Opposition in All Things
Open talk in Gospel LibraryIdeas for Opening the Lesson
- Begin the lesson by asking class members to share a time they made a wrong turn or decision and how they corrected it.
- Start with a discussion on the concept of agency and its importance in our lives.
- Open the lesson by asking class members to share an example of a time when they faced opposition and how they dealt with it.
Topics
The Importance of Choices in Life
Life is all about making choices. Our Father in Heaven gave us the divine gift of agency so that we could learn from our choices—from the right ones and also from the wrong ones. We correct our wrong choices when we repent. This is where growth happens.
Life is all about making choices. Our Father in Heaven gave us the divine gift of agency precisely so that we could learn from our choices—from the right ones and also from the wrong ones.
- Why is agency such a crucial part of our mortal experience?
- How have your choices led to growth in your life?
- How can we better use our agency to make right choices?
- How has repentance helped you correct wrong choices?
- What can we learn from our wrong choices?
Facing Opposition and Trials
We can experience opposition and trials from things outside of our control. Even though we usually cannot choose between these kinds of situations because they just happen, we are still free to choose how to react to them.
Sometimes we can also experience opposition and trials from things outside of our control. Even though we usually cannot choose between these kinds of situations because they just happen, we are still free to choose how to react to them.
- What trials have you faced that were outside of your control?
- How did you choose to react to these trials?
- How can we maintain a positive attitude during trials?
- How can we seek the Lord’s help during trials?
- How have trials helped shape you in positive ways?
The Complementary Nature of Opposites
Lehi said that there “must needs be … an opposition in all things.” This means that opposites don’t exist apart from each other. They can even complement each other. We would not be able to identify joy unless we had also experienced sorrow at some point.
Lehi said that there “must needs be … an opposition in all things.” This means that opposites don’t exist apart from each other. They can even complement each other.
- How have you seen opposites complement each other in your life?
- Why is opposition necessary in all things?
- How can understanding the complementary nature of opposites help us during trials?
- How does experiencing sorrow help us recognize joy?
- Can you share an example of a time when experiencing an opposite helped you appreciate a blessing?
Choosing our Attitude and Response to Challenges
We can rest assured that our difficulties, sorrows, afflictions, and pains do not define us; rather, it is how we go about them that will help us grow and draw closer to God. It is our attitudes and choices that define us much better than our challenges.
We can rest assured that our difficulties, sorrows, afflictions, and pains do not define us; rather, it is how we go about them that will help us grow and draw closer to God. It is our attitudes and choices that define us much better than our challenges.
- How do our attitudes and choices define us?
- How can we choose to react positively to our challenges?
- How have your attitudes and choices helped you grow and draw closer to God?
- What can we do to improve our attitudes and choices during trials?
- How can we help others choose positive attitudes and responses to their challenges?
The Role of Jesus Christ in our Trials
Jesus Christ lives and stands there at every moment, waiting for us to choose to call upon Him to provide succor, strength, and salvation. He took upon him the pains and sicknesses of his people so that he could succor us as we turn to Him.
Let us never forget that Jesus promised to “take upon him the pains and sicknesses of his people … that he may … succor,” or help, us as we turn to Him.
- How has Jesus Christ provided succor, strength, and salvation in your life?
- Why is it important to turn to Jesus Christ during our trials?
- How can we better rely on Jesus Christ during our trials?
- How can we help others turn to Jesus Christ during their trials?
- What does it mean to you that Jesus Christ took upon Him our pains and sicknesses?
Additional Discussion Questions
- How can we better use our agency to choose the right?
- How can we maintain a positive attitude during trials?
- What can we learn from the opposition we face in life?
- How can we better rely on Jesus Christ during our trials?
- How can understanding the complementary nature of opposites help us during trials?
- How have your choices led to growth in your life?
- How has Jesus Christ provided succor, strength, and salvation in your life?
- How can we help others choose positive attitudes and responses to their challenges?
- Why is opposition necessary in all things?
- What does it mean to you that Jesus Christ took upon Him our pains and sicknesses?
