Struggling to Live the Gospel of Jesus Christ

One of the huge challenges for many of us long-time members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, particularly here in Utah, where living the gospel (to at least some degree) is just a natural way of life that we are brought up with, is that it becomes far too easy to take the gospel of Jesus Christ for granted, and to judge those who don't live it like we do. It's what we have always been used to, so we have a difficult time understanding those who have a harder time making it to church or keeping the commandments, and then it's easier for us to become judgmental of them.

Question: If someone has a more difficult time than others choosing the right, is that because they are just not as good, worthy or righteous? I am seeing how Satan uses shame to cause all of us to believe that, causing those who struggle more with righteousness to give up on it, and to believe the lie that they are worthless in God's eyes, and then causing the rest of us to agree with them and judge them that way. Have you ever concluded that someone must be experiencing all of the problems they are because they are not living right? Satan wants us to conclude, being good is harder for me/them, because I am/they are just not a good person.

That couldn't be further from the truth. Has it occurred to those of us who find doing what's right to be easier that the Lord may have placed those who struggle in our lives to test our willingness to love and minister to them? I truly believe that those who struggle more to choose the right have greater faith than many of the rest of us, to work with the Savior in overcoming the obstacles that they face. It's incredibly inspiring what we can learn from them, as we humbly accompany them through their journey. I don't think we're really living the gospel if it comes that easily. I truly believe many of us are going to be quite surprised at who makes it into Heaven, and possibly surprised if we don't make it there ourselves (see Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 16:19-25).

Hopefully, we can express more of our gratitude for the gospel of Jesus Christ by humbly ministering to those who struggle with it more. I think that means really listening to them and caring about the struggles they face. Don't abandon them to face those struggles alone. Even if it's difficult to understand what they are going through, one of the most precious gifts we can give to those who struggle is just to be there with them, so they don't feel alone through it.

I think so many of us don't enjoy a full appreciation of the gospel, because we haven't faced real challenges to those blessings of the gospel. We haven't had to really struggle to receive those blessings, even for membership in the Lord's church. Hopefully we can be less prideful, less judgmental, and more respectful and caring of those who struggle to come to Christ. These are the ones who Jesus is really going after (see Luke 15), and we should too.