An Eternal Perspective
Everyone on Earth is one of Heavenly Fathers children who was sent here to learn and grow. That means that, even for the righteous, there will be hard times. However, Heavenly Fathers children who are obedient will not go through those hard times alone. We are promised divine help and if we are obedient until the very end we will be able to become like Heavenly Father.
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Christ teaches about obedience in Matthew 5:45 when he says “for [your Father] maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” Why does our loving Heavenly Father do this? It is because this life is a test that is meant to help us grow and become like him. It is often through the hard times that people learn the most. When we are obedient to Heavenly Father, we are able to receive the help and happiness promised to us in this life.
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Nephi, a prophet from the Book of Mormon, expresses his pain at what he sees as his weaknesses in the flesh. It is clear that he had dealt with many trials throughout his life. His pain and guilt over these things often made him question certain aspects of his life. But he also shares his resolution to stay true. Even though his weaknesses often get the better of him, and he may not know exactly why he has them in the first place, his faith and trust in Christ is what holds him strong to the course he is on. (2 Nephi 4).
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“Faith is believing that although we do not understand all things, He [Christ] does. Faith is knowing that although our power is limited, His is not. Faith in Jesus Christ consists of complete reliance on Him.” (Dennis E. Simmons). The reason that we have faith is so that we know that we are not alone in our trials and that he would never abandon us. Having faith does not make us weak, it makes us truly believe that there are all sorts of possibilities and outcomes for our affliction because God truly knows us and the best way to help us. Not only that, the Lord has put resources on this earth that are meant to help with both mental and chronic illnesses. “Although faith is a gift, it must be cultured and sought after until it grows from a tiny seed to a great tree.” (Bible Dictionary)
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God has designed each of our lives in such a way that will be the most beneficial to our eternal progression as we strive to develop our faith in Him and live according to his commandments and the covenants we make. By living a life patterned after the Savior, we find the ability to rise up in our own circumstances with hope and strength to endure and triumph. After all, that is why He suffered for us in Gethsemane in the first place.
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“Healing blessings come in many ways, each suited to our individual needs, as known to Him who loves us best. Sometimes a “healing” cures our illness or lifts our burden. But sometimes we are “healed” by being given strength or understanding or patience to bear the burdens placed upon us.” (Dallin H. Oaks).
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Knowledge of the Plan of Salvation is such a blessing. It helps us to see the bigger picture and put our trust in God and His timing. Maybe we will not be healed or delivered right away, but we must remain faithful anyway. If we lose faith, we lose the strength that God is offering to help us through it. “To trust means to obey willingly without knowing the end from the beginning. To produce fruit, your trust in the Lord must be more powerful and enduring than your confidence in your own personal feelings and experience.” (Richard G. Scott).
What is it that we must be obedient too?
The commandments of God and especially the covenants we have made with Him.
At baptism, we make a covenant, or a sacred promise, that we will keep the commandments of God and stand as witnesses of Jesus Christ. In return, God has promised us the companionship of the Holy Ghost who will guide us, comfort us, and encourage us throughout our lives. The covenants we make while we are on earth are essentially the means of an agreement in which we exchange our obedience and faithfulness for access to the power of God and especially the incredibly powerful blessings of the atonement of Jesus Christ
Often times we want answers. We want to know why, and we often seem to think that there is one specific answer to our challenges, problems and trials. We need to remember that God knows everything, including each of us and who we are as individuals. He knows just what will help us stretch and grow to become the very person He knows we have the potential to become. We may not always see or recognize it, which is why ambiguity is so important. It will allow us to listen and sometimes be shown the very thing we often so desperately want to know about our circumstances. It will allow us to bear our burdens with a renewed strength and determination to prove our worth and show ourselves that we are so much more than our weaknesses and so much stronger than our obstacles. As Nephi once said,
“O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever.”
(2 Nephi 4:34)
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