In our recent exploration of personal growth and resilience, we delved into the world of musicians, athletes, and soldiers. Their experiences offer valuable lessons in perseverance, grit, and the power of steadfast faith. As we conclude this lesson series and prepare to venture into new territories, it is essential to recognize that the path we embark upon will not be without challenges.
When we look at musicians, athletes, soldiers, or even skateboarders, we see a common thread of resilience woven into their stories. These individuals continuously test their limits, often failing, getting hurt, and facing feelings of inadequacy, rejection, and offense. We must take to heart that our journey of growth will not be dissimilar.
As we grapple with these hardships, it is important to remember why we willingly put ourselves through such trials. It’s a crucial question that requires frequent reflection.
To answer it, we must not seek solace in the comforts of worldly distractions.
Instead, we should retreat into the sanctity of our spiritual mountain, where we can commune with God and seek His counsel.
During these moments of despair, it is God who we should turn to, expressing our pain, our doubts, and our fears. He is the one who truly understands our suffering, for His Son, Jesus Christ, bore the ultimate burden.
In this spiritual communion, we may find solace, reassurance, and even a sense of divine sympathy.
A great lesson in resilience can be drawn from our ancestors, the colonists who journeyed to Utah and Idaho. Despite the difficulties they faced, they held steadfast to their purpose. Surely, many questioned the wisdom of their decisions, especially those who were sent to arid lands like Arizona. Yet, they trusted in God’s guidance and the vision of their leaders, like Brigham Young.
These pioneers remind us that our perceptions of hardship and pain often differ from divine understanding. In the grand scheme of God’s plan, our trials might not be as overwhelming as they initially seem.
As our ancestors learned to endure physical pain and challenges, so must we learn to bear our spiritual and emotional burdens with grace and faith.
Brigham Young warned that prosperity could lead us to become soft and complain more than our pioneering ancestors who endured severe hardships. Hence, we must always keep our pain and challenges in perspective.
When life gets hard, think about sitting down with Joseph Smith or Moses and explaining why your life is harder than theirs. It’s a humbling thought that helps us realign our perspective with the eternal perspective.
Our journey will require us to retreat, regroup, strategize, and try again, a process that will repeat itself many times. This is similar to the rejuvenation process that athletes go through.
Just as it’s important for an athlete to fully recover before returning to strenuous activities, we must also fully rejuvenate spiritually and emotionally before facing our challenges anew.
In these moments of retreat, we are meant to emerge fully recharged, just like a well-rested athletic team. If you find this process challenging, it’s a sign that it’s time to evaluate and improve your rejuvenation system.
We need to learn how to shake off our wounds and cleanse ourselves of pain so we can maintain the psychological fortitude needed to continue our spiritual journey.
So, as we prepare to move forward, let us remember the lessons of resilience from our musical, athletic, and soldierly role models. Let’s embrace the challenges ahead, and not shy away from seeking divine counsel when the going gets tough. May we also continue to share our experiences, uplifting one another as we each strive to become better.
