Relying on the Savior
Mental and Chronic illnesses are things that affect a person's life and never go away. However, through the Lord we have hope that we can be healed. Knowing about the plan of salvation, we know that when we die our bodies will be made perfect once again. Someone that has diabetes, won’t have to worry about blood sugar and insulin anymore. Someone with schizophrenia will be okay and have a clear mind. Knowing that our Heavenly Father loves us and that we will all one day be perfect is some of the best medicine for a person who is hurting.
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Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said, “In striving for some peace and understanding in these difficult matters, it is crucial to remember that we are living—and chose to live—in a fallen world where for divine purposes our pursuit of godliness will be tested and tried again and again.” (Like a Broken Vessel)
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This explains that the reason we are in this fallen world, or the reason that we are alive, is because we made the choice to come to earth when we were in heaven. Yes, it is going to be hard dealing with all of the trials that we are given, but with the help of the Savior’s atonement, we can learn of the love that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have for us, and that helps those with mental and chronic health issues know that someone is in their corner fighting for them.
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The plan of happiness is God’s ultimate goal, to help us achieve eternal joy. Sometimes, we are faced with trials in life, like mental or chronic illness, that make joy seem unattainable or perhaps even impossible. So much comfort and peace can be found when we turn to the Lord and put our faith in His plan. There is a passage in the Book of Mormon that ensures that such promises of peace and joy are true. “The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame.” (Alma 40:23)
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The Atonement of Jesus Christ is powerful and encompasses all the needs we have in mortality. It provides us with so much more than merely the ability to repent and be forgiven of our sins. It is through the atonement that the Savior is able to perfectly know our pain and our suffering. The Book of Mormon explains why He performed the atonement for us. In reference to Christ it states, “And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind…and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy…. that he may know…how to succor his people according to their infirmities.” (Alma 7:11-12) Sometimes, mental or chronic illnesses cause us to separate ourselves from others and we feel completely alone in our trials. The Savior wants us to know that this is not true. He understands exactly what each of us is going through and as we place our faith in Him and the healing power of his atonement, we can overcome the trials we face, and we are never alone.
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Chronic and mental illnesses are trials that we are given in this life and while we suffer with them we can take comfort in the eternal perspective granted us through the plan of salvation. It is because of the plan of salvation that we understand there is a purpose to the trials that we must endure. We also understand that if we are faithful, the Lord will reward us as he has promised us when he says,
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“Peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; 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)
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Chronic illnesses are physical ailments that never go away and they often create symptoms that are invisible to the public. Chronic illnesses can affect our mental health, finances, relationships, career, and church attendance. They often create “embarrassment, fear, and concerns about dependency," and “it takes time to adjust to these changes.” Many times, even doctors do not understand what is happening to a person. In D&C 6:22-23it says, “If you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things. Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?” This scripture teaches that if we ask God and put our faith in Him, He will help those trained medical professionals go the right direction on how to help his individual children.
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Life is hard sometimes. Mental and chronic illness just add to the difficulty of it. Thankfully, we can know that God has a plan for us and we have a Savior who is reaching out to us. As we put our faith in Them and rely on the power of the Atonement, we can find the strength to endure and even overcome our mortal afflictions.
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