To Strive, To Seek, To Find, and not To Yield

...that which we are, we are;

One equal temper of heroic hearts,

Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will

To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

Alfred Lord Tennyson - Ulysses

The quote above is something that has been impressed upon my mind recently because of the depth of it in its applicability to my life. Those that have read the work quoted above (I believe I did many many years ago) understand that these are the words uttered by the hero as he comes to the realization that death approaches - yet, he chooses to not only acknowledge this prospect, but rather to make the most of the remainder of the life that he did have left.

Now, my examination of this quote is not to suggest that I am anywhere near death - at least not mortally...that I know of. While anything is always possible in life, I'm not dying of any mortal ailment known to me. I do realize however that there are times these days when I feel myself dying a little more emotionally, mentally, and perhaps even spiritually at times. While death of these areas is often akin to the process of molting, there is some permanence of these deaths in our lives if we choose to either fear life itself or rather fail to confront our own lives head on.

There is a caveat that one must acknowledge, no, factor into life's calculation rather. This is the inclination of one's self to be impulsive, throwing caution to the wind, and perhaps placing themselves at higher risk for other forms of death, including those related to mortal death. Two of the most important doctrines of the gospel help us to put this into a perspective which will benefit our lives if we understand them fully (which I do not profess to do necessarily).

The first doctrine that comes to mind is the doctrine of tithing. How does the law of tithing prevent us from death? The law provided by the Lord requiring the reciprocation of our increase to Him teaches us the valuable doctrines of accountability and reliance on others. Were the Lord to allow us to keep all that we earn, we would in essence become little different than the intent sought by the Fallen Son of the Morning when he proposed his plan for the safe return of mankind to Father. The very crux of the adversary's plan rested in the glory, reward, and return of man all attributed to his doing. He sought not necessarily to redeem mankind so much as he sought to usurp power from Father and further, to claim rights upon all his increase.

Jehovah on the other hand illustrates the doctrines behind the law of tithing in a very intangible sense when he tells father "Father, they will be done, and the glory be thine forever." (Moses 4:2) What does this have to do with tithing and our avoidance of death? Our Elder Brother knew that inevitably there would be reward that came from his accomplishment of the Atonement and the salvation of man, such that he did not require the full compensation for such, nor did he even desire it. Rather, in His infinite humility, he suggests that all that he would accomplish and be rewarded for would be attributed back to He whom had bestowed those blessing upon Him. How symbolic this is to the law of tithing as it is commanded in our lives! Heavenly Father in his infinite wisdom understands that as mortal beings, we are inclined to keep all that we have earned for ourselves while additionally attributing its origin to our own efforts. This is the very thing that caused the destruction of the Nephite nation in the Book of Mormon! Instead - through the law of tithing, we are reminded through our obedience to this law, that we have obtained all that we have by means of the Father and His Son. Thus, our faithful payment of the tithe is to submit our will to Father's, and bestow upon him that glory which lasts for the eternity.

The other doctrine that ties in with the quote at the beginning of this post is the doctrine of the Word of Wisdom. As Latter-Day Saints, we often focus on the temporal guidelines provided in this commandment while ignoring perhaps some of the most important counsel given at the end of that section:

And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;
And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;
And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.
And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen (Doctrine and Covenants 89:18-21)

The principle illustrated in the Word of Wisdom is that we are to avoid those things which will harm our bodies, but more so we are invited to practice moderation in all things pertaining to our lives.

Going back to the suggestion that we need to take life head on is a good thing, but we must embrace life head on, with full humility and diligence to God, recognizing that we are bound by mortal limitations that are there to protect us at times. To make sudden changes in life, short of those changes necessary to embark upon a path of discipleship set forth by the Master, is to at times bring upon ourselves the ever burdening threat of death in other areas of our lives.

As we progress through life on a daily basis, we must recognize that we grow closer to our mortal ends each day. While the realization of such is necessary, it should neither be at the forefront of our minds at all times, nor should it prevent us from taking action to dictate our lives as we see fit according to the counsels of God. In essence, we must adopt the phrase at the beginning of the post - "to strive to seek to find, and not to yield" in a more personal sense in our lives.

As Primary children we recall singing the song "Search, Ponder, and Pray" but do we realize the magnitude of the words that we sang at such a young age? I would contend that even now, we understand them not. Is not "searching" "pondering" and "praying" the same thing as "to strive," "to seek," and "to find"? I would contend that if they are not identical, that they are similar to the point of being congruent. We must find ways to strive to follow the commandments in our lives, to seek the Lord and His counsel for us, and to find the talents and blessings within ourselves in order to effectively live life. We are then reminded that we must not yield to ourselves in doing so - including those personality traits that would have us become impulsive, insensitive, overbearing, reactive, or any other trait not favored of the Lord; while at the same time defending ourselves against the buffetings of the adversary and not yielding to his temptations.

Thus, we become as the hero Ulysses in our own lives, determining the epic natures of their conclusions. We can choose to accept that we are mortal beings and that our fallen nature precludes us from reaching everything that we desire now, or we can accept that while death approaches, we have other heroes in dimensions we cannot understand, and we can choose to make the best out of our lives and strive to end them on a progressive note, such that our reward can be claimed in the post-mortal realm.

There's my thoughts for the night, hopefully they are clear enough for everyone. If you have any questions, ask, and I'll try to explain my thoughts better!