“The Church in its divine mission and we in our personal lives seem to face increasing opposition today. Perhaps as the Church grows in strength and we members grow in faith and obedience, Satan increases the strength of his opposition so we will continue to have “opposition in all things.”
“Some of this opposition even comes from Church members. Some who use personal reasoning or wisdom to resist prophetic direction give themselves a label borrowed from elected bodies—“the loyal opposition.” However appropriate for a democracy, there is no warrant for this concept in the government of God’s kingdom, where questions are honored but opposition is not (see Matthew 26:24).
“As another example, there are many things in our early Church history, such as what Joseph Smith did or did not do in every circumstance, that some use as a basis for opposition. To all I say, exercise faith and put reliance on the Savior’s teaching that we should “know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16). The Church is making great efforts to be transparent with the records we have, but after all we can publish, our members are sometimes left with basic questions that cannot be resolved by study. That is the Church history version of “opposition in all things.” Some things can be learned only by faith (see D&C 88:118). Our ultimate reliance must be on faith in the witness we have received from the Holy Ghost.” (Dallin H. Oaks, “Opposition In All Things,” General Conference, April 2016)
This passage from Elder Oaks fits well with our study and focus of the past week on staying strong and relying on our faith when those around us are waivering. The opposition feels palpable right now. Instead of just coming at us from outside the church, it is coming from within our own ranks. I think that kind of opposition can be even harder to fight because we feel like we should be able to rely on our fellow members to strengthen us, rather than drag us down. I am reminded of conversations I had as a college student at BYU-Hawaii. Members of the church from outside of Utah would call my testimony and faith levels into question saying that I had not been challenged much because I was from Utah and everyone around me was LDS while they had had to fight for their values and faith on a regular basis as one of only a few members in their high school. I vehemently disagreed. They could rely on their religion as their excuse for not participating when offered a drink by a friend. When I was presented with a similar situation, it was more than likely by another member of the church. I had to stand up for my values among those who purported to have the same standards. In the end, opposition is opposition and we have to be able to stand on our own two feet and hold our ground whether that opposition is coming from the outside world or those sitting next to us in the pews. Our faith must be based in Christ and not rely on the strength of those around us to carry us along.
Meditation and Journaling Prompt: Where are you feeling the opposition right now?
Mindfulness Tip: Try meditating outside today. A connection to the earth and to nature can add a new dimension to your meditation practice.
