View With an Eternal Perspective

Elder Taniela B. Wakolo spoke in general conference recently about the love that God has for His children. He suggested that God’s love is manifest to us in our relationship with Him, and Elder Wakolo encouraged us in these words: “Seeking after Him and calling upon Him will begin the process and provide space to build and strengthen our eternal relationships. It broadens our spiritual view and helps us focus on changing what we can control rather than on fears outside our control. Studying the life and ministry of our Savior, Jesus Christ, will enable us to view these other concerns with an eternal perspective.” He invited us to seek after the Lord in prayer and then specifically in studying the life of the Savior which will help us put our troubles and concerns in an eternal perspective. He followed this by speaking of the “distractions” that get in our way, and surely as we study the life of Jesus Christ we can see more clearly what is truly important and put the various challenges in our life in perspective.

               Here are two stories from the life of the Savior which do indeed help us put our concerns in perspective. When the disciples and the Savior were in a boat crossing the Sea of Galilee, “There arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” Jesus then said to them, “Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?” (Mark 4:37-40) In other words, they were worried about the wrong thing. We spend so much time concerned about what is happening right now in our lives but the Savior taught us to not fear even death but to focus rather on what really matters. He said it this way: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). What matters most are the things of the soul, our relationship with our Father in Heaven and our commitment to Him.

               The Savior also taught us a powerful lesson about having an eternal perspective when He rebuked Peter several months before His death and crucifixion. Matthew recorded, “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.” The Savior’s response is very instructive and quite surprising: “Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men” (Matthew 16:21-23). Peter was suggesting that Jesus not suffer the atonement which was the very reason He had come to the earth. Jesus was perfectly committed to doing the will of the Father even if that meant suffering on His part. This story helps us see that life is not about being comfortable or pain-free—what truly matters is that we learn to do the will of God no matter what the cost to us. We didn’t come to earth to be entertained; we came to learn to prepare to meet God. And that just might mean we need to endure suffering. These and many other stories and teachings from the Savior’s life similar point us to what matters most in life and help us view our experiences with an eternal perspective.