Sunday Doctrine--Agency

I am going to add a new feature to the blog. The Sunday Doctrine. I will tackle whatever doctrinal topic I want to. Today I have chosen Free Agency. In my mind this is one of the most misunderstood doctrines of the gospel. I am not going to get into every aspect of it, it is too big for that. I am going to cover a few areas that I think we overlook.

First off I hear some say that "if there was a God how could He allow bad things to happen?" or "I can't believe in a God who would allow such a thing(pick your poison) to happen?" This thinking shows a lack of understanding about free agency. He cannot stop people from making bad decisions, even evil ones. That is contrary to the plan as well as free agency. For what would free agency be if God stopped us when we were going to do something bad? I can tell you it would not be free agency.

The great thing about free agency is that no one can force us to choose. It also means that we can't force others to choose either. That means that we will make poor decisions and so will others. Some of these decisions will be cruel, mean, and disgusting, yet God has to allow them to happen. He has to allow everyone the right to exercise their agency. To complain that God allows bad things to happen not only shows a lack of understanding, it also is not His plan. It is Satan's plan. Stopping us from making mistakes, instead of choosing to do what is right.

It can be tough to watch other's make poor decisions. Watching my own kids flounder is hard and heart wrenching, yet it has to be that way. We can certainly influence for good, but ultimately everyone has to CHOOSE to be good and not be forced.

Another aspect of this is since we are in charge of our choices we have to ask before God can help. Certainly he knows we are in need, but He is held in check by free agency and can't act until we ask. That is why the scripture Ask and ye shall receive is repeated throughout scripture. Certainly God is all knowing and all powerful but if He were to give us what we need without us asking then this would go against our agency. That is why prayer is stressed so much. Communication is essential to receive blessings. Now God will help us out and guide us but is up to us ask for his help.

You will hear people talk about the power of prayer and this is exactly it, God blesses us when we ask. Think about the basics of the gospel. Prayer is probably the most basic of all teachings, yet also the most repeated. Why? Because most of us don't do real good job of it. I have always said that I can say a real good heartfelt prayer when I am in definite need. But for the most part my prayers are perfunctory and far from exceptional. I keep myself down by not asking.

I will end with Elder Holland's description of the Savior and how even he, the only sinless and perfect one, had to suffer.

"On some days we will have cause to remember the unkind treatment he received, the rejection he experienced, and the injustice—oh, the injustice—he endured. When we, too, then face some of that in life, we can remember that Christ was also troubled on every side, but not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed (see 2 Cor. 4:8–9).

When those difficult times come to us, we can remember that Jesus had to descend below all things before he could ascend above them, and that he suffered pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind that he might be filled with mercy and know how to succor his people in their infirmities (see D&C 88:6; Alma 7:11–12).

To those who stagger or stumble, he is there to steady and strengthen us. In the end he is there to save us, and for all this he gave his life. However dim our days may seem they have been darker for the Savior of the world.

In fact, in a resurrected, otherwise perfected body, our Lord of this sacrament table has chosen to retain for the benefit of his disciples the wounds in his hands and his feet and his side—signs, if you will, that painful things happen even to the pure and perfect. Signs, if you will, that pain in this world is not evidence that God doesn’t love you. It is the wounded Christ who is the captain of our soul—he who yet bears the scars of sacrifice, the lesions of love and humility and forgiveness."
from "This do in remembrance of me" Oct 95 conference