Something about a perfect life.

While well-meaning, the phrases, "everything will work out just the way it's supposed to" or "everything always happens for a reason", makes me want to punch things.

Because I don't believe that's true.

And here is why.

I am a Latter-Day Saint. I am Christian. I believe in Jesus Christ. I believe He is my Savior, and Redeemer. I also believe in a divine Heavenly Father. I believe he has to power to move mountains, part rivers, and create human life. He loves me.

I believe that I lived in Heaven before I has born. I also believe there was a War in Heaven among the spirit children of our Heavenly Father.

LDS.org has this to say about it:

...The issues involved such things as agency, how to gain salvation, and who should be the Redeemer. The war broke out because one-third of the spirits refused to accept the appointment of Jesus Christ as the Savior...It was evident that if given agency, some persons would fall short of complete salvation; Lucifer and his followers wanted salvation to come automatically to all who passed through mortality, without regard to individual preference, agency, or voluntary dedication (see Isa. 14:12–20; Luke 10:18; Rev. 12:4–13; D&C 29:36–38; Moses 4:1–4)....

The warfare is continued in mortality in the conflict between right and wrong. The same contestants are doing the battle.

Our mortal life is our test in the plan of salvation! OUR test. We were granted free agency. WE GET TO MAKE CHOICES. If we make good choices, we come across opportunities to participate in miracles. The opposite also exists. Humans make bad choices that result in heart break, aches, and pain.

AND, we get to live on this planet with people, who are also trying to fight this good fight; sometimes winning, conquering-- sometimes plummeting, destructing. This is when things do not work out "exactly how they are supposed to".

I believe that my Heavenly Father can divinely intervene in my life, and I have experiences abound to testify of this. I know that miracles exist. But I DO NOT think that life is always going to "work out just perfect". It's not. I know it's not, because I believe in Christ. I believe that he was the one that won the War in Heaven. Had Lucifer won said war, then "everything would happen for a reason".

When life beats our weathered hearts, I thank my Savior, and my own personal Heavenly Father for not abandoning me. The miracle is not that things will always work out perfectly, the miracle is that He will weather the storm with me and provide happiness in spite of the shrapnel of others grievous mistakes. Life is perfect, because we survive bad choices.

Because who knew? Humans aren't perfect, and we don't always get it right.