“Hold on thy way. … Fear not … , for God shall be with you forever and ever”
That everyone, including, and perhaps especially, the righteous, will be called upon to face trying times
When that happens we can sometimes fear that God has abandoned us, and we might be left, at least for a time, to wonder when our troubles will ever end. As individuals, as families, as communities, and as nations, probably everyone has had or will have an occasion to feel as Joseph Smith felt when he cried from the depth and discouragement of his confinement: “O God, where art thou? … How long shall thy hand be stayed … ? Yea, O Lord, how long shall [thy people] suffer … before … thy bowels be moved with compassion toward them?” (D&C 121:1–3).
Whenever these moments of our extremity come, we must not succumb to the fear that God has abandoned us or that He does not hear our prayers. He does hear us. He does see us. He does love us. When we are in dire circumstances and want to cry, “Where art Thou?” it is imperative that we remember He is right there with us—where He has always been! We must continue to believe, continue to have faith, continue to pray and plead with heaven, even if we feel for a time our prayers are not heard and that God has somehow gone away. He is there. Our prayers are heard. And when we weep He and the angels of heaven weep with us.
When lonely, cold, hard times come, we have to endure, we have to continue, we have to persist. That was the Savior’s message in the parable of the importuning widow (see Luke 18:1–8; see also Luke 11:5–10). Keep knocking on that door. Keep pleading. In the meantime, know that God hears your cries and knows your distress. He is your Father, and you are His child
When what has to be has been and when what lessons to be learned have been learned, it will be for us as it was for the Prophet Joseph. Just at the time he felt most alone and distant from heaven’s ear was the very time he received the wonderful ministration of the Spirit and the glorious answers that came from his Father in Heaven:
“My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;
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And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes” (D&C 121:7–8).
Even though seemingly unjust circumstances may be heaped upon us, and even though unkind and unmerited things may be done to us—perhaps by those we consider enemies but also, in some cases, by those whom we thought were friends—nevertheless, through it all, God is with us.
We are not alone in our little prisons here. When suffering, we may in fact be nearer to God than we’ve ever been in our entire lives. That knowledge can turn every such situation into a would-be temple.
Regarding our earthly journey, the Lord has promised, “I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up” (D&C 84:88). That is an everlasting declaration of God’s love and care for us, including—and perhaps especially—in times of trouble.
Sometimes I wish life were easier and then I read things like this and think wow I have it easy. I do have easier than some people. Life could always be worse. As I looked back on my day today I realized there was many things I failed at, I was not patient, I was not calm.....except at one moment when I knew I had to be....as Dallin sat on the floor telling me I was doing it all wrong, this is not how you play the game he said, I sat there saying Dallin different is okay.....to which he said no it is not and then knocked the game over so I had to start again, you would think that would have made me angry it didnt the whole time all I could say was different is okay, (why is different okay for him but not for me) he continued to get mad, as his aid tried helping and he got madder with him, the only thought that trully crossed my mind was am I going to get kicked in the head or head butted today for making things different? I wanted him to see it was all going to be okay, after about 15mins he was laughing again and playing but the whole time was different is okay. I know question is different okay? I really want to say yes, I want to know that tomorrow is going to be okay, I am the type of person if I knew the end and worked back I would be very happy, though sadly that doesnt happen in life does it!
I was happy in Calgary, I was making some friends slowly and yes I mean slowly starting to call this home, but at that same point I was always saying well Edmonton has this and Calgary doesnt, I never did take some of those differences, espically when it came to school we still used the Edmonton public system as I was upset at the lack of a system had for Calgary and kids with Autism. I know that "different" was not okay, it was always in the back of my mind.
I was glad for the fact my kids did get to know there grandparents a bit more than I ever did, and that difference will forever stand out in my mind and a good choice, they trully do love there grandparents and Charile.
The difference of having a temple close by and the temple you have to drive to....it was a sad thing, but I learned I missed driving by it every day, we didnt use it like we should have but I learned the difference if it being there and not being there, I miss that peace that comes from even being on the temple grounds.
The difference of friends being close and friends being apart is a HUGE thing, I miss the friends who trully do support me in my crazy life, the friends I can call when I am down and they will just listen. A good girls night out is always needed everyonce in awhile.
The difference of my kids playing with kids who love them vs kids who dont so much and I have to always teach my kids to be nice even when others are not so nice.
The difference of just Calgary to Edmonton, there both are very very different from each other but both have things I trully love that the other does not have.....like ummmmm the ZOO......but then Edmonton had the Ledg grounds, and heck there is NOTHING in CAlgary like that.
Different is okay.....but sometimes it is just hard....
more patience in suffereing
more faith in the Savior
more joy in his service
more meekness in trial
more blessed and holy more like the Savior
sometimes we just need to step back a little and relook at everything!
