In his 2014 BYU Address, Elder Nelson stated something that really impressed me. I’ve oftentimes been asked, or even wondered myself, “Is it really that big of a deal for gay marriage to be legalized?” “Why do you care?” “How does that affect you?”
I believe President Nelson’s statement perfectly clarifies what my answer would be to those questions.
He stated, “God is the Father of all men and women. They are His children. It was He who ordained marriage as the union of a man and a woman. Marriage was not created by human judges or legislators. It was not created by think tanks or by popular vote or by oft-quoted bloggers or by pundits. It was not created by lobbyists. Marriage was created by God!”
It is my belief, that a large part of our test in life is to see if we will not only obey God’s commandments but defend them from attack. Satan tries to convince all people that not only are the commandments irrelevant but that God is as well. If you truly believe in God and believe in his commandments, you would also believe in the scripture “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.”
There are many times in my life where I’ve felt persecuted for my unpopular beliefs, but in the end, I realize that God is our only judge. Part of this persecution is the “refiners fire” spoken of in the scriptures. The trials that will test our faith in God and his gospel, to see if we truly will do whatever he commands of us.
Our lives weren’t meant to be easy, we were sent to earth to BECOME something greater than we were before this life. A diamond is ONLY created once a piece of coal is placed under immense, excruciating pressure. Then, and only then, will it become a diamond. We too can become more like our Heavenly Father through a life of trials. However, God has promised to all those that keep his commandments, that we will be blessed temporally and spiritually.
I have felt the blessings of God in my life, as I have sacrificed my wants for His. The gospel was meant to comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable. If we aren’t changing, then we aren’t fufilling the purpose of our life on earth.
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