What keeps us going? Why do we bother getting out of bed? No matter how hard life becomes, why do we continue to strive? The answer is that there is a plan for us. Subconsciously we know that we are a small, yet necessary cog in the great machinery of the cosmos. Every single one of us was meant to be on this planet, and for a purpose.
We are partakers of mortality to enable us to progress. Our Heavenly Father gave us this opportunity to enter into this state of probation on earth to prove ourselves, whether we were able to progress along the celestial highway, or not. This is the reason that bad and unpleasant and difficult things must happen to us. In order to be judged on our actions and responses, our integrity and faithfulness, it is required that obstacles and challenges be placed in our paths. Clearly there are so many more ways of testing and trying a physical body than there are with merely a spirit one.
Another perfectly simple reason for suffering is this. How can we appreciate endless happiness if we do not know what it is like to suffer? Most parents believe it is wrong to spoil a child. Why not give your child all the chocolate he can eat? Why not let him spend all day in bed instead of going to school? The reason is that he will not progress towards becoming an independent and intelligent adult, complete with all the faculties he needs to succeed in being happy later on. This is exactly the same as our Heavenly Father does with His children, you and I.
To prove to yourself that this life is a testing ground, think of all the challenges you have faced, or continue to face. Personally, I have faced alcoholism, depression, panic attacks, shyness, loneliness, despair, failure, debt, illness, mourning, unemployment, embarrassment, and many others. These of course are general terms which themselves include thousands of difficult moments in my life where I was given the choice to do one thing or the other: the choice to do good or evil, the privilege which our father Adam ensured to his posterity, us, in Eden.
There are so many conundra which we face that it seems impossible to me that this is not done for a purpose. I consider the theory of evolution and ask myself this, if mankind is the result of billions of years of evolving, then why do so many of us have such terrible experiences? We are supposedly much more advanced than any other inhabitant of the planet, so why are peoples continually at war with each other when we do not seem to witness a similar scenario within the same species of any animal life.
If there is no afterlife then why aren’t we all purely hedonistic? Surely the pursuit of happiness for ourselves as individuals should be our priority? The millions of people who think of others before themselves would seem to be mad were personal comfort the only driving force for man’s existence. In the animal and plant kingdoms, procreation and survival of the species seem to be the dominant driving forces, indeed man’s remit on earth is to “be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.” (Genesis 1:28) The scriptures go on from this very first chapter of the Bible to reveal the extent to which we are to behave during our mortal lives.
A Grand Plan is also evident in the diversity of human endeavour and intellect. I wonder who would want to be a bomb disposal man, or devote their life to other people, to make this Plan come to fruition. Man has greater needs than animals or plants, “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God”. (Matthew 4:4) Our Creator’s Plan requires men and women to carry out certain duties. These are planted in our hearts and minds, and it is up to us to carry them out or not. I write about preordination later on. We can also receive instruction and inspiration through asking in prayer.
So, the purpose of life here on earth is for each of us to prove him or herself worthy to dwell with God, or to be unworthy and have to spend eternity somewhere else, somewhere unpleasant. If we live worthily we will be rewarded accordingly, but if our thoughts and deeds are filthy then we cannot live with God and the worthy. This is the purpose of life. Choose the narrow path that leads to eternal life.