The Sacrifices Required

In Gospel Doctrine today we discussed the great trial of Abraham when he was asked to sacrifice his son Isaac.  We talked about the fact that the Lord requires sacrifice of all of us; this life is a time when we will suffer and be faced with great difficulties.  Even for one as Abraham who was so righteous still the Lord let great trial and affliction come to him.  In the midst of this discussion one class member asked a question something like this, “My understanding is that accepting the gospel is supposed to bring us great joy and happiness; so how do I reconcile that with this notion of great trial and sacrifice that will come to us as we live the gospel?”  The scriptures and modern prophets do indeed teach us both that God wants us to have joy and that we will experience serious difficulties in this life.  I don’t believe these two seemingly contrary ideas are really opposed at all. 

               In many scriptures we learn that we are here on earth to face difficulties and be tried. The scriptural purpose of this life is summarized in these words: “And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them” (Abraham 3:25).  When the righteous people of Alma were suffering Mormon commented, “Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith” (Mosiah 23:21).  In our day the Lord similarly told the prophet Joseph, “Therefore, they must needs be chastened and tried, even as Abraham, who was commanded to offer up his only son” (D&C 101:4).  He similarly said, “And my people must needs be chastened until they learn obedience, if it must needs be, by the things which they suffer” (D&C 105:6).  When Joseph was in Liberty Jail the Savior outlined some of the terrible things that Joseph had or might be called to pass through and then said, “The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?” (D&C 122:8)  During His mortal ministry Christ put the requirements of discipleship in these start terms: “ If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26-27). 

               We can see more personally some of the sacrifices that have been required or trials that have been given to the faithful in the scriptures.  For example, of Paul the Lord said, “For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake” (Acts 9:16).  And he did indeed suffer incredible physical hardship for the gospel’s sake.  Joseph’ situation was so bad that he cried out to the Lord, “O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place?” (D&C 121:1)  The Lord let Job lose just about everything is his life, so much so that he declared, “Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived” (Job 3:3).  Many others of the faithful throughout the ages have faced unbelievable challenges, from the Pioneers crossing the plains starved and frozen to the Saints of Ammonihah who suffered death by fire for their testimonies.  The gospel requires not just a weekly contribution but great personal sacrifice and a willingness to do whatever the Lord commands.  The Prophet Joseph put it in these words: “A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary [to lead] unto life and salvation.”  There is no question that the Lord expects us to have difficult trials and make great sacrifices in this life for the gospel’s sake.