The war goes on. It is waged across the world over the issues of agency and compulsion. It is waged by an army of missionaries over the issues of truth and error. It is waged in our own lives, day in and day out, in our homes, in our work, in our school associations; it is waged over questions of love and respect, of loyalty and fidelity, of obedience and integrity. We are all involved in it. We are winning, and the future never looked brighter.
President Gordon B Hinckley, "The War We Are Winning", General Conference, October 1986
Often, I feel that the adversary is winning. I know he's not, and that he is not going to, but despite that, I feel as though he is. He is tough. He is strong. He is smart. He is cunning. He is a cheap shot. He doesn't care when we're already down. He will still kick us as we lay there, sometimes as we lay motionless too.
Every day, even every single minute, he seems to just pile it on. I'll be honest....sometimes it's too much to take. It's like trying to swim up river against a raging river with a very powerful current. A lot of negativity flooding in at one time, swimming is difficult, let alone trying not to drown.
Life is hard. Life is painful. Life is stressful. Life is taxing.... mentally, physically, and spiritually.
But.... life is also beautiful. Life is a blessing. Life is full of goodness. Life is full of happiness. It's all a matter of perspective. Life is about seeing either a glass half empty or a glass half full. Occasionally.... we forget where we put that glass is in the first place.
Point is, negativity may be flooding in, but we have access to a "spiritual" scuba suit. A suit complete with oxygen to keep us from drowning and flippers to swim against that powerful current. And....we have the promise from the ultimate Swimmer Himself who will help us swim safely and easily up river through the raging rapids. Most of time, as in my case, I am trying to hold on to Him as He swims ahead of me.
I am trying to strengthen my grip on His ankle, or at least the hem of His garment, to never let go.