers different struggles, trials, and temptations.
Why do the people of this world live such vastly different lives? If there truly is a God, how can He watch the poor people in third world countries starve to death while so many in the wealthy countries, like the United States, constantly waste food? How can He watch as some children are sold into slave labor, some are grossly neglected by their parents, some are abused by having no consequences or structure, and others live a life with loving parents who raise them well?
How can a loving Heavenly Father watch as the best member of a family slowly suffers the debilitating effects of cancer, multiple schlerosis, diabetes, or some other physical ailment? How can He watch as a good person is murdered in cold blood?
These are hard questions to answer. The world we live in is a grossly unfair world, with incredible disparities among those who live here. And there doesn't seem to be any form of difference between those who follow the pattern of Christ and those who follow the patterns of Lucifer, the destroyer.
The answer to this question lies in ourselves. Each of us carries a unique personality. Each of us has different strengths and weaknesses, with varying degrees of strength and weakness in those areas. We were sent to an unfair world in order to develop our strengths and make them stronger, while eliminating our weaknesses in a test that would demonstrate our ability to choose to be Godlike when life isn't fair. So it is that we are each placed in different circumstances that are specifically designed to appropriately test us.
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recognize we've been given a tremendous promise to accompany that great test. This promise helps build our faith in ourselves and in God. It is that God will never place us in circumstances that test us beyond our abilities to bare if we live His commandments. This builds faith in ourselves because we recognize we can withstand any trial we've been given. God Himself has given us that vote of confidence, and who are we to argue with God. It builds our faith in Him because we know He stands ready to help us through the trials. Otherwise He wouldn't have given them to us.
Yet this promise does beg a question. If God won't place us in any trial we don't have the ability to bare, how is it that people stray from the path of righteousness? Shouldn't they overcome everything that lies in their path, demonstrating their godlike attributes?
The answer to this question lies in our agency. God may not try us above our ability to bare, but we can certainly choose not to do what we must to overcome those trials. Unfortunately, if we chose to give into temptations and wickedness, forsaking the path of righteousness, we can move ourselves into trials we are incapable of withstanding. In addition, we can lose our ability to withstand what we once could.
Let me give you an example. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recognize that God has commanded us not to use alcohol or tobacco. We also recognize pornography to be destructive and physical intimacy outside of wedlock to be strictly forbidden. Suppose I am not tempted at all by cigarettes, but I am tempted by alcohol. Also suppose that I fully believe in and live by the commandment to refrain from physical intimacy outside of wedlock, but I don't have the strength to withstand the temptation of pornography.
So I am not given the temptation of pornography. In addition it doesn't matter how many times I am confronted with cigarettes or physical intimacy. They don't tempt me. But I am confronted with alcohol. Suppose I give into the temptation and partake of the alcohol. Now I've made a gross error. As time progresses, my choice to use alcohol leads me to spend time with those who love the drink. Eventually I find myself spending time with someone who drinks and smokes. Because I compromised my morales, I've lost my strength and now find cigarettes a temptation. After some time I decide the alcohol is just fine, so cigarettes must be also.
As I start using cigarettes, I find myself compromising more of my standards and soon find myself spending time with someone deeply engaged in pornography. Now I am faced with the temptation I never had the strength to bare. It isn't because God allowed me to be placed in the situation. It's because I forsook His commandments and placed myself their. Not having the strength to resist, I indulge until such a time as I start engaging in physical intimacy outside of wedlock. And now I've committed one of the most serious sins.
On the other hand, if I had forsaken the temptation to use alcohol, my morales would have prevailed. Over time I would have developed a stronger sense of morales to the point I could withstand the temptation of pornography. I would have never been given this temptation up until that time because my obedience to the commandments of God allowed me to always have the promise I wouldn't have to. Once I developed the strength, God would allow me to face it. And again I would have the choice to resist or give in.
It's important to recognize that no matter where you are on this scale, you can continue on the path you've begun, or you can change it. If you've chosen that which is righteous, you can continue doing so. As you do you will overcome one weakness right after another, continually becoming stronger and more godlike. Eventually you will have no weaknesses left. If you change the path and start giving into weaknesses you will start losing the strength you have built. So, in the event you have erred, quickly correct it and get back on the path of righteousness. In other words, repent and use the Atonement of Jesus Christ in faith.
If you have started on the downward spiral, you can continue along this path or you can change and come back to the path that is good and righteous. The farther you have gone into temptations and wickedness, the more difficult it is to choose to forsake this wrong path. So you want to change it sooner rather than later. But recognize that the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ can redeem you. If you exercise faith in Him and call upon Him for help, you can break the bonds of temptation and return to the path of righteousness. He will draw you out of the weaknesses you endure and place you back at your points of strength.
This world is not a fair world. There are many discreprencies in this world. Yet we have the promise we will never be called upon to endure temptations and trials we don't have the power to endure if we follow the commandments given to us through the prophets of God. I know this promise is true. Choose the better part so you have that promise.
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