Even in the Hard Times

The question often asked inside of our minds is why does God allow this to happen to me? Why doesn't God take this away from me? Often times we ask ourselves these questions when we have lost a loved one or when we see all the trouble and natural disasters going on in the world. Indeed these times are difficult for anyone to go through and my sympathy and heart goes out to them, but there is a hope that shines through even in these times. God loves all of His children. That is a doctrine we learn from both the Bible and the Book of Mormon. I know for myself that it is true and yet bad things happen to good people. I have tried to live a life that is one of which God can be pleased with and yet there are difficult times that make me ask myself questions. Earlier on I would find myself asking questions like those listed above. Now, having felt God's love and knowing that He seeks to bless my life and all of His children's lives I ask myself how this helps me draw closer to God? An example is Joseph as in Joseph of Egypt. Joseph was sold by his brothers and became a slave and was even imprisoned for a good part of his life. This could have easily justified anger and thoughts of why me? Why do you do this God? But Joseph never had that perspective. He learned from the situations he was put it. He excelled and become a leader in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh. As I or others have had that mentality and try and excel and learn from the situations that happen to us we will be blessed. Maybe no when we want, but when it is needed. We will become closer to God.

As a Book of Mormon prophet observed, that fits well into our situations we face today, "Yea, and we may see at the very ^atime when he doth ^bprosper his people, yea, in the increase of their fields, their flocks and their herds, and in gold, and in silver, and in all manner of ^cprecious things of every kind and art; sparing their lives, and delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; softening the hearts of their enemies that they should not declare wars against them; yea, and in fine, doing all things for the welfare and happiness of his people; yea, then is the time that they do ^dharden their hearts, and do ^eforget the Lord their God, and do ^ftrample under their feet the Holy One—yea, and this because of their ease, and their exceedingly great prosperity.

And thus we see that except the Lord doth ^achasten his people with many afflictions, yea, except he doth visit them with ^bdeath and with terror, and with famine and with all manner of pestilence, they will not ^cremember him."

Look for opportunities to draw closer to God. Look for what we can do to excel in the situations we get put it. Remember God and all His goodness. This is sometimes something we forget to do but how grateful I am for a God who may at times love us enough to help us remember Him.