Elder Neal A. Maxwell applied these truths to us when he said our lives “cannot be both faith-filled and stress-free. . . .
“Therefore, how can you and I really expect to glide naively through life, as if to say, Lord, give me experience, but not grief, not sorrow, not pain, not opposition, not betrayal, and certainly not to be forsaken. Keep from me, Lord, all those experiences which made Thee what Thou art! Then let me come and dwell with Thee and fully share Thy joy!” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1991, 117; or Ensign, May 1991, 88).
Why is it that some want the reward without the effort required to attain it? We live in a world where the successful are lauded for their reward, rather than their sacrifice to gain that reward. So much emphasis is placed on the destination that we forget the journey that is required to get there. No amount of success, temporally or spiritually, comes without sacrifice, determination and most of all work. Adam was told that "cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground" (Genesis 3:17-19). Work then is defined as producing something that has an opposition (cursed is the ground), it is difficult(sorrow shalt thou eat of it), there will be trials and pain regardless of how hard you work (thorns and thistles shall it bring forth thee), it will require exertion on your part (In the sweat of thy face shalt though eat bread) and there will be no rest from this work (till though return unto the ground).
When applied to our temporal responsibilities, this infers that first, we are required to work. Now that doesn't necessarily mean for a wage. I say this, taking to account that mothers are some of the hardest working and receive no wage for their work. To those who live off of others permanently namely; welfare, panhandlers, the lazy, the idle and the selfish. You will be held accountable for this. To the rest of us, I offer the parable of the householder " which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. 2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. 5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? 7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. 8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. 9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. 11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, 12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. 13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? 14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee." (Matthew 20:1-14).
Examining this from a temporal perspective, I am sure many will think that this is unfair. Didn't the employee's that worked all day deserve more? The question really is, what were they hired for and what was the wage that was promised them? Is the amount of work accomplished or the time at work important to the contract agreed upon? The contract, agreement or terms of employment was for one penny. Was the wage fair or was it fair until compared to that of the employee that only worked for 1 hour? The answer is found in this question, what were you hired to do? So often I believe that we all get caught up in our personal worth having a dollar sign to it. When we find that someone else's dollar sign is greater than ours, we feel unappreciated, disrespected and ripped off. We have all been in this situation at one time or another in the work place, as children when siblings get to do things we don't even though we did all of our chores and they didn't, as parents when our kids rebel despite the tireless years of discipline and structure while the neighbor kids without rules become great people. Its unfair, its not right its .... life. Life is full of disappointments, get used to it. Regardless of what the reward is, we are still required to try.
Is it any different when we examine the same scriptures through spiritual eyes? The same efforts must be applied to our spiritual growth. We must do, to receive. What must we do? Where does spiritual growth come from? Our Father in heaven, thru Jesus Christ by the power of Holy Ghost. All we have to do is ask Him. "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking". (Matthew 6:5-7) Remember who you are speaking with. Talk to Him like you talk to your best friend, and you will be filled with His spirit. Only then are you ready to be taught spiritually. Only then can pure intelligence be communicated to your spirit. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you (Matthew 7:7) Seeking requires some additional effort on our part. Read the scriptures as though they hold the antidote to a poison you have swallowed. You must absorb what you are reading in order for The Spirit to witness its truth to your spirit. This is a level of learning you cannot obtain from secular learning. Man cannot teach to your spirit. Only the Holy Ghost can witness to your spirit of the truthfulness of things.
This life is the time to prepare to meet God. Denying His existence will not make it untrue. Take advantage of the resources He has given us to structure our lives in ways that are faith building. Trials accompany growth, it is the only way we can grow. Trials cause stress or we would not be compelled to make a choice. Faith enables us to make the right choice, not the easy one.
