Open Book, Open Peer, Open Teacher
The Lord requires us to face many tests in this life. Unfortunately, we so often believe that we are completely on our own. We may remember tests in school where we had to rely on our own skills and memories and could not ask for nor accept any help. But the tests the Lord gives us are open book. He has given us the Scriptures and the words of the prophets to help us pass our tests. The tests the Lord gives us are open peer. The Lord expects us to lean on each other to get through tough times. He has carefully placed specific people in our lives precisely to help us to face and triumph over the tests and challenges that come our way. The tests the Lord gives us are even open teacher. The Lord does not mind but rather rejoices when we reach out and ask Him for help. He won't necessarily do the work for us on every occasion but He can be relied upon to provide guidance, advice, and encouragement as we solve the problems He has prepared for us. These tests aren't designed to be taken completely on our own and we do so only to our own detriment. When we face a particularly hard test, one that we believe the Lord had no right to inflict upon us, such that we in hurt and anger cut ourselves off from the scriptures, from friends and family, and from the Lord, we make the test so much harder than it needs to be. The Lord knows it's a hard test, but that's why He's made available to us so many resources including His own strength and power and wisdom. He doesn't give us tests that are impossible to pass, but we can go out of our way to ensure that we fail by stubbornly refusing to avail ourselves of the open book, open peer, open teacher policy. The tests aren't designed for us to face completely alone so we're not doing ourselves or anyone else any favors by insisting we try to tackle them completely on our own. It is not dishonest or cheating or taking the easy way out to ask for help when times are tough. And if we feel that we are like Job where even our friends and family have abandoned us to suffer alone, we always have the Savior and His enabling grace within arm's reach.
