Darkness to Light

As a result of numerous of my own experiences, I have been pondering much on the ideas of "trial" and "blessing" and how one pretty much always leads to the other and back.  For the most part, this is a result of the nature of existence... and not just that of humans.

Even God lives in a cycle.  It is described scripturally as, "One eternal round," sounds like a cycle to me.  It is also a verbal represenation of the mathematical theory or truth that an infinite straight line is never from one point to another, per se, but actually some variant of a circle... round.... eternally so.

Although I've realized this particular truth I'm trying to get to before, I've never felt the chrystal clarity of my current understanding.  I know I will not be able to convey it, but I want to share what I can, at least.

We all must plod through the muck before we get to see our lovely growing field.  We must pass through the darkness (or, at least, absence of the sun) in a tunnel to get to the other side of it.  Arguably there is another way to get to the other side of a mountain.  But whether you choose the through or the over, you're going to encounter one form of difficulty or another.  We must work hard as heck (and for all too many experience great pain) before we get to hold our sweet newborn baby in our arms.  We must endure the growing pains (or aches or whatever lesser version of discomfort some may be blessed to have) to get to an improved marriage.  The darkness turns to light.  Darkness, even the deepest portion of the darkness of the night, preceeds the dawning of a new day.

It takes courage (which is sometimes completely absent in our human hearts) to see past the darkest points.  It takes foresight... even the spirit of prophecy and, often enough, the spiritual gift of revelation to stick through the scarriest and most difficult periods to get to the times of rejoicing and enjoyment.

Friday, July 20th, I was pondering on this subject as we joined together for our evening devotional.  During one of our readings (on the history of the church), I realized some historical and scriptural supports for this idea I've had.  (Yes, I know it's not new.  Yes, I know it's actually a principle of the Gospel.  I'm simply sharing a part of my own personal spiritual growth in understanding, is all.)

Wanna know what I've considered thus far?

First, of course, must come Jesus Christ because He is our exemplar in all things.  He is the IT of examples.  While there are innumerable examples within the New Testament that bear witness to the truth I'm coming to understand more fully (that we must endure the darkness to get to the light), I'm going to focus on the pinnacle of all of them:  The Garden of Gethsemane and His death by crucifixion (the previous 4 words are three different links, by the way) must surely be the darkest of darks.  Right?  Thankfully He DID have the insight and ability to remain focused on the purpose of it all because He brought about the Light of the Resurrection.  He became the first fruits of them that slept.  And so, darkness to light!

In the history of my Church, and because reading about it is how I came to this slightly deeper understanding of this truth, we have Joseph Smith.  Again, there are numerous examples from his life that one could look to and see the truth of darkness to light played out.  But my focus is on the most important of them all.  The first.  He was a boy only 14, almost 15.  He prayed because he believed James in the New Testament.  And, for those who know the story, you know what he saw.  But did you know of what came just preceeding his most amazing (and, to many, questionable) experience?  He was almost overcome by the devil himself.  True.  This is what Joseph Smith conveyed.  He said it best:

"After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction.

"But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction—not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being—just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.

"It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!"

So, Joseph Smith, Jr. first had to struggle through the darkness to get to the Light.  Fits, right?

I'm sure there are so many more examples I could find both scripturally and historically (in the church and otherwise) than this.  And I may just try.  But for now, this suffices me.  Perhaps there will be other posts along this theme.  That could be fun!  ^_^

An awesome example of sort of current information, I'm including a YouTube that represents this principle nicely.  For your Viewing Pleasure, I present: Jason Padgett:

 An even more current story that demonstrated darkness to light.

LINKED