A Stolen Insight From Video Games

"If I've learned anything from video games, it is that when you meet enemies, it means that you're going in the right direction."

That's a quote I saw on Facebook this morning. I like it for a number of silly reasons, including the reference to video game and the fact that it's an analogy, but also because I think it's true.

God wants us to become stronger, wiser, better people than we are, and presenting us with tests to pass and obstacles to overcome seems to be His preferred method of helping us increase in those qualities. As long as we're following God's plan for us, there will be more challenges to face.

But what if we go the other way? What if we follow the wrong shepherd and run with the wrong crowd? Will there still be challenges and obstacles in our path? Yes. The Book of Mormon teaches us that there is "opposition in all things" 2 Nephi 2:11, including, I would assume, going in the wrong direction. Life is hard for the wicked, just as it is for he righteous. The main difference is that the wicked face their challenges without any help from God.

Well, without any special help from God, I should say. It's only by God's assistance and permission that we're able to do anything, but He gives extra help to those who are trying to do good, and withholds it from those who do evil.

Another big difference between the right path and the wrong one is opposition from Satan. Satan wants all of us to be miserable. If we're already on a path that leads to misery, he doesn't need to keep trying to misdirect us. But if we're on the path of righteousness, that leads to ultimate joy, he's going work against us at every turn, trying to get us to go the wrong way. He is the Enemy that we meet when we're going the right direction. If he's not fighting against us, we're already doing what he wants.

I suppose this adds another dynamic to the choice between the two yokes, Christ's or our own. If we choose Christ's, then we'll have the devil as an enemy, but the Almighty as an ally. If you choose your own way, then God will respect that decision, and the devil will rejoice over it (not that he'll bless you for making that decision. Even if he could bless people, I don't think it's in his nature).

Considering that God's help can have a stronger effect than Satan's hinderance, I think that choosing to take Christ's yoke upon ourselves results in a net gain of capability, and an increased likelihood of successfully facing the challenges we all have to face in life. The unfortunate thing is that Satan's opposition is often more easily felt than God's help is, and it can be discouraging.

But we can take courage in the knowledge that if Satan is opposing us, we're going the right direction and God is on our side. And that, as quoted above, is really inspiring.