Simple and Deep
I have considered for some time now that the messages I publish each week, which are based on a curriculum of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, don’t necessarily reflect many of my musings and introspections about many subjects and doctrines. There are days when I write that I don’t have time to express myself properly or completely. Maybe I am incapable of that because some things I think are inexpressible. I find myself delving into ideas, going deeper and deeper, and consequently, having my mind blown by how simple things can be so profound.
You could ask why I should go into the depths of ideas when they can be expressed and 99 percent comprehendible, even to little children. I suppose that, for me, 99 percent is not good enough. It seems to me that the last one percent is where the hidden treasure lies. It is like gold in a stream bed; it finds its way to the bottom of the deepest cracks and crevices, waiting to be discovered. Just like gold, truth, when you find it, changes everything.
In some ways, uncertainty is the opposite of truth. It either causes you to stop dead in your tracks, give up, or, if you keep going, can lead you off a cliff. Knowing the truth allows you to navigate life and progress towards a desirable end. Not learning the truth is not progressing, and not progressing is more like regression because time does not stop. Life passes, and you find yourself less than you could have been.
I know plenty of people who seem happy and well-off, but don’t concern themselves with thinking deeply. I don’t blame them for avoiding deep thoughts because you discover life-changing things every so often, and who wants to change when you are comfortable? Usually, when we say something is life-changing, we think of it positively, but even positive changes are complex. It may require a restructuring of our daily routines and habits. Replacing a good practice with a better one is as challenging as eliminating bad habits.
If we always stay in shallow water, we never have to learn how to swim. The problem is that life has a way of pushing you into the pool’s deep end. Shallow thinking leaves you unprepared for such times. I think the principle of preparedness taught in the parable of the ten virgins applies here. The unprepared are left wanting when they are called to the wedding in the middle of the night. Because the time came when it was dark, light was essential to make their way to the wedding. The light that comes from deep thinking prepares us for the dark times, and shallow thinking keeps us unenlightened. Unfortunately, the metaphorical light of understanding cannot be shared. In this case, there is no such thing as borrowed light.
Returning to the gold analogy, you get something akin to gold fever once you find a hidden nugget of truth. Everything becomes new and wonderful when you make a meaningful discovery. Some people become so caught up in the search for truth that they abandon many other essential aspects of life. The first example that comes to mind is monks or nuns. In some ways, I envy the thought of having nothing to do all day but contemplate the meaning of life. But how can you know what life is if you cloister yourself in a cocoon that is more like existing than living?
Here is how it works for me: my contemplative moments are the best parts of my day. The things I must do to make a living are not bad, but not as fulfilling as time spent in deep thought. However, I seldom have deep thoughts intentionally. Typically, these bouts of thinking are triggered by my experiences when going about daily activities. Reading, conversations, things I observe, or people I listen to cause me to think. Reacting to situations and people forces me to evaluate the way I do things, which, in return, helps me clarify my thoughts.
So, is there a strategy for deep thinking? I believe so, but there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The first thing I would suggest is to discover things that trigger positive thinking. Questions are something that makes all the following items effective.
- Study the scripture; don’t simply read them. Look for answers and patterns in the stories and the underlying principles. Realize that most of the stories in scripture are archetypal, representing the most extreme examples of principles and practices. Understand that they are arguments for believing in God and Christ. Put yourself into the stories in the roles of both the antagonists and protagonists. For example, look at the ways you act like a Pharisee and the ways you act like a disciple of Christ, and be honest about it. Try to discover if you are wandering in the desert or have reached the promised land.
- Listen to people who are more intelligent than you, but don’t believe everything they say; in fact, question everything they say, especially when it conflicts with your moral standards. There is great utility in listening to great thinkers whose views may directly oppose yours. I try to formulate arguments that I would use if I had a chance to sit and talk to them. There are some genuinely great thinkers who almost get it right, and I use the same approach of thinking of what I would say to them if provided the opportunity.
- Ask hard questions. If you have a belief system or religious faith, take some time to find out why you believe. If you struggle with your faith, search for evidence to affirm it and not excuses to abandon it. Understanding why you believe something is possibly more important than what you believe. When you have a reason behind your faith, it is more impactful and causes you to act boldly and with conviction.
- Prepare arguments as if you had to convince a skeptical person to adopt your faith and moral ethic. How would you convince an atheist to accept the idea that God exists? Making logical arguments is good, but spiritual communication is better. Think of ways to allow others to feel with their hearts, understand with their minds, and rekindle the light of Christ that we inherited at birth.
Elevated thinking was the theme of President Russel M. Nelson’s most recent address. He referred to it as Celestial Thinking. I read a comment online that argued that we are incapable of thinking the way God does, and that trying to do it would make us feel inadequate. The first thing I thought of as an argument to counter his point was how the Savior stated that we should be perfect, even as our Father in Heaven is perfect. Which is more challenging, thinking Celestial or being perfect? These are not shallow thoughts, but they are simple on their face.
So, here is the question I would like you to consider and think about: Is there any principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ that is not simultaneously simple and deep? I submit that the gold lies in the deepest parts of the doctrine and cannot be found and utilized to its full extent if we are unwilling to go as deep as we can. I promise that your capacity to search will increase the more you think about it.