Day 23: Persevering Through Obstacles

Lehi and his family had to endure many trials; their faith was tested, their patience was tried. They had many obstacles that threatened their lives, their state of minds, their immediate and eternal blessings. But they persevered. They (well most of them) put their trust in God and endured through it all.

The talk that I read today was given by Joseph B. Wirthlin in 1987, called Never Give Up. He said:
"In the context of my remarks today, perseverance means to continue in a given course until we have reached a goal or objective, regardless of obstacles, opposition, and other counter influences. What is our course, what is our goal, and what are the obstacles and opposition that would hinder or divert us? Our course as members of the Church should be compliance with the principles and ordinances of the gospel. Our goal should be to fill the measure of our creation as sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father—that is, to reach exaltation and eternal life. The obstacles and opposition we meet are the temptations and enticements of Satan that are designed to frustrate the Lord’s work and glory: “To bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39)...

I believe that essentially all significant achievement results largely from perseverance.

Jesus persevered through the final days of his mortal life as the mood of the people changed from shouts of “Hosanna to the Son of David” (Matt. 21:9) to cries of “Crucify him” (Mark 15:13). He endured the indignities and physical abuse of his trials before Jewish and Roman leaders. Through his atonement and resurrection, he provided for all mankind both immortality and the possibility of eternal life. He paid the penalty for our sins if we will repent of them. How grateful I am for the effect upon me of his love and his perseverance!"

Relationships, especially family relationships and more specifically marriage relationships require perseverance. There is nothing that we can do in this life that won't be forgiven by God except murder or denying Him after a personal witness (at least that is my understanding). It should be the same for us, forgive seventy times seven. Walk away if you have to for a brief moment, in the face of abuse, but instead of retaliating or seeking revenge or holding on to a grudges, turn the other cheek. Develop traits of charity; long suffering and kindness no matter what, avoid self-righteousness and pride, don't take offense, and never give up. Hope all things, believe all things and endure all things. This is what I am learning in my own life, in relationships with people who are difficult to understand or to love. Loving the unlovable is the greatest obstacle in my life right now. This obstacle is trying to deceive me, to convince me that I don't have it in me to love like Christ loves, it persuades me to give up, it tempts me to retaliate or take offense or walk away ~ forever.

Christ gives me the strength that I need to do the right things. He provides an example for how I can be and he offers me forgiveness when I fall short. This life is a time for us to prepare to meet God. We will never be able to do that in the current human state that we are in. We need to purge and purging comes through enduring. Through Christ, I will let these obstacles build the characteristics in me that will help me endure to the very end.