Trials?

Have you ever been on top of the world and then suddenly something drags you down? You're having the time of your life and then the smallest thing grabs a hold of you and refuses to let go. It always seems to happen when everything is going just the way it should. And then, whether you want to or not, you are forced to find a way to deal with this. Either let it control you, or find a way out.

I had kind of a realization yesterday and I thought I'd share. I was at Friday Forum and Brother Booth played a song that reminded me of a certain trial that I had, one that I'll always be faced with. As he played the song I thought about how I am who I am because of this exact thing that I've been calling a "trial." I started to wonder if who I am is good or bad. I came to the decision that I'm happy with who I've become.

So if a trial makes me who I am and I am happy with who I am shouldn't I be happy with trials?

I thought about this again later in the day. If the things I've gone through simply went away would my life really be better? We always say oh, if I didn't have to deal with this then things would be so much easier! Or I'd be happy if I could only change this. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that life wouldn't be worth it without a few "trials" here and there.

Now, of course I'm not saying that the next time I'm faced with something hard  I'm going to jump up and down, clap my hands, and shout to the world that I'm so excited to be having a hard time with something. I'm just going to remember two things:

1 - Trials define you. When I look back on all the things I've gone through I can see how each of them helped shape who I am, how each of them made me a better person. How each of them made me happier, stronger, better in the long run. When faced with a trial I'm going to try and see how I can come out of it as a better person.

2 - I'm NEVER alone in my trials. One of my favorite chapters of scripture is Alma 7. This chapter defines the Atonement in a way that a lot of people forget. In verses 11 and 12 it says "And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind . . . he will take upon him the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death . . . and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities." No matter what I go through, be it a sliver in my pinky finger or the death of a loved one, Christ suffered it for me. He knows how to comfort me and help me personally through this trial. All I need to do is go to Him.

I think about the pains, afflictions, temptations, sicknesses, etc that I have gone through and I'm filled with gratitude towards my Savior. If I take it one step farther, I'm moved to tears. I know I've had life a lot better than most people. Christ didn't just suffer for me, although I know he would have if he needed to, he suffered for EVERY person to ever live! That is more pain than I can even imagine, enough to make him bleed at every pore. He was faced with the biggest trial of all, yet He made it through. He is living happily with our Heavenly Father.

I want to challenge you, any of you reading this, to do those two things. To smile, no matter how painful it may be and to turn to Him for comfort. He has helped me in everything and I know with all my heart that He will do the same for you.