Life is a test. This might be an idea you have been taught before. Most likely, in the Mormon (Latter-Day) Saint faith you have heard of this concept. So why is life a test and what is on the test? And why do we even care whether or not we pass?
Ok, some of my jumbled up thoughts before I find some scriptures that illustrate this concept. First of all, I think that life is a test to see if we really believe we matter, to see if we can be brave enough to love big, have big faith, see the miracles through the pain, and trust to follow instructions. Often this love, this faith, this hope and instructor is a still small voice inside each of us telling us to forgive, to give someone a hug, that we should walk into the unknown towards something better, to smile and cry at the same time, to stand up for what is right and true, to not always follow the status quo, and that we are beautiful and that we have tremendous worth.
We can try to push this voice down. We may not think we are strong enough. We may not want to wait to see what happens or have hope or faith in the end of the story. But we are here not to be made small but to progress and progress until we start to believe a little bit more and a little bit more that we matter, that what we do matters, and that everyone matters to someone. And I believe that that BIG SOMEONE is God; our Heavenly Parents, both our Heavenly Father and our Heavenly Mother. We all matter to God and He wants to see us be happy and succeed.
We are not sent to earth just to exist. We are sent here to learn and grow. The test is not one big test at the end or a small test in the beginning. It is all the little tests day by day, year by year, and lifetime by lifetime. It is also the big test at the end where we can say we made it. We didn’t forget who we are and that life was something to be grateful for. We will also bow before Christ and confess that He is our Savior and that He paid the price for our sins, that He made everything good in the world, and that through following Him, He was our comfort and shield.
Now an interesting discovery was that upon looking for the word test in the scriptures’ index, I did not find the word test, but I did find the three words, testament, testify, and testimony. Those words said see also; New Testament, Old Testment, Witness, Manifest, preach, prove, Record, Verify, faith, Holy Ghost, Know, Knowledge, and Revelation.
Another word for test is choice. That word feels a little less intimidating and less like I am doomed to fail because it is just a choice, almost just a MOMENT, where I decide between something and sometimes it matters and sometimes it doesn’t. But I think often it matters more than we realize.
Joshua 24:15 …Chose you this day whom ye will serve…but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.
James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
St. John 6:28-29 Then they said unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
2 Nephi 31:10 (referring to Christ) And he said unto the children of men; Follow thou me. Wherefore, my beloved brethren can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?
Tests often prepare us for something. And trials can also prepare us to be a blessing to someone else.
Matthew 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat down upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the arock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your bfoundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty cstorm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.
This is one of my favorite church primary songs, that I taught the children when I was the President of our church primary a couple of years ago. I hope you enjoy.
Click on the picture below or use the link below to watch the song video.
https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-12-17-build-an-ark?lang=eng
Family Handshake 