I have often heard statements in Sunday school that suggest that if we are doing what we are supposed to do our lives will be easy and happy; everything will work out. As if somehow following Christ will protect us from the pains, struggle and temptations of this world. After all Christ teaches in Mathew 11:29
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is EASY and my burden is light.”
The word used for easy in the original greek was chrestos. This same word could also be translated as well-fitting. At the time of Christ ox-yokes were made of wood. An ox was measured and a custom fitted yoke was fabricated then carefully adjusted so that it fit well without chafing the neck of the animal. Jesus in this statement for me is not saying that his yoke is easy. He is saying in essence “the yoke I give you is not meant to cause you pain rather it was made to measure, it was made to fit you well”. That is to say our trials and our tests were made for us to fit our needs and abilities exactly.
In another passage from the book of Mormon we read
“And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.” (Helaman 5:12)
The lesson learned from this passage is very clear. For us it is not if the devil will send forth his mighty wind, it is when. Each of us will have to go through our own struggles, our own trials of faith and experience our own loss as did Job. Struggles at times that might feel like they will break us. But we can take courage in the thought that the power of the adversary can only go so far. When comforting Joseph Smith while in-prisoned in Liberty jail the Lord said:
Therefore, hold on thy way… for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever. (D&C 122:9)
In a poem by John Milton entitled Paradise Lost God says of Adam and Eve and I believe symbolically about all of mankind
“I made [man] just and right,Sufficient to have stood, though free to fall.” (Book 3 line 95)
though not scripture I feel the point is very true we are made equal to the task before us and the task before us will stretch us to our limits.
This thought is taught so well in the vision of Lehi of the tree of life as he beheld the
“ multitudes pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.”( 1 Nephi 8:30)
The journey will not be an easy one. It will be made to test our limits. And when we reach the end we may also find ourselves falling down exhausted having giving are all.
One of my favourite stories of the Old Testament is that of Jacob. One of the major themes of his life is of his constant struggle. Beginning in the womb a struggle arises between him and his brother Esau (Gen. 25:22-24) one that would continue throughout the remainder of their life; you might remember his struggled to earn the birthright. Later we see him struggle once again with his future father-in-law for Rachel. This struggle culminates On his journey back to the land of his father when he wrestled with an angel until daybreak seeking a blessing, when the being saw that he did not overpower Jacob, he touched Jacob
on the sinew of his thigh, as a result, Jacob developed a limp (Genesis 32:31). Following this struggle Jacobs name was changed to Israel , it has been suggested that the name "Israel" comes from the Hebrew words לִשְׂרות (lisrot, "wrestle") and אֵל (El, "God"). Literally translate he who wrestles with God. The symbolism of this story is that each of us are locked eternally in a struggle with God neither prevailing completely over the other both forever changed by this encounter. As with Jacob when our long night is over we may find ourselves literally limping back to the home of our fist inheritance.
In fact I believe if we are going to make it we going to be cut brushed and worn out having endured the yoke that was made specifically for us. Not a yoke made to ease our burden but to purge out our imperfections.
