Trials Beyond Ourselves

I look forward to Sundays. Attending church is one of the best parts of my week, not to mention the break from school work and homework. Sundays are truly sacred days for me. The only thing about church that isn't enjoyable is when someone teaches something which is not true. One of the most common untruths that I hear in my student ward is the notion that God is only going to give us tests and trials that we have power to overcome. When people share this idea, they frequently site the scripture in 1 Corinthians 10:13 which says that "God... will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able;" This is a serious misinterpretation of the scripture, and of the God we worship.

Paul's instruction can only be understood to mean that God is never going let you be tempted or tested with something that is too big for you to overcome if you read only part of the scripture. Looking at the whole verse, and verses surrounding it, it becomes clear that Paul was teaching the people exactly the opposite of what some so mistakenly glean from their cursory study of his words.

Paul reminds the Corinthians of the exodus of the Jews from Egypt. He speaks of the trials and temptations they faced, and alludes to the consequences of their failure to resist temptation, saying "with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness" (verse 5). Paul taught that the history of the Children of Israel should be "our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted" (verse 6). He then lists several of the lusts which were among the Israelites, concluding again that "all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition" (verse 11).

Now we arrive at the verse in question. "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:" says Paul. In other words, all of us experience temptations and tests. It's part of the experience of this life. "...but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

Why does Paul say God is faithful? Consider verse 12. "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." This warning is the crux of the issue. A man who thinks that he can stand on his own, that it is by his own power, wisdom, or strength that he overcomes, places himself on a pedestal from which he almost certainly will fall. For by the word of the Lamb "many high ones shall be brought low," (D&C 122:8)

Understanding the import of his warning, Paul both comforts and teaches where to turn to find the strength to overcome when he contrasts the "frailty and foolishness of men" (2 Ne 9:28) with the aid that is available to us; saying "but God is faithful;" He will help you in your times of trial and temptation, and "make a way to escape".

Now, it is important that we understand the reason why God allows us to face trials and temptations. At first glance, one might try to determine what he is supposed to learn from this trial or that. One might wonder what she is supposed to learn by serving in a calling for which she is very unqualified. One might wonder what he is being taught by a persistent health challenge, or same-gender attraction, or family problems. For each of these unique trials a long list could be made of lessons and principles that Heavenly Father might be trying to teach us. While each of these lessons are important, they are often incidental. There is one great lesson which underlies all of the trials that Heavenly Father's children face in this life: learning to rely on Christ for all we are, and all we do, and all we are becoming.

It is perhaps this reason more than any other that God does give, and will continue giving tests and trials which are beyond our ability to accomplish alone. We are told to seek learning, and to study from the best books. In our fallen and corrupted state each of us finds himself in the position of beginning to think that he is wise in the knowledge he has accrued. He ceases seeking constant guidance and direction from above, setting it aside, supposing he knows of himself. And so God, who is faithful, in His love and mercy, sends to him a trial which alone he cannot overcome. Christ draws us unto himself by requiring of us things which, without Him, we could never do.

Paul, then, was not teaching us that we can take a deep breath and relax because nothing too hard is coming our way. Rather, He was telling us that trials, temptations and struggles are part of this life, and we are not going to get out of them; but to take courage because God prepared a way to escape. For "in the gift of his Son hath God prepared a more excellent way." He is the way, the truth and the life. It is in Him that we will find strength, comfort, and our escape.


Don't forget your daily dose of Music.

My Computer Gave Up the Ghost

Last Monday morning I opened my laptop and pressed the on key, nothing happened. I checked the charge light, which showed that it had a full charge. I tried everything I could think of to get the computer to start up. Nothing worked. So, fearing that I had a major problem, I took my computer to the on-campus computer help desk, which is really an office. All other offices on campus require their employees to wear a collared shirt and tie. Not this office. They come as the are. But it seems like these guys know their stuff, so I didn't care. I waited for quite a while that first day that I came in before I was able to be seen by one of the employees. He took the laptop and started messing with it. After a few preliminary tests, it became clear that the laptop was dead.

That is never good news. But I tried to take in in stride. He then proceeded to take the back panel off. He was then able to pull out the hard drive and plug the drive into an external drive reader that tested the drive to see if it was still good. It was. Thank you Heavenly Father. There are some very important music files on the computer that I would be very sad to lose.

Following reassembly, I left the office with the sad knowledge that I was in need of a new computer. Sad? I guess not really in and of it's self. But sad because a new computer is not in the budget. The idea of a new, faster computer probably never gave any normal person heartburn.

The options in Rexburg are pretty limited... to say the least. Fortunately I was already planning on a trip to Salt Lake that same weekend. Lots more options there. Spend several hours visiting stores, looking up online pricing and reviews of models that I was looking at, and visited four locations to browse their catalog. After pondering options, budget, and what I wanted, we returned to Best Buy and bought my new laptop. I am very happy with it. It has a ten inch screen, which detaches as a tablet, and runs very fast. The only thing that was a disappointment was that it had fairly limited on board storage. External hard drive. Problem solved.

Now I am sitting in the computer help "desk" again. I have been here for about three hours now. What am I doing? I am copying the files from my old hard drive to my new hard drive. Estimated time remaining to copy the rest of my music: 2 hours. Maybe I have too much music... Nah. Nearly 14,000 songs for a total of 44.55 GB of information in my music folder. Not bad. There has got to be a faster way to move files than this. Compounding my frustration with how long it is taking is the fact that the tech guy felt that the Mac would be the easier, faster option... I am not so sure. Blame the Mac. It's pretty much always safe to blame the Mac. Right now there are 5500 files left to transfer over. The file count is descending at a rate of about one file per second. Do the math... 1.5 hours remaining. I wish I had homework to do while I sit here...


Don't forget your daily dose of Music!

A Speaking Assignment

Brother Shannon, second councilor in our bishopric, (and ironically only mere months older than I am) called at 8:49 pm. I rolled my eyes at the unknown number on my phone, wishing that I didn't have to answer. I had to get up at 3:30 the next morning so that I could be to work for the early morning shift a 4. I was already in bed. I answered the phone politely. "Is this Sam?" "Yes." He then introduced himself and asked how I was doing. "Fine. Thank you." I decided that I would use his facebook page to get his information to add to my contacts later. He asked if I would be willing to speak in sacrament meeting on Sunday. "Yes." He apologized that it was short notice, especially since he was sure that I had homework and classes now. I didn't tell him I am off track this semester, and not taking any classes. Maybe that was a little cruel. Maybe it wasn't. But at 8:49, I didn't care.

"Can I give you a topic?" I hate when church leaders leave the topic to you to figure out for a lesson or a sacrament meeting talk. "Please." "We would like you to talk about Christlike attributes."

Christlike attributes; that's a broad topic. I almost feel like they didn't give me a topic for how broad it is. Thus far, I have spent over five hours studying and reviewing material. I have a lot of thoughts about what I might share, but still don't know where I am supposed to begin. When the I'm writing a talk, my pattern is study, study, study; then at some point I will discover where the talk is supposed to start. From there, the rest of the talk will almost always unfold quickly. Still not sure where I should start. But I still have a few days to prepare.

Don't forget your daily dose of Music!

To Love and Support Someone

I worry when we let ourselves believe that loving and supporting someone who makes poor decisions means loving them and supporting them in their sins. We weaken ourselves and our relationships when we condone by silence or "understanding" their poor choices.

Loving and supporting a person means having those difficult discussions, asking those hard questions, and learning to love people while unequivocally standing on those principles of truth and righteousness which govern eternity and happiness. It also means that we recognize the moral agency of those around us and refuse to take guilt upon ourselves when those we care about refuse to associate with us because we are unwilling to yield the principles of truth.

Don't forget your daily dose of Music!

Moving Out

Well, it has happened. I have moved out. It is a strange feeling; one that, I admit, I didn't expect or prepare for. But let me explain a little, especially for those of you who know that I haven't lived consistently at home for several years now.

When I first moved up to Idaho to go to school, my apartment was my apartment, and home still meant that place where I was raised and family lived. I decided that. It was a conscious thing. And so it stayed for those first two semesters away from home. Then came the call to serve a mission for the Lord. And there too, home was still in Salt Lake with family. All through the mission the apartment was usually "the apartment." On those rare occasions when I called our apartment "home," my heart knew that home was not there. I kept always on my key ring the key to my parents home; a simple way to keep connected with home.

Returning from the mission, I lived at home for a time in order to save money for the coming semesters at school. Then I again left home to live in an apartment while I attend school. Two semesters continued this way. Through the course of the second semester, I began to feel increasing that I was being impressed to remain in Idaho more permanently and not return to live at home between semesters, as I had always done before.

Following prayer and a confirmation of my feelings, I decided that I was going to stay in Idaho without moving home intermittently. Once that decision was made, it bought about a change which at first was subtle, but has grown over time. Things like referring to what had been home as "my parents house" began to be manifestations of my changing feelings. And now, sitting writing this here in my new apartment in Idaho, I find that what was "home" before no longer seems fit to hold that title, since I don't intend to ever return there to live. And yet, this new apartment and these people and Idaho, they are not yet home either. Thus I find myself homeless, so to speak. Fearful? No. But I find myself feeling perhaps as Corrie ten Boom has recorded in her book; that it is in Jesus that I must now make my home.

Don't forget your daily dose of Music!

Separation of Church and State Wrongly Taught in a Religion Class?! What?

My religion teacher taught his class that the education system in America is a branch of the Government... Hmm I guess I missed that Article of the Constitution last time I read it. He then so egregiously miss applied a scripture from the 132 Section of the Doctrine and Covenants on the role of government, that anyone in the class who hasn't made a serious study of the proper role of government as established by inspiration through the Founding Fathers, probably thinks that it is a good thing that the government continues to make it more difficult to pray and otherwise acknowledge and honor God in schools; we must keep the separation between church and state you know...

It is little wonder that those who wish to eliminate God and Christianity from society are having so much success when we are being taught such flagrant principles. We have been fooled into thinking that religion and the demonstrations of a religious life should be kept entirely separate from public life. We have even been conditioned to be hyper-sensitive to not being perceived as an advocate for religious views and practices in public.

The Lord needs a people who are willing to demonstrate the signs and blessings of those who believe so clearly that you leave no doubt in those around you that you are a disciple of Christ, even as a city set on a hill. This must be us! We must be advocates of the Lord and His work. We must be living witnesses of the power and blessings that come to those who follow Christ. We can never do that if we buy into this false interpretation of separating Religion/Church and State/public life.

Don't forget your daily dose of Music!

Looking out the Window

I stood looking out the window of the Snow building on BYU-Idaho campus this morning before class started. I stood watching all the students walking on campus, crossing the street and coming and going from buildings. Backpacks on their shoulders. Ear buds playing away. Nary a care in the world beyond the next assignment or that next date. A knot in my stomach turned.

The government shut down. The debt crisis will careen out of control half-way through the month. The socialist bill for universal health care has rift congress beyond action (not that I'm convinced that is such a bad thing under the circumstances.) The American people go on like nothing is happening. WHAT IS WRONG WITH US?

It is a mark of how apathetic and disinterested we are in current events and the world situation that not once, all day long, did I hear anyone discuss what is happening. Crash a plane into a tower, the whole world stops and watches. Bring such a heated moral and ethical issue into the heart of Congressional debate that the division runs so deep the government halts in its tracks, we hardly bat an eye. Never mind that there the result of what happens will have a profound effect on all the citizens of these United States.

I wished all through my music theory class that instead of burying our heads in the sand and hoping that the problem will go away, we would stop our study of Neapolitan chords and take time to discuss what is happening in our nation. Why is this not the most important topic being discussed on campus?

I have to admit that I get a little more annoyed each time that I hear someone call the Republican party out for being childish, or uncooperative, or unreasonable. Do not misunderstand me. I am not an advocate for everything that the Republican party has done, or is doing. But it's about time that we finally see our representatives stand up and defy the liberal agenda, and their puppet the President. We ride a fine line between barely floating and sinking into disaster on so many fronts. So I say "Bravo!" to the congressmen who have stood up and stood their ground.

What?! Did you think it was going to be an easy fix, getting out of the mess we are in? Do you think that the socialist movement is just going to throw in the white towel and hand over the victory? Lets get real. We have only two choices: we are either going to be compliant, and compromise our way down to hell, or we are going to have to stand up and take a few blows to the face.

Maybe the Republicans haven't picked the best way to handle the situation. But at least someone has put the breaks on. Buckle up, ladies and gentlemen. I expect to get hit a few times.