Within each human being there is the potential for good and ill, opposing forces that sometimes feel like they could pull us apart. Of all the wars in history, none are so violent as those that are ‘civil’ wars. The Wars that rage within each of us, from time to time is like a ‘civil’ war. These opposing forces are best described by Lehi, to his son Jacob, before he died: “For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my firstborn in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor in corruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.” (2 Nephi 2:11) Lehi was describing for Jacob the fact that we have within us two opposing bodies, a physical and a spiritual entity each with opposing desires.
The physical or ‘natural man’ seeking to satisfy worldly appetites and the spiritual seeking to please God. Without these opposite appetites, we would never experience the joy of being good by having overcome our natural desires. The constant choices and inner battles between these two opposing forces within us is what makes us feel alive. Wes Craven said it this way, ““A lot of life is dealing with your curse, dealing with the cards you were given that aren’t so nice. Does it make you into a monster, or can you temper it in some way, or accept it and go in some other direction?” Our challenge, of course, is to acknowledge our ‘not-so-nice-side’ and then choose to go in a different (right) direction.
The challenge is universal, it isn’t just for a few. We are all tempted, we all have to fight our inner battles. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23) As sinners, humans who struggle with ever present, challenging, moral choices, we must expect to be chastised for our wrong choices. The Lord has informed us that, ” My people must be tried in all things, that they may be prepared to receive the glory that I have for them, even the glory of Zion; and he that will not bear chastisement is not worthy of my kingdom.” (Doctrine and Covenants 136:31)
The rewards and/or punishments, for our behavior are not immediately rendered, as they are when a child touches a hot stove. After the first experience, most children will not touch it again.
The punishments for most adult misconducts are often slow in coming. Many are addicted to their problem before the chastisement arrives. On the other side, many may question the value of having done the right thing because neither is there immediate evidence of a reward for having made the righteous sacrifice. During the day of our probation, the sun will shine on the good, as well as the evil one. Delayed consequences for our behavior is always gradually administered in a cumulative fashion. “Most of the blessings of the Lord seem to come in the second mile. The first mile is doing what is expected of us. As we move beyond the first mile in faith and determination, we may draw down the powers of heaven…” (Douglas W. DeHaan) That is one Christian’s opinion about the meaning of the verse, “And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.”(Matthew 5:41) It may take years before one sees the benefits or the rewards of their good behavior. Likewise, it may take years to see the effects of ill behavior. I like what Joseph Addison said, “The human soul…like marble in the quarry, following which shows none of its inherent beauties, till the skill of the polisher fetches out the colours, makes the surface shine, and discovers every ornamental cloud, spot and vein that runs through the body of it….when it works upon a noble mind, it draws out to view every latent virtue and perfection, which without such helps are never able to make their appearance.” ( Joseph Addison, Men of Letters in the 18th Century, 287) Addison was referring to education, but I believe we are sculptors of our own life and destiny. We bring out the beauty of our original, rough slab of marble or we can scratch it and scar it up, so that its potential beauty is lost forever. Sculpting of marble is a slow and drawn out process, as is the development of our character.
An old Cherokee was teaching his grandson about life, “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.” It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil—with anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.” He continued, “The other is good—with joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you—and inside every other person, too.” The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?” The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.” (Cherokee Legend)
Every where we go, we see evidence that one is feeding the evil wolf, within and another is feeding the good wolf, within. The turmoil, the storm, the civil war within every human being is usually a long term affair. We may fight a new battle every day, we will win some and lose another but hopefully we will eventually come out in the end with the foe being wore out and the good gaining ground. On the scales of right and wrong, our ‘right’ should easily outweigh the ‘wrong.’ And with the principal of repentance in place and with us using it appropriately, by and by, we should find our Father saying to us, “Well done thou good and faithful servant, enter into my rest.”