Often, relief from trials of any degree seems to take its time as day-to-day living pushes us to our limits. Many people would say they are done, wanting to throw in the towel and that there is no reason to keep trying. Where is the joy? The peace? Especially living in a confused world that is in complete chaos.
Everyone has heard and probably used this famous quote once or twice: "It could be worse." There is truth to those words, but we should never compare trials, while at the same time, we should recognize the blessing within our own hardships. Easier said than done, I suppose.
I have yet to meet someone who hasn't had to work hard at life-it isn't easy for any of us. Nobody is exempt from the test; however, we all have a different copy. What is difficult for me may not be difficult for you, which is okay.
I won't lie; I have watched others around me and have said a silent prayer thanking our Heavenly Father for my trials, as I do not know if I could battle the same war that I witnessed others standing at the forefront. So brave and strong. I have to remind myself, don't compare trials. What is hard for me is just that, hard.
I am impressed by those who can carry the heavy bricks of burdens and despair while continuing their journey, which is likely uphill. These humble people don't blame others for their circumstances, not allowing bitterness to consume them.
I have known many individuals who never once gave up on living despite their hard days and found joy anyway. Because of their enduring examples, I have a belief, a hope, that with effort, happiness can be found during trials.
In the talk, Waiting on the Lord, by Thomas S. Monson, he reminds us, "Faith means trusting God in good times and bad, even if that includes some suffering until we see His arm revealed in our behalf. That can be difficult in our modern world when many have come to believe that the highest good in life is to avoid all suffering that no one should ever anguish over anything. But that belief will never lead us to "the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ."
I understand that suffering is part of this life, as it has been since the beginning.
Monson continued quoting and modifying Elder Neal A. Maxwell's words mixed with his own words, "One's life cannot be both faith-filled and stress-free. It simply will not work to "glide naively through life," saying as we sip another glass of lemonade, "Lord, give me all thy choicest virtues, but be certain not to give me grief, nor sorrow, nor pain, nor opposition. Please do not let anyone dislike me or betray me, and above all, do not ever let me feel forsaken by Thee or those I love. In fact, Lord, be careful to keep me from all the experiences that made Thee divine. And then, when the rough sledding by everyone else is over, please let me come and dwell with Thee, where I can boast about how similar our strengths and our characters are as I float along on my cloud of comfortable Christianity." Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's modification of Elder Neal A. Maxwell's text; see Neal A. Maxwell, "Lest Ye Be Wearied and Faint in Your Minds," Ensign, May 1991, 88.
To have Faith while gritting our teeth through longsuffering can be rather tiresome.
I watched my dad take his cancer diagnosis and turn it into service for others. The monthly chemo treatments turned into times of sharing his testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ while also being a listening ear and being a friend to those who sat beside him, partaking of "the breakfast of champions." My dad's mindset was focused and determined, what he could do rather than what he couldn't do.
Dad understood waiting on the Lord would renew his strength. He gave thanks daily while he counted his blessings.
After losing Mom in 2018, he continued to push through some of the loneliest times, attempting to make life better for someone else and helping to make another's burden light. His burdens were heavy, yet he never lost sight of the eternal perspective. He made new habits and set goals. He would read the scriptures and pray every morning and night, blessing the meal(s) he would prepare for himself and anyone who might be in his home at the time. The effort to be a good man was consistent, and you rarely heard him grumble or make too much of a fuss of all that was causing him strife.
My goal is to be like my dad, having a grateful heart and the ability to carry on no matter what comes my way.
I was taught at a young age that my mentality played a vital role in how my attitude would be shaped and molded during tough times. Your attitude and the thoughts that you have affect the outcome. Does our mentality change the trial? I won't go so far as to say that, but it changes how we deal with it and how we see our lives.
Perspective.
So often, we do not see the whole picture, losing sight of what is most important. It is easy to be influenced by our pain and discomfort that we miss the vision of better days. Nonetheless, counting our blessings and showing gratitude for all we have makes a big difference and helps to encourage a thankful mindset.
One thing that I believe is that trials are essential in this earthly life. We would not understand true joy if everything was simple and comfortable. To create peace to have it in my life, I must seek it. Also, I have to be a peacemaker, which can be laborious. It takes a lot of practice (and patience).
"The Struggle is the Glory" -Unknown.
I have tried to wrap my mind around what that quote might mean. People might interpret this in different ways. For me, it would mean that my struggles CAN end with glory. If I choose to trudge through this life using my blessings as stepping stones, in the end, I will find peace and glory.
I had struggled to get moving today, and the desire to attend church barely lingered within my soul. It was just Champ and I, so the little voice kept whispering in my ear, "You can miss church today. You can go next week. You can stay home and watch movies and relax." Boy, that was tempting. I had every excuse in the book not to go, but the reasons to go outweighed the justifications for staying, and I pulled myself out of bed and got ready to go.
When Sacrament ended, I was tempted to walk through the door and skip out on the second hour, but the spirit pulled me to do the right thing, and stay. As I sat in the primary during singing time, the children were learning a new song that I had never heard before…One that I needed to hear today.
When the song began to play for the children to listen to before learning the words themselves, the crestfallen, dispirited feelings that I sat in the sunbeam chair with began to fade. I felt an intense solace accompanied by peacefulness. I was calm.
And as the piano began to play and the sweet voices of those primary children began to sing, I was quickly reminded that everything good in my life comes from God.
Thankful
One, for each blessed day.
Two, every breath I take.
Three, for my family
Four, all they mean to me.
Five, just to be alive.
Six, for the Earth and Sky
And seven for Heaven,
For every good thing that I have come from God. Every day every hour.
There are blessings he sends without number or end.
If I counted hundred or a thousand, I'm Sure there would still be more, to be thankful for.
Eight, for the chance to grow.
Nine, heart and hands and soul.
Ten, for the eyes to see, all God has given me.
I, could go on and on, counting the whole day long.
I know he is with me, for every good thing that I have comes from God. Every day every hour.
There are blessings he sends without number or end.
If I counted hundred or a thousand, I'm sure, there would still be more. There would still be more and more, to be thankful for.
-Shawna Edwards.
2 Nephi 2:11, For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my firstborn in the wilderness, righteousness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.
"Stay strong, Toi."-Mom
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