0:00:00 - 0:00:33 OK, I'm gonna take a stab at something. Um I always have a prayer in my heart that the Lord will somehow work around my limitations to do. But uh what he needs me to do or what he needs to do through me. Um But, and he finds a way just like there's a, there's a valley. I know that's surrounded by mountains 0:00:32 - 0:01:00 . And even though it's in a very dry place, the weight, the mountains are such that it creates enough pressure that the water comes up and there is water there no matter how dry the surrounding areas are. So he finds a way to push through all of our limitations. Um I got a question this morning which 0:00:59 - 0:01:25 normally I would uh set aside as just saying, well, you gotta wait because it's gonna take a bit of work to get to the books and the videos to lay that out. And uh I'm, I'm behind in the things I wanted to do this morning and my schedule is slipping a little bit. Um but um this person is very sincere 0:01:24 - 0:01:50 and the way they wrote this email, I will do my best to address this to the extent that it can be addressed in a, in a video now rather than many materials later. But I promise you that I will address these things so long as I'm still alive. Um and have capacity, I don't have a, a stroke or something 0:01:50 - 0:02:12 that prevents me from writing and thinking. Here's the question, what is your advice to someone who is already struggling on easy mode as I read and listen to your words recently, I've been struck both with the sense that my life currently is a struggle and up ahead is just a further struggle. What adds 0:02:12 - 0:02:35 to the struggle is that I know if I listed out my woes, they would all fall into the first world's problem, first world problems category. Um That sounds like someone on a cruise ship complaining that the endless buffet food was slightly cold. Um Let's pause there. Ok. Struck both with a sense that my 0:02:34 - 0:02:57 life is currently a struggle and up ahead is just a further struggle. Uh Yes and yes. And one thing I guarantee you is that what's coming later will be far harder than what you've seen already. That's true for anyone listening to this. Ok. And, and uh if I listed out my woes, they would all fall into 0:02:57 - 0:03:16 the first world problems category. That sound like someone on a cruise ship complaining that the endless buffet food was slightly cold. Let's pause there. It's a significant portion of the struggles that you currently face, you, you can't see this. But a significant portion of those struggles are because 0:03:16 - 0:03:47 um you're attributing to the buffet food far more value than it actually has. And the best way to come to see the full value of that buffet is to drop you off on a desert island and starve you nearly to death. So there's that, um there are two ways that you can grow in the accuracy and depth of the value 0:03:46 - 0:04:12 that you find in what actually has value that which is good. The first way is through faith. And that's really, really, really hard, the second way. So, so how can I prove that quickly? When was the last time you tried to convince someone that something was a good idea? And you could only do so by rational 0:04:11 - 0:04:46 means, did it work? How often can any individual be persuaded merely through rational means to do what is in their greatest, their best interest? Almost never? And how often do you find a person who can always be persuaded the rational means to do what's in their best interest? I will tell you this is 0:04:46 - 0:05:15 an odd thing that you've probably never thought about God is perfectly persuadable, meaning he will always do what makes the most rational sense. Those who draw nearest to God will be those who come to that same property, the distance between you and God will be determined that that's a limiting factor 0:05:15 - 0:05:37 there are many others, but that one for sure will keep you away. So you your progress, your progress towards God is going to be the least common denominator across all the things that limit that. And so if you are limited in your ability to be persuaded to rational means alone, you will be limited in 0:05:37 - 0:06:05 how close you can draw to God. So to help us with that, he gives us an ample supply of experience. Because those, in the words of Benjamin Franklin, those who refuse to learn through precept, we learn through experience and that's not the best way, right? But it is the way that most people need for most 0:06:05 - 0:06:27 things. So if you find yourself complaining that the food on the cruise ship is slightly cold, you better get ready to be on a desert island because I promise you that's what's coming now. It's it's easy to make that promise now because although I believe that that was always the case, God will take 0:06:27 - 0:07:05 you as far as you're willing to go until you signal your limit. Glossing over details, fine print there uh in the end times, the path is set and there are thresholds that all who survive must surpass. And there are times assigned to the application of those thresholds. And now I will continue to read 0:07:05 - 0:07:25 this email from your perspective. It sounds similar to Jordan Peterson that the solution to suffering is defined, meaning that transcends the darkness. Absolutely distinction from Jordan Peterson is that I know that there is meaning that can transcend all darkness. Jordan Peterson has discovered meaning 0:07:25 - 0:07:51 that transcends a lot of the darkness, but he has not seen at all. He was overcome by less than all. I don't say that to denigrate him in any way. But um I'm just saying there's more where that came from both in what in the darkness and the light continuing to read. Yet when I look ahead, I see more 0:07:51 - 0:08:18 struggle and the more I contemplate jesus' suffering or moses' life and walking through thorns, it can seem like the light at the end of the tunnel is just more struggle. Um I'm going to say things that sound very simple. I cannot convey to you the cost of being able to say these things at present, either 0:08:18 - 0:08:51 knowing them or being able to say them in sincerity. But in time, I will make a case for that for both of those as the Lord leads you through this uh this process of incremental suffering which you have clued into the existence of it. As he leads you through this process, you will see the ways in which 0:08:50 - 0:09:19 it is never ending and you will see the ways in which it is bound. You will never suffer more than what Jesus did, nor will I nor will anyone else in this world this life. We will never suffer more than what Jesus did. How close we come to. That is a different question. The point is that for us, there 0:09:19 - 0:09:52 is an end. Unfortunately, as long as you're holding to that, this idea that it is limited and there will be an end of the tunnel, I guarantee you, you will never come to that end. One of the many requirements for walking this path to completion is completely and utterly letting go of the desire for it 0:09:52 - 0:10:28 to end. And if that sounds crazy, that's fine. It should. But I will give you a compelling case for the truthfulness and necessity of that in time. I have a whole book written on this um skipping over a bit. Uh Is it a matter of just being tougher uh in dealing with death by 1000 paper cuts? Uh The death 0:10:28 - 0:10:51 of 1000 paper cuts that is modern, first world life of sleep, deprivation of raising a two year old or am I missing something and looking at things backwards or sideways? Well, first off pro tip, by the time a kid is two, you can let them cry at night instead of fussing about them and for your own sanity 0:10:50 - 0:11:14 , I I highly recommend getting yourself some earplugs if you need them. Um and having a set bedtime for your child and a set wake up time and you leave that kid in that room uh during those times unless there's a fire or something. But crying does not necessitate you waking up and helping that child 0:11:13 - 0:11:40 . Um sleep training kids can be achieved when they are eight months Oldish. So that is a wonderful case of bringing upon yourself a necessary suffering and quite a bit of the suffering we face in life is that way. But uh I only mentioned that one to help you and two because um it's a great example of 0:11:39 - 0:12:02 one of the many principles in this whole body of uh the topic of suffering. Now, I expect someone's gonna push back and say, uh that's cruel or I don't feel good about myself when I do that and particularly the ladies have issues with this. Typically, here's the thing, you should look around at all the 0:12:02 - 0:12:22 people that are slightly older than you and you'll probably need 5 to 10 years ahead of where you are in order to see this. And you look at the quality of kids that were constantly at the beck and call of their parents for every little whimper. And you compare that to someone who parents who had the 0:12:22 - 0:12:46 discipline to sleep, train their child once it became uh physically possible, you know, age appropriate and you look at um those effects and what you'll have to conclude is that being at the beck and call of your baby when your kid is two, that's not for the benefit of the child. It's for the emotional 0:12:45 - 0:13:06 , immediate gratification of the parents. And you need to have greater discipline than that. If you're going to be a good father or good mother. Your life has to be sacrificed for the benefit of your Children. They don't live for you to feel good about yourself. You live for them to have an abundant 0:13:06 - 0:13:30 life and you need to put your life on the line. And if your life certainly your emotions. So this is no different than beating or shaking a baby because you're frustrated. So that is a very strong statement. I realize that and yet it's true. And so if folks are offended by that, um the truth is the truth 0:13:29 - 0:14:02 and you can either align with it or be crushed by it, it's your choice. But that's just the breaks. But to the question, is it a matter of just being tougher? Uh No, it's not. Um It's a matter of using all of the, the rich experiences in life as they're intended, which is as um as examples to teach us 0:14:01 - 0:14:29 principles. And the principle here is uh let's suppose that instead of a two year old, let's talk about a six month old and you're sleep deprived because uh this two month old keeps waking up and uh needs to be taken care of. Um So again, I, I come back to man, I'm being swarmed by Nance. Um I come back 0:14:29 - 0:14:55 to practicality first and foremost, there is nothing a father can do for a baby at night until that kid is old enough that their problems do not have something to do with eating. Now, I guess I Presuppose that, uh, that kid is getting nursed and that's not always true today, but, uh, in the, in the typical 0:14:54 - 0:15:15 and ideal setting, it's the mom who sleep deprived, not the father. Um So what would I advise a mother who sleep deprived? Because the kid six months, yada yada yada. Well, what's the principle that you're learning? The principle you're learning is to put the needs of another human being above your own 0:15:14 - 0:15:39 , which is charity. And um people think that charity is a good feeling that you have and you do good things for others because it makes you feel good. That's not charity at all. Jesus said, if you only love those, they can do things for you and that's the case here. Uh Well, everyone does that, that's 0:15:39 - 0:16:03 just what, what could be expected from someone. Of course, you're gonna go after things that give you gifts, but charity is doing what hurts you for the benefit of another person. And if you don't find joy in that yet, then you're not getting everything that you can out of that experience. Now, the beauty 0:16:03 - 0:16:27 of Children, one of the many benefits of having kids is that you have this biological imperative combined with uh an obvious duty, there's this helpless creature that needs your constant support. And so you kind of get pigeonholed into charity. Um And then what happens is it's not pure charity because 0:16:26 - 0:16:51 a lot of people would get out of that if there were a way to do so without doing horrible things. Uh, if there were an undo button, you'd probably hit it. But over time, what happens is you start to understand the value of sleep deprivation or whatever it is. Um, and you truly come to love this child 0:16:51 - 0:17:21 with these Children. And, uh, the point of that is because you can't go back in time and relive your life. If you did, you'd see all that differently. You'd have it. It'd be like you had superpowers because you'd rejoice in the ability to sacrifice and get up, you know, or hold that baby, you know, do 0:17:20 - 0:17:53 anything to do it again, but you can't go back in time. So the point of it is looking forward, you say, well, how can I apply the same principle to everything else in my life? And, and then you come to understand why Jesus never stopped. He didn't take a vacation during his ministry. You come to understand 0:17:53 - 0:00:00 why Alma could not rest. He just didn't stop, come to understand why Nephi could not stop because they understood that the value of what they could do was so much greater. Then the value of not doing it. And you come to realize that we're not here to go on vacations or to play Minecraft or whatever, 0:00:00 - 0:18:45 um you know, whatever in a can of Pringles, whatever your thing is right? All of those things have a place, but it's not the purpose. If you make it the purpose you've done messed up. The purpose is the waking up at 2 a.m. for your kid. The purpose is the 1000 paper cuts that those are the purpose and 0:18:44 - 0:19:08 you don't realize it until later in life. Most of the time, it's way too late to apply these things. And that's why it's so valuable to hear them from someone else while there's still time for you to learn it early in life. Uh Continuing the quote, your answer from a previous video is heat and diligence 0:19:08 - 0:19:29 . That instead of worrying about contemplating the struggles up ahead, I should focus on repenting and doing everything I can with what I know. Yeah, I guess it's the question that if I'm having a hard time. Now, what chance do I have when things get harder in the future? All right is God took me deeper 0:19:29 - 0:20:07 and deeper into the darkness. My reaction for a long time at every ratchet down was not. This is so hard. That wasn't my first reaction. My very first reaction so many times was Lord who is going to do this? I wasn't thinking about me. I was doing it and I have done it. I immediately thought of all the 0:20:07 - 0:20:38 people I ever met and I said essentially Lord, how is it done? Because I could not imagine anyone else I've ever met going through what I was going through. And now after enough of those ratchets, I understand a lot better than, than I did before. The answer to my question, the short answer is anyone 0:20:37 - 0:21:11 who loves him? That's the short answer. If you're having a hard time. Now, what chance do you have when things get harder? Well, luckily we don't live in the realm of chance. We live in the realm of Jesus and there is no chance with Jesus. It's all assured if you're having a hard time now, you're only 0:21:10 - 0:21:36 having a hard time now because you haven't fully turned to him. Because when you turn to him, when you come to him, he will make your weakness strength. And that happens cyclically. He makes your weakness, strength and then he takes you into harder things. He makes that a strength. He takes you into 0:21:36 - 0:22:02 harder things and eventually you realize that you're sitting on the bench and he keeps adding plates and then he watches, he says lift this and he watches, I'm intentionally using language from the creation and he watches and you struggle and maybe he spots you for the first couple reps and maybe he 0:22:01 - 0:22:20 gives you a break so you can rest. Maybe he gives you some water and some snacks. Um, and then you, you don't even get up, you just lay back down and start pushing. He's like, all right, let's try this again and he's adding plates every time it gets easy and you knock out 20 he throws another plate on 0:22:20 - 0:22:43 each side. He knows where you're going and he knows you can get there. And so what happens is you dissociate from the specific thing and you stop thinking about, oh, I just dropped this heavy thing on my toe or I just got fired or, um, my wife just cheated on me or, uh, a dog bit me or my engine blew 0:22:43 - 0:23:01 up in my car while I was driving or whatever the thing is, it doesn't matter anymore. You don't live in that space. You live in the space of full trust in God doing your absolute best. He's teaching you along the way. He's making you stronger and you just busted out. That's your job. You use your mind 0:23:00 - 0:23:23 , your heart, everything, you've got to just adopt his purpose and run and you dissociate from the particulars and you stop seeing it as I'm having a hard time now and I'm gonna have a harder time in the future. Of course, you are. That's no surprise. That's from the beginning. That's exactly what he 0:23:23 - 0:23:49 said was gonna happen, right? It doesn't peace. Uh, there's two forms of rest in the Lord. The one form is congratulations. Your race is over. Go have a seat, drink some Gatorade and eat some cookies. Most people want that. And that's, they live hard lives, buddy. They live hard lives because God is 0:23:49 - 0:24:19 gonna throw everything he can at. You before you say I'm done. And a lot of times even way after you say I'm done the other rest in the Lord is the really good one. And that's where you're not taken out of the game. You win the game. There's a big difference. That's where you overcome. You can be taken 0:24:18 - 0:24:50 out or you can overcome salvation in the ancient languages. It has two meanings. One is victory, the other is escape. Most people want to escape out of life's trials. But some of us know enough about God to know because of God that the best we can seek for is to overcome. Now, like I said, there is a 0:24:50 - 0:25:25 finite limit of suffering. However, you'll never get to it. If that's what you're thinking about or what you're looking forward to, you only get to it by staring into the face of Jesus every single day, all day long as wave after wave hits you. That's the way you do it. I had a dream once when uh um 0:25:25 - 0:25:51 yeah, I'll tell you two dreams that have to do with water. Water is very important to understand, but I will not address that today. The one dream I had a copy of the scriptures in my hand and I was at the beach and the waves were pounding and I just started walking into the water and I was getting deeper 0:25:50 - 0:26:20 and deeper. There are other parts to this dream, but the waves could not move me because of the scriptures in my hand. And Jesus is the word, as we learn the word and as we live the word and as we trust the word, we will find strength to overcome all things in him and through him in another dream, I 0:26:20 - 0:26:41 was standing on the shore and the waves were coming in and if you've done this in real life, you know what I mean? But the waves come in and then they come, they go out and as it does that your feet sink into the sand, right? And uh it was going on the normal way for a minute. And then all of a sudden 0:26:40 - 0:27:00 um all it was, was pulling out and I don't know how it just kept happening because in real life, obviously, it only happens for a second. There was only so much water, but it just kept going. It was ridiculous. And as happens in real life, it, it hurts your feet because the sand sands your feet, right 0:26:59 - 0:27:33 ? As it's going, it sands your feet and it just kept going for what seems like forever. And then uh in another part of the dream, the water came and the water came back forever because I had submitted to the eternal pool. I have received the eternal flow. And that is very important to understand. So 0:27:33 - 0:28:01 , um you have to dissociate from the particulars and realize that this is a process. And once you do, you're not looking for the end of the process. What it's like is like a machine where, uh, you put like an, like a reverse ATM or something where if you feed a dollar into it, you'll get $10 out and 0:28:01 - 0:28:20 then you put it the $10 in and you get $100 out. And the question is, how many times do you have to do this without any deviation from the pattern before you believe that not only should you put all your money into this machine, you should go shake down everybody, you know, for all the money that they 0:28:19 - 0:28:41 are willing to give you. So you can put it in this machine and then you'll get way more and they'll get way more. You understand when you come to that conclusion that you will put whatever you get into that machine, that's when it stops being hard. Now, it's still hard. It's harder than it's ever been 0:28:41 - 0:29:07 , but not to you anymore. There are a million other things we need to talk about to really do justice to this topic, but I'm just trying to give you a little to a show. You not only is it as hard as you think it's actually way worse, but b to assure you that there is a sufficient reason for all of this 0:29:06 - 0:29:42 . And as you walk in the path, you will come to see that the meaning far exceeds the cost and um, the joy far exceeds the sorrow and the light far exceeds the darkness, but it's really, uh it has to be done in the way the Lord knows it has to be done. So, um, I guess we'll leave it at that. Um I know 0:29:41 - 0:30:16 that I know of what I'm saying. These are not things I believe. These are things that I know. And if you could see my soul, you would see these things etched into them. They cannot come off. I'm not gonna tell you to hang in there because that's way too light. But cleave to Jesus cleave to him like he 0:30:16 - 0:30:49 cleaves to you, do everything you imagine he would in your place every day and aim your whole soul into your intentional path in life towards him. And I promise you that no matter how hard things seem or how hard you need to push that stone up to the mountain that it is worth it. And not only is it worth 0:30:48 - 0:31:25 it, it is the only way everything else is just an illusion. Look to him in everything in everything kneel down to him and beg him to guide you in your every step and he will strengthen you. He will take you to the places you need to go and in him, you will find meaning that nothing in this world has 0:31:25 - 0:31:59 power to overcome. You'll find joy greater than any sorrow that can happen here. And it's the very purpose for which you were born to get to that. So rejoice in these things that you face each day because I promise you you would, if you saw their end now, you can't see their end because part of being 0:31:59 - 0:32:22 able to see the end to perceive it and truly understand it for what it is to value it for what it's really worth. It requires you to go through all this. This is why it's a puzzle that needs to be solved. It's a process that you have to go through. But one of the key pieces of that is someone who has 0:32:21 - 0:32:48 gone before and can tell you how it is and why you're doing it. And for me, that person was Jesus. And maybe for you, that person is me or maybe it's someone else. And if you do this, you will become that person for others. And it's very important that all of the people who are here for that reason do 0:32:48 - 0:33:16 what they're here to do because it facilitates the ability for others to go to that place who could not go to that place in any other way. So how's that for a reason for why you're experiencing the 1000 paper cuts, you have to come to see these things for what they really are. They're not incidental 0:33:15 - 0:33:46 um occurrences in the path to what really matters. They are the path to what really matters. So rise up and uh take a spoonful of concrete and harden up as you said in your email, that's good advice. But better advice is to take a spoonful of the love of God. Look at the marks in his hands and in his 0:33:46 - 0:34:27 side and in his feet and look at his face and look at his joy and his love. Go try to be that for someone else. That's what this is all leading you to. So go and do that and you'll find strength to carry any burden, even if it crushes you every day. And even if you have to crawl, even if it takes, you 0:34:27 - 0:35:03 say 10 hours of each day to get out from under the ton of gravel that dumps on you every morning when you get up, just keep going, just keep going. And I promise you there will come a day when the light cracks over the dark horizon and your morning star rises and when that day comes, you will know with 0:35:02 - 0:35:13 a full assurance that there is nothing in this world that is greater than God. And there is nothing in this world that's more important than helping others to see that.