A Personal Path To Pass
This post correlates with my post in May titled "Putting On Display Our Errors". Please check it out.
It must be understood, that there is an individual journey that must be gone through, in order to pass all the tests and earn trust and promises (and fulfillment of them) from Heaven. We must understand this, as to not judge too harshly or make the person's journey even more difficult (which of course might actually be a necessity - but there are plenty of people to give this experience, don't let it be YOU). This journey, for obvious reasons, requires hardships to be passed through. It will break you, in order to remake you. The path (and I speak from experience, knowledge of experiences of friends further along the path than me and scriptural histories) is full of sorrow and will also require each person to go through phases of thinking that you hear the Lord, to thinking maybe you did not, or maybe you were deceived. Messages can come from Above, below, our own thoughts and even from our emotional mind (fears, worries, etc pushing our minds to go a certain direction, or ever altering hard to hear messages coming from Above). Sometimes, in our zeal to hear from Above, we can get hasty and mistake a message from below or from our own mind, as a message from Above. We will likely be deceived by our own thoughts or messages from below. This is part of the journey. God allows His own, to pass through these experiences. We must push through all this, to continue the path. As Snuffer once stated, we will come to a point where we must doubt our own doubts. Until we are having one on one, two-way conversations that are as real or more real than talking with a mortal friend, with Angels, the Lord and even the Father (and even after this at times)... we are very prone to doing something out of zeal, that may not actually be what Heaven wants of us. At the same time, it just may be exactly what they want you to choose... in order for you to hear Them, before graduating you further along the Path.
There Is No Avoiding The Suffering and Persecution
When you see someone else going through hardships, the first thought is that they must be going off the path. This is most common with our LDS family and friends when they presume and assume that we are suffering hardships and loneliness, because we must be "falling away" or going "apostate" from the brethren or modern day church. But I have seen it within the awakening LDS Remnant as well. It may very well be a true fact, they are very likely forging through a necessary part of the path. Think of Job. Why else is the book preserved in the Bible? To prove this very point. Next time you think another person (who is actually trying to forge the Path Of Christ) is deceived, and/or suffering because YOU think they may be going off the Path... remember to allow the person to have the experience. If they make it through these experiences, and choose wisely, and trust the Lord to bring them through this passage way, they will make it. Some times we have to sit back, like Father, and let people experience hardships, in order to truly learn what they need to.
Looking Inward
Among the Remnant movement, I have witnessed much contention, false assumptions, serious judgemental comments, devaluation and then defaming of others occurs... which leads to strifes and even division. More than likely, people within the Remnant are going through these very portions of a very personal Path. Many get lost, if you remember Denver's story about the beast trying to get at the person who trusted on the Lord to bring them safely through. Remember the Tree of Life dream by Lehi. Hold to that Rod, to partake/receive of the Eternal Promises (fruit). Dare I say you will go through even more false ridicule and mistaken apostasy complaints... to later earn Fulfillment of thos earlier Promises. Don't think for a minute that the path gets any easier. You might be more confident in what you are doing is the will of the Lord or Father, but the path necessarily remains difficult. You will face persecution from outside the Remnant AND WITHIN. You must push through all that, trusting in the only One who can get you through that pass.
But this path causes a two-edged sword of confusion for bystanders. Those bystanders can either see it for what it truly is, or mock, point fingers, judge, criticize, spread rumors or gossip of YOUR VIEW of the circumstances... and end up another tool of the adversary, who is the Father of Accusations, Lies and Contention. He (and those filled with his "spirit" or thoughts), is allowed to bruise our heel. By God. Yes, even our loving Father and His Son, our Brother (who can also be your Father via adoption). Why we are here.
Yes, it is wise to give loving advice to help others make good decisions. But please be so careful to avoid the judgemental and accusatory stuff! When you blurt out that you cannot stand certain topics found in scripture and/or church history, or that someone from the past or someone that we know today is flat out deceived and falling off the path, and assume that your view is the only correct one, while also harshly judging and condemning... what is more important? That your view is more accurate, or how you are treating that other person?
Prove True And Faithful. Overcome All Things
We must pass through ALL things, in order to obtain the Greater Things. We must prove true and faithful, whether we are the one on the path being mis-judged, or looking upon others on the path and possibly pointing fingers ourselves.
This Gospel stuff is serious. It really is like a two-edged sword that cuts both ways. This mortal life is chock full of chaos, paradoxes and evil. Full of people falsely assuming, persecuting and mocking. And necessarily so. This world is as it is, for a reason. Push through all that. Trust in The Advocate with the Father to take you safely through it all. Yes, He (and Father) WILL allow you to suffer at times, and has to sit back in tears while you do, hoping for the best and lightly nudging you to get through it all. We have to go through certain hardships, to truly learn by experience. For our own good.
If your journey is easy and light, I would have to question exactly what path you think you are on. I won't judge you as bad or avoid you... but I can share a little concern for you.
Cry, But Avoid Causing It
Do not, I repeat, do not find yourself being part of those inflicting more tears and hurt. We of all people, should know better!!! We have experienced persecution, false assumptions and hurt by them already. Those of us who are awakening, are all on different parts of the path. Some have more time and experience. Some further along the path, which I admire and have been praying for all along. Some may be going through some temporary self deception. Some are still trying to Hear that weak signal of revelation coming through. Some are finding themselves in see through walled rooms communicating face to face with Angels or the Lord. Some have gone further still, and meeting our Heavenly Parents sitting on their thrones. No matter what part of the path you find yourself on, help and love and assist others to progress along their path. We must avoid finding out in hindsight that we hindered, caused more tears or worse: caused them to regress.
I have said before, and I don't think of myself as some guru or perfect guy, I probably think too less of myself... but what matters most is not who is right or wrong about some topic or whether or not another person is falling off the path (at least you are concerned)... but what matters most is how we treat each other, while eventually coming to see eye to eye on truth. Do not avoid questioning any topic, or discussing what ever topic you want... but do it logically, searching for the truth, leaving out the negative emotions or emotional responses that we are all so quick to blurt out at times.
In Summary
Love God more. Love ourselves and each other more. What more can I say to sum it all up?
These thoughts invoked in part by recent and past related posts and comments on LDS Remnant Facebook group, and a recent blog post Here.
