The above phrase has been my chosen mantra for the past few months. This little reminder comes to mind when going through unforeseen events--good or bad. I realize that the unpredictability of life only adds to its excitement. When we can view the world from this point of view, the failed quiz seems not so bad, the critical sibling seems forgivable, and that guy who cut you off on the freeway just made your day a bit less boring.
But what about the big stuff?
You get home after failing that quiz and you find out your parents are getting a divorce.
You go to your room after your sibling hurts your feelings and see a text from your boyfriend or best friend that borders on abuse--and is foreshadowing of the abuse s/he will soon habitually and increasingly inflict upon you.
You forget about the guy who cut you off on the freeway just before colliding with a highway barrier.
Life is full of this big stuff. What can we do when it happens? If I were asked this question on the street I may initially think "I would just cry." But after thinking and searching deeper, I know this would not be my primary method of dealing with such situations.
In the LDS faith, we believe one of the commandments from God to be able to grow closer to Him is to "endure to the end". Yes, endure to the end of your mortal life here on earth with joy in the journey.
Many of us convince ourselves that we are not the "endurance runners" that we are. We look at the difficult situations that arise in this life and think why me? But how can we ask that? We knew in coming to this earth that we would be tested and tried and put through hard things so that we could one day return to live with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ having become a better person and worthier of their presence. God commands us to go through these trials not out of spite, but out of unconditional love. When we're given a burden that seems too heavy to carry, unlike any of the manageable burdens we have carried thus far, it is God showing us that the only way back to Him is with His infinite mercy. Yes, you can ask God for help.
We can learn much from Nephi's testimony of God's grace and the atonement of Jesus Christ in 1 Nephi 3:7. It reads:
"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."
While you and I have never been commanded of the Lord to go retrieve scriptural plates from a wicked and powerful king (as Nephi had just been commanded in this chapter), we have all undertaken our own "mission impossible". Whether you have adapted to life as a single parent, dealt with the death of a sibling or close friend, or anything in between, it is nothing that you cannot endure with the help of God. I'm not suggesting that "God doesn't give us more that we can handle". He does just that. He purposefully gives us more than we can handle knowing that if we simply turn to Him for help, He will give it. He has prepared a way for us to accomplish things. ALL the things.
Let Him carry some of your too-heavy heart.
And when something else comes up that seems impossible to overcome? Remember that the Savior of all mankind atoned for you (you!) and all of your imperfections. Know that you can do it--but you cannot do it alone.
Life is exciting like that.
