9-22-11 “He did deliver me from bondage” p. 88
I was at a seminar last month that told a story,
then I read the same story in a book last week called “Unconditional
Love”. It was a story that illustrates
this point about agency and accepting those things we cannot change (because we
chose them in the life before this one).
The story went something like this:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There once was a young man who was struggling with
bitterness and anger because of his current life conditions. You see, he was trapped inside a deformed
little body. He felt it was not who he
was, and he felt he was capable of so much but lacked the ability to do
them. During his struggle he was praying
to understand, then one night he had a dream.
In his dream he sat in his wheelchair beside an angel who directed his
attention toward two men talking at the far end of his view. The angel said, “You see those two men over
there? Go listen carefully to their
conversation. The very brightest One is
your Heavenly Father. The other one is
you.” As he approached the two figures,
he began to hear their conversation. He
heard the brightest one speak first, “So you think you’re ready to go down?”
“I hope so,” replied the man. “We’ve talked about all the challenges I’ll
face and the family I’ll go to. Do you
think I’m ready?”
“Well there is one more thing we may need to
discuss.”
“What’s that?”
“What is it that you want most to learn in your
lifetime?” Asked his Heavenly Father.
“I’m so excited,” answered the man. “I want to learn how to serve and help
others. I especially want to learn how
to live my mission and make a contribution to the world.”
“Um, hummm.” Nodded his Father.
“Is there anything else you think I need to learn?”
questioned the man.
“Well, yes.
There is one thing. What is it
you want the very most?”
The man looked down and thought carefully for a
minute. Then he answered looking into
his Heavenly Father’s eyes, “What I really want is to become like you. I thing I want the most to be like you.”
“That is good,” his Father answered. “I am concerned that your pride will get in
the way of that.”
“Isn’t there something we can do?” asked the man
with a concerned look on his face.
“Yes there is, but it won’t be easy.”
”What? I’ll do anything! What can I do?”
His Father paused for a moment then answered, “If
we give you a deformed tiny little body, you will be able to overcome your
pride.”
“Wow.” The man said as he sat down with a heavy sigh.
“That is hard.” Thinking for a
moment he asked, “but it would help me to become like you, right?”
“Yes, it would.”
“And I could still do all those other things to be
able to make my contribution?”
”Yes you could.”
“Then I’ll do it.”
He said resolutely. “I’ll take
the body! I want to become like you
Father. I love you!”
His Father proudly pulled his son in for a big bear
hug. They held tightly for a long
time. Then Heavenly Father answered.
“Now I think you’re ready. I am so proud
of you. I love you.”
Tears were mingled and their hearts united. The man now felt he was ready too.
As the young deformed man in the little body sat
watching, the realization of seeing his very own choice quickly dawned on
him. He felt the confirming truth burn
in his heart that this really happened, and he really chose his
circumstances. He wept freely as all the
bitterness bleed out of him. When he was
done, there was nothing left but understanding, gratitude, and resolve. Now he knew what he had to do, and he was
going to do it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ok, so I ended up adding some of my own perspective
and mission focus to that. In writing
this my own tears streamed down my face.
It is truly amazing how the Spirit can help me write. I do know for myself that we each chose our
families and our circumstances, knowing the risks that revolved around others
choices. I am so grateful for the peace
and consolation that comes from trusting this truth.
