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Surrender in Order to Conquer
By H. Wallace Goddard
Life is filled with paradoxes. For example, the last will be first. The
humble will be exalted. Our natural ways make us enemies to our
Creator. We must lose ourselves in order to find ourselves. By
submitting we become strong. The servant of all will become the
Master of all. By giving we receive. We must die in order to live
eternally.
There is a contradiction that has been of particular interest
to me lately. We are repeatedly enjoined to become “as a child,
submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit
to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even
as a child doth submit to his father” (Mosiah 3:19, c.f. Alma
7:23, Alma 13:28).
Further, the Master of all Creation was also its most submissive
citizen. “Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily,
I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he
seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also
doeth the Son likewise” (John 5:19, also John 5:30, 8:28).
In contrast to the commandment to submit, is the commandment
to “be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things
of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness.
For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves” (D&C
58:27-8). How do we reconcile total submission to God with “being
agents unto themselves”?
Submission does not come easily for me. I have considered
it cause for rejoicing as I have learned to submit my rather
independent will to God in some areas of my life. So, sitting
in a high council meeting feeling as misplaced as a smoldering
cigarette at a bishopric meeting, I have been tempted to resign
my post. But I know in my soul that that is not how we do business
in the kingdom. “In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day
Saints, one takes the place to which one is duly called, which
place one neither seeks nor declines” (J. Reuben Clark).
I see clearly that I neither call myself nor release myself.
God offers no guarantees that we will enjoy each minute of our
callings. He does not even guarantee that all our callings will
perfectly utilize our gifts and preferences. After all, He is
more committed to our growth than He is in need of our contribution.
So He directs our lives according to His absolute resolve to
enlarge us and perfect us.
So I continue to serve on the high council. As I serve, God
shows me ways to be useful. I offer my gifts and perspectives
to the council. I gladly testify of Divine Goodness in the units
of the Little Rock Stake. I try to enjoy meetings. But you can
be sure that I will rejoice if I ever get to teach Gospel Essentials
again!
Submission
vs. Proactivity
I have wondered if one way to reconcile submission with proactivity
is to suggest that we submit our purposes entirely to God while
using our agency to determine the processes for bringing about
His perfect purposes. In other words, He determines the ends
and we choose the means.
Nephi may be an example of that principle. He did not know how God would hook
him and his brothers up with the brass plates. For the first attempt, Laman
went and reasoned with Laban. He was chased off. Then the little band offered
the family wealth in exchange for the plates. Laban took the wealth and dispatched
the brothers. Even after two failures, Nephi was not deterred. He still did
not know God’s plan for getting the records but he was determined to keep trying.
He snuck into town at night for the third attempt. He “was led by the Spirit,
not knowing beforehand the things which [he] should do” (1 Nephi 4:6). It must
take a lot of faith to head back into town without a plan. Nephi pushed forward.
God put Laban in his hands.
While Nephi used every stratagem that came to his mind, ultimately
it was God who delivered Laban into his hands. Maybe that is
true for us also. We qualify for God’s blessings as we put our
creativity and style in the service of God’s work.
Another interesting example is the brother of Jared whom the
Lord instructed to build a barge that would transport his people
to the new world. The Lord gave very clear instructions about
the general objective. He even gave specific instructions on
certain subjects—such as general design of the barges and their
ventilation—where our shipbuilder could not succeed without expert
help. But God allowed the brother of Jared to make recommendation
for lighting the craft: “What will ye that I should do that ye
may have light in your vessels?” (Ether 2:23) asked the Lord.
Aligned
With God's Will
With both Nephi and the brother of Jared, God gave clear purposes
and some specific processes, but allowed His servant to find
some methods. “And inasmuch as men do good they shall
in nowise lose their reward” (D&C 58:28, emphasis added).
If our purposes are aligned with God’s will, i.e., if we are
determined to “do good,” He grants us freedom to find a method.
Would God have allowed the brother of Jared to use glow-in-the-dark
pomegranates or a burning bush? Perhaps. Maybe God inspired the
choice of 16 clear stones for symbolic purposes. It appears in
the record that it was purely the brother of Jared’s choice.
It seems that when we have no desire but to do God’s will,
we are sometimes granted freedom to find the means for accomplishing
His purposes. It is intriguing to imagine what elements of Jesus’ remarkable
ministry represent the unique style of His sweet soul. Even though
He followed His Father’s example perfectly, His choice of which
acts to emulate must somehow represent the great goodness of
His inestimable Character!
So, when we prove our devotion to God’s purpose, He grants
us more freedom to choose the means to accomplish those purposes.
There is another way of looking at this. Maybe it is a matter
of spiritual maturity. As we demonstrate our commitment to His
purposes, He delegates more and more of His responsibility and
power to us. Can you imagine The Creator of Heaven and Earth
saying to us, “I would like you to take charge of this part of
my vineyard.”?!
That is what He does when he gives a deacon the power to pass
the sacrament or a woman stewardship over a newborn or a bishop
responsibility for a
ward. But there is a feeling that comes as one starts to feel the power.
I thought I saw that great power when I heard President Biliter, a beloved
counselor in our stake presidency, tell about the joy he experiences any
time he has an opportunity to give a blessing. “The thrill is being able
to be a part of the miracle—even if only in the capacity of messenger.
We get to intercede in behalf of a brother or sister and call down the
blessings of heaven. That is the miracle of the priesthood process. I am
in awe that Heavenly Father allows us to be instruments in that process.” Giving
blessings in the name of the Lord provides a unique opportunity for partnership
with God. Perhaps we provide the style and God directs the substance.
Consecration
Somehow this all connects to the principle of consecration.
When we turn everything we have over to the kingdom, the Kingdom
becomes ours. As we turn our lives over to Him, He turns His
power over to us! What wonderful examples of heavenly generosity!
I must admit that I still do not have a tidy answer for reconciling
total submission to God with being agents unto ourselves. But
I know that when I have no desire but to do His will, He opens
the way for me to be uniquely myself and yet uniquely His. May
we surrender all that we have and all that we are to God and
thereby “inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers,
dominions, all heights and depths” (D&C 132:19).
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