A Bunch of Whooey





"That's a bunch of whooey" is what I wanted to say in Sunday school today. 
I didn't.
Progress. 
Although a little correction would have been a good thing.  We we discussing Revelation.  I didn't do the reading this week, so I was not prepared to comment.  But, I did, and the teacher took what I said and ran with it--in the wrong direction.  I'll explain.

We were talking about the millennium and  how Satan won't have power then.  That was quite a discussion in and of itself.  Then she asked what we can do to fight Satan now.  She didn't say fight--I don't remember the exact question.  I answered that one way for me to keep Satan at bay was to not focus on myself.  That if I try to focus on others that I can do better at keeping him in check.  Let me say here that I was thinking about pride, not necessarily service.  The teacher then went on to say how wonderful service is--in that voice people get when then tout, and that when we serve others our problems go away or become smaller.

I've been home for 3 hours now.  I've showered, had lunch, and dealt with an ant infestation in my pantry.  I'm still thinking about what she said.  I think that's a bunch of whooey.  The problem I have to carry on my back now for the rest of my life isn't going away.  Taking someone a dinner won't ever ease  the pain  I feel when  I hear someone other than my son is blessing the sacrament.  The loneliness won't be gone just because I drive a widow to church every week.  Keith doesn't balance out the ledger of grief time with the hours he spends ministering hoping he can come out ahead.

God didn't say he would make our problems go away.  He said he would make them easier to bear--if we are obedient and do what  He asks.  That's a  big if.  I also believe that one of the ways he makes burdens lighter is by making us stronger.  If I have to carry a 25 pound weight around every day for an extended period of time, I get used to it and it becomes more manageable.  The same is true with trials.  If we don't fall down under the weight and quit, we get stronger. 

Sharp pains can become dull aches.  Some times our trials are open gushing wounds.  Even if we have spiritual stitches, they still hurt.  That doesn't go away.  Whether we end up with a scar or a callous takes a lot more than just time and serving others.  Sometimes the serving others part is just a distraction to keep us from ripping off the scab and starting the process all over again.

Like I said, I was actually thinking about pride when  I made the comment.  I think Satan does his best work when we think we are in control and doing fabulously--when we only see our own perspective and don't consider how our actions could affect others.  But the direction it went left me cold.  I've still got a lot of sensitive spots that aren't healed.  I spent last night bawling after the ward Christmas party where this same teacher came running up to me to tell me her son had just gotten in to town to spend Christmas with her.  Yeah, burdens don't go away, they just become invisible to other people.  It's good to know I still have divine help carrying it.