Solomon ended up disillusioned after decades of indulgence in his prosperity. (“All is vanity” he said toward the end of his life.)
We achieve the abundant life not be focusing on our own needs but by becoming disciples of Christ and engaging in the cause of Christ.
To have the healing influence if the gospel we have to have more than an intellectual understanding of the gospel. We must incorporate it into our lives. We must believe, love, and do.
He desires to sweep away any darkness from your life. That doesn’t mean that He can do that all the time while still accomplishing His purpose of moulding us into divine beings.
Elder Soares, Elder Gong, and Elder Uchtdorf all invited people to come back with words along the lines of “we need you”.
The ancient King Solomon was one of the most outwardly successful human beings in history. He seemed to have everything—money, power, adoration, honor. But after decades of self-indulgence and luxury, how did King Solomon sum up his life?
“All is vanity,” he said.
This man, who had it all, ended up disillusioned, pessimistic, and unhappy, despite everything he had going for him.
There is a word in German, Weltschmerz. Loosely defined, it means a sadness that comes from brooding about how the world is inferior to how we think it ought to be.
There is definitely some weltschmerz in me. Actually, this sounds like Laura right now.
The good news is, there is hope. There is a solution to the emptiness, vanity, and Weltschmerz of life. There is a solution to even the deepest hopelessness and discouragement you might feel.
This hope is found in the transformative power of the gospel of Jesus Christ and in the Savior’s redemptive power to heal us of our soul-sickness.
“I am come,” Jesus declared, “that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
We achieve that abundant life not by focusing on our own needs or on our own achievements but by becoming true disciples of Jesus Christ—by following in His ways and engaging in His work. We find the abundant life by forgetting ourselves and engaging in the great cause of Christ.
And what is the cause of Christ? It is to believe in Him, love as He loved, and do as He did.
How can she do that when she has concluded that doing that is the cause of her weltschmerz?
Of course, we must do more than merely have an intellectual understanding of the gospel for it to have this healing influence in our lives. We must incorporate it into our lives—make it a part of who we are and what we do.
May I suggest that discipleship begins with three simple words:
Believe, love, and do.
Believing God leads to faith in Him and developing trust in His word. Faith causes our hearts to grow in our love for God and others. As that love grows, we are inspired to emulate the Savior as we continue our own great journey on the path of discipleship.
Where is the disconnect? She believed and she did. It seemed that she loved but that is difficult to see clearly and verify conclusively. Did she perhaps have her belief or love misdirected?
The scriptures reveal that the more we love God and His children, the happier we become. The love Jesus spoke about, however, isn’t a gift-card, throwaway, move-on-to-other-things love. It isn’t a love that is spoken of and then forgotten. It is not a “let me know if there is anything I can do” sort of love.
The love God speaks of is the kind that enters our hearts when we awake in the morning, stays with us throughout the day, and swells in our hearts as we give voice to our prayers of gratitude at evening’s end.
This is the inexpressible love Heavenly Father has for us.
It is this endless compassion that allows us to more clearly see others for who they are. Through the lens of pure love, we see immortal beings of infinite potential and worth and beloved sons and daughters of Almighty God.
Once we see through that lens, we cannot discount, disregard, or discriminate against anyone.
That’s it. I can’t claim to know Laura’s love for everyone but I know that her love for me and for at least some other people is not such that she sees more clearly a being of infinite worth and potential. Of course it doesn’t help that I was so deeply flawed as she was so intimately connected with me. I made it easy for her to see me as not worthy of her trust and love. Years later, despite any growth on my part, she still clings to that broken image.
If you are not a member of the Church, I invite you to “come and see.” Come and join with us. If you are a member of the Church but presently not participating actively, I invite you: please come back. We need you!
Come, add your strengths to ours.
Because of your unique talents, abilities, and personality, you will help us become better and happier. In return, we will help you become better and happier as well.
Come, help us build and strengthen a culture of healing, kindness, and mercy toward all of God’s children. For we are all striving to become new creatures where “old things are passed away” and “all things … become new.” The Savior shows us the direction to move—forward and upward. He says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” Let us all work together to become the people God intended for us to become.
This is the kind of gospel culture we desire to cultivate throughout the Church of Jesus Christ. We seek to strengthen the Church as a place where we forgive one another. Where we resist the temptation to find fault, gossip, and bring others down. Where, instead of pointing out flaws, we lift up and help each other to become the best we can be.
Let me invite you again. Come and see. Join with us. We need you.
How can I successfully invite her to join me in creating that Gospel culture within our home and family?
They make mistakes.
From time to time they say things they shouldn’t. They do things they wish they hadn’t.
But they do have this in common—they want to improve and draw closer to the Lord, our Savior, even Jesus Christ.
They are trying to get it right.
They believe. They love. They do.
They want to become less selfish, more compassionate, more refined, more like Jesus.
We need to see both ourselves and those around us as fitting that description.
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