Things As They Truly Are

The Way Begins in the Hole Have you ever felt like you had to measure up in order to be worthy of love or help? I have. In last week's General Conference Sister Susan Porter, first counselor in the Primary General Presidency, said: "Sometimes we mistakenly think that we can feel God's love only after we have followed the iron rod and partaken of the fruit. God's love, however, not only is received by those who come to the tree but is the very power that motivates us to seek the tree." While I don't know that I ever consciously believed this, looking back it is clear to me that I did. It's another manifestation of the enoughness heresy, which simply says love is something I must earn. I must be enough before I am worthy of being loved, and I am not yet enough. A corollary to this belief is I can only expect God's help if I am worthy of it, and I am only worthy of it if I have already done enough. Whatever "enough" is. I love the following quo...

Blessings? "God's love is not found in the circumstances of our lives, but in His presence in our lives."  --Susan H. Porter, 1st Counselor, Primary General Presidency I often hear people talk about how God has blessed them with material goods, with health, with wisdom or other desirable things. The problem this creates is that a lack of these "blessings" must mean that God is instead withholding blessings. Or worse, that He is cursing them. And then there's the pernicious idea that if we just have enough faith, then God will "bless" us with health, wealth and wisdom. So either we're deficient, or God is cruel.  What if it's neither? I love what Sharon Porter said in her Conference talk today. I think she hits the nail right on the head. Our circumstances--"blessings" or lack thereof--are not evidence of God's love. The evidence is that He is with us regardless of our circumstances. Brent Nielsen of the Seventy also touched on...

Walking Away  "If you keep not my commandments, the love of the father shall not continue with you, therefore you shall walk in darkness."  Doctrine & Covenants 97:12 When I read this verse earlier this week I reacted negatively. I know God loves me even when I fall short. Worse, this felt manipulative, like, "Do what I say or I won't love you anymore." Yuck. Then I read it again this morning during Gospel Doctrine class and I saw it with new eyes. When I walk my own path away from God (and reality) it does not lead me to light but to darkness. If I walk away from light it does not mean the light has stopped shining. The light never stops shining. God never stops loving me. He does not withhold his love. Ever. But I may be too far away to feel it.  Seen this way it softens my heart. It sounds more like, at the very least, a reminder that God wants me to stay close to him. And I know from experience that the moment I turn around the light is instantly there.

"And truth is knowledge of things as they truly are...."  Doctrine & Covenants 93:24  This scriptures stood out to me in Gospel Doctrine class this morning because it touches on something that has been very meaningful to me. Some years ago while listening to a podcast on Buddhism I heard something that has stuck with me ever since: that Buddhisim doesn't require its adherents to believe anything that isn't true. The emphasis was on the practical side of Buddhism, that it is a religion of experience rather than one of dogma. That really struck me then and continues to guide me now.  What about my religion? Does belonging to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints require me to believe any things that aren't true? Or perhaps more accurately, does my religion require me to believe things that I can't know for myself through personal experience? For me, happily the answer is a resounding no.  This has been both challenging and freeing. Challenging bec...