Opposition in All Things
Mathias Held, of the Seventy
Elder Held teaches about embracing opposition in life to learn and grow.
Open talk in Gospel LibraryContents
Topics
Making Choices and Exercising Agency
Elder Held discusses the importance of making choices and exercising our agency. He emphasizes that we can learn from both right and wrong decisions, and that repentance allows us to correct our mistakes.
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.
We correct our wrong choices when we repent. This is where growth happens.Key Points:
- Agency is a divine gift from God.
- We learn from both right and wrong decisions.
- Repentance allows us to correct our mistakes.
- Think about a time when you made a wrong decision. What did you learn from it?
- How has repentance helped you correct your mistakes?
- Recall a time when you made a right decision. How did it impact your life?
Dealing with Opposition and Trials
Elder Held discusses how we can face opposition and trials that are beyond our control. He emphasizes that we can choose how to react to these situations and that we can seek help from the Lord.
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.
Remember that we are agents and not objects. 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.Key Points:
- We can't always control our circumstances, but we can control how we react to them.
- We can seek help from the Lord during trials.
- We are agents, not objects, and have the ability to choose.
- Think about a trial you faced that was outside of your control. How did you choose to react?
- How have you sought help from the Lord during difficult times?
- Recall a time when you chose to react positively to a challenging situation.
The Principle of Opposition
Elder Held discusses the principle of opposition, explaining that opposites can complement each other and that experiencing one side can help us appreciate the other. He emphasizes that our challenges do not define us, but how we handle them does.
We would not be able to identify joy unless we had also experienced sorrow at some point.
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.Key Points:
- Opposites can complement each other.
- Experiencing one side of an opposition can help us appreciate the other.
- Our challenges do not define us, but how we handle them does.
- Think about a time when experiencing one side of an opposition helped you appreciate the other.
- How have your challenges helped you grow and draw closer to God?
- Recall a time when you chose to handle a challenge in a way that helped you grow.
Trust in God
Elder Held emphasizes the importance of trusting in God during challenging times. He encourages us to look unto Christ in every thought and not to fear.
Jesus has taught us to trust and “look unto [Him] in every thought; doubt not, fear not.”
Choose to believe. Choose to have faith in Jesus Christ. Choose to always trust God.Key Points:
- We should trust in God during challenging times.
- We should look unto Christ in every thought.
- We should choose to believe, have faith, and trust in God.
- Think about a time when you chose to trust in God during a challenging time.
- How has looking unto Christ in every thought helped you?
- Recall a time when you chose to believe and have faith in God.
