"You are here on earth for a divine purpose. It is not to be endlessly entertained or to be constantly in full pursuit of pleasure. You are here to be tried, to prove yourself so that you can receive the additional blessings God has for you (see Abr. 3:25). The tempering effect of patience is required (see Mosiah 3:19). Some blessings will be delivered here in this life; others will come beyond the veil. The Lord is intent on your personal growth and development. That progress is accelerated when you willingly allow Him to lead you through every growth experience you encounter, whether initially it be to your individual liking or not. When you trust in the Lord, when you are willing to let your heart and your mind be centered in His will, when you ask to be led by the Spirit to do His will, you are assured of the greatest happiness along the way and the most fulfilling attainment from this mortal experience. If you question everything you are asked to do, or dig in your heels at every unpleasant challenge, you make it harder for the Lord to bless you (see 1 Ne. 3:7).
"Your agency, the right to make choices, is not given so that you can get what you want. This divine gift is provided so that you will choose what your Father in Heaven wants for you. That way He can lead you to become all that He intends you to be (see D&C 58:26–32). That path leads to glorious joy and happiness."
- Richard G. Scott, "Finding Joy in Life," Genneral Conference April 1996
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It's easy to lose sight of the purpose of life, in the midst of demands that are often urgent and options that may seen endless. When challenges come, some people naturally to turn to God; but there is a tendency for many to question or tire in the midst of endurance. How crucial it is for us to learn to trust, to seek the good and the growth!
A true disciple learns to view "every unpleasant challenge" as a sign of God's love, not as a sign of his absence; and as an opportunity to grow closer to Him and become more like Him.
(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2021)
January 10, 2015
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