In the midst of trials, the questions often contemplated are: “What am I supposed to learn from this?” or “What is the Lord trying to teach me?" All around us, it seems that there are so many experiencing significant trials – burdens, disappointments, pains, heartaches, discouragements, ill health, insufficient finances, job loss, emotional concerns, spirituality needing renewal, troubled marriages, errant children or parents, etc. The personal and public trials of many, at times, seem almost overwhelming.
Maybe the answers to these very personal questions are as personal as the trials themselves. Even so, there are some overriding thoughts that may be universally applicable and help in achieving the peace sought during these times of turmoil:
1. The Lord is in control. He knows what He is doing on a worldwide basis and on a personal basis for each of His children personally. There is a wise purpose in them, even though it may not be readily apparent.
2. If we are doing what we're supposed to be doing in our lives, striving to live gospel principles and serving others, our trials will have purpose and will become blessings (however unseen or unknown). Having faith that they are blessings will help us put them in the proper perspective and even find appreciation for them.
3. We agreed to the ups and downs, the pros and cons, the positive and the negative of our lives before we came here. We likely foresaw the downside as being insignificant, inconsequential, and momentary in light of the larger, eternal picture – and especially when contrasted with the potential reward of having an immortal body, becoming more like God, and being given the ability and authority to create without end.
4. All things will work for good for those that love God. For many of our trials, we have little control. Even so, we can always choose to take the high road and maintain an attitude of love – to be loving and respectful toward our families and friends and most importantly to our Heavenly Father. It’s a paradoxical commandment – “Even though things may not go as I've planned and I may not get the rewards when and how I think I deserve them… I will love
others anyway.”
5. We never know the sequence of events that God will allow us to go through to eventually bring us back home.
6. There is more equality in the test of life than we realize. The sun shines and rain falls on all of God's children equally. When we are living correctly, He would never allow bad things to happen to us that wouldn't somehow turn out to be a blessing. Most of the great thinking, accomplishments and discoveries, conveniences and solutions we enjoy in life have come from someone or some group of people enduring trials. We will eternally thank God for ALL experiences when the veil is lifted and our understanding is complete. We have been commanded to be thankful for everything.
7. All trials have purpose. Learning the lessons of life is one of the major purposes. God isn't necessarily in the fixing business; He is, however, in the teaching business. Another purpose is to help us to more fully lean on His ample arm rather than the arm of the flesh; to more fully turn toward Him and His goodness, His bounty; to encourage us to turn our lives more completely over to Him; to become more fully converted in the taking of His name upon us.
8. Our behaviors are nothing more than a direct reflection of the depth of our conversion to the Savior Jesus Christ. The deeper the conversion, the greater the motivation and the greater the Christ-like behavior. Our behaviors in how we respond to trials are a measure of the depth of our conversion to the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
9. Trials give us perspective and allow us to have levels of appreciation that we would never achieve otherwise. Can you imagine what the world would be like without the knowledge of brother Job? The blessings and trials of his life have given hope and perspective and appreciation to millions and millions. If nothing else, Job gives us the comfort of knowing that 'it could always be worse'. There are always others we know that have trials greater than our own.
10. To whom much is given, much is expected. We usually look at this phrase 'much given' as meaning blessings, wealth, beauty, position, authority, etc. Perhaps we would be wise to also look at 'much given' as trials. It certainly would require increased faith to appreciate that perspective. Someday we will look back and know there is great truth in the fact that just as we have responsibility and accountability to be good stewards of the blessings of life, we also have equal stewardship, responsibility and accountability over the trials of life. And with either, come God-sent blessings.
Bishop Wm. Calvin Hughes
April 30, 2009
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