Institute today really touched me. Our lesson was about
trials, why they happen, and how we can get through them. I was really touched
by a phrase in some of the scriptures we were reading. One was in Mosiah
chapter 24. Alma and his people had forsaken the evil in their lives and
changed. They were baptized and left behind everything for Jesus Christ and his
gospel. Alma and his people began to build up their own city and continued in
faithful obedience. An army of the Lamanites ran into this colony. This army
was led by Amulon, a former colleague of Alma’s who hated him and wanted to
make his life miserable. Amulon caused that task masters would rule over this
people. Chapter 24 verses 10-12 read, “And it came to pass that so great were
their afflictions that they began to cry mightily to God. And Amulon commanded
them that they should stop their cries; and he put guards over them to watch
them, that whosoever should be found calling up God should be put to death. And
Alma and his people did not raise their voices to the Lord their God, but did
pour out their hearts to him; and he did know the thoughts of their
hearts.”
How many times in the midst of a trial and a challenge do we
believe that no one knows what we are feeling? Like no one really understands
what we need?
The feeling sunk deep into my heart that some one does know.
Our Heavenly Father knows perfectly in every sense of the word. He understands
with perfection our angst, our sorrows, the deepest righteous desires of our
hearts, any suffering that we encounter. And not only does He perfectly know,
but He perfectly cares beyond our comprehension. Did the cries of these faithful
people go unheard? Does the Lord turn a blind eye to us in the midst of deep
trials? With eternal gratitude, I submit the answer to that question is always
no. And so it was with these faithful people who pleaded with the Lord for
deliverance. The story continues on in verse 14, “And it came to pass that the
voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying; Lift up your heads
and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me;
and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage. And I will
also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot
feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do
that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety
that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.” Maybe a purpose
of these challenges in our lives is the same as it was for these people: so
that we could stand and speak with clarity and confidence that we know that the
Lord knows. We have felt His hand bearing us up and strengthening us through the
midst of trials. I testify that the Lord does strengthen us by the comfort and
peace of the Holy Ghost. He sends angels seen and unseen to bear us up. Most of
all, He was willing to allow others to torture and crucify His Son so that we
have access to eternal strength and peace if we will but turn to them. One of
the most beautiful things of all time is the scripture, “We loved Him who first
loved us.” And why does He love us? Because he knows perfectly our
power and potential to become like Him. His work and glory is “to bring to pass
the immortality and eternal life of man.” Every one is a son or daughter of God
with the potential to become like Him. Every loss we suffered will be made up a
hundred fold if we are faithful. John the Beloved recorded this beautiful scripture in Revelations 21:4,"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."
{CTR Always, ETTE} ;)
