Specific Ridiculousness

Perhaps if I write this down I'll remember it more readily.

Something I've realized about myself (and re-realized--over and over again) is that I'm ridiculous. In more ways than one-- but this specific rant is about this specific ridiculousness that I suffer from, which is: I am constantly and consistently whining about wanting to be treated as an individual. That is, until something I don't like happens to me-- and then I instantly think of someone else who's circumstances I would rather have.

Why? I'm not someone else; I'm me. My circumstances and experiences and everything else about my life are custom-made for my growth; my development; my progression towards becoming the person I was created to become. Why on earth would I trade any of those perfectly tailored experiences for an ill-fitting one that was meant to help someone else on their way? Why would I want what was meant to form someone else's character perfectly? If it did anything for me, it wouldn't do half as much for me as it would for the person it was meant for; nor would a hundred similar experiences straight from someone else's refiner's fire shape and effect me in the way that one of my perfectly fitting experiences does--if I allow it to.

And I guess that's the trick. All things work together for our good if we allow them to. Our own willingness to submit to God's will, to learn what He would have us to learn, to change, drastically effects our ability to do so. Which is why the scriptures are replete with exhortations to be humble; be teachable; why we're almost constantly being counseled to be obedient by choice. It is infinitely easier to accomplish something if we enter into the work portion of the accomplishing of our own free will and volition. Anyone who has ever tried to get a toddler to do something knows this: if you can get the kid to want to do it-- whatever it is-- it's a snap. Otherwise you end up wanting to claw out your own eyes.

So, as unpleasant as some circumstances and experiences are to have, they are perfectly framed by an omniscient and loving Father who only wants for us to become as He is. And that can only happen if we grow and develop in the ways that we need to. Thankfully, He knows us well enough to know exactly what circumstances we need to experience in order to make that happen. And this whole process only works if we actively decide to let it.

The Atonement works in our lives as fully and as quickly as we want it to.