God understood from the beginning the hard things that we would
face. Many of them He put here for us,
“for our sake” (though we arrange plenty of hardships for ourselves). When man and woman were expelled from the
Garden of Eden God explained to them, “cursed is the ground for thy sake. . . Thorns also and
thistles shall it bring forth to thee. . . In the sweat of thy face shalt thou
eat bread. . .” (Genesis 3:17-19, emphasis added)
Our Heavenly Father knew that by facing and overcoming the
hard things of life we would advance and progress and become worthy to be
called His children, His heirs. As a
loving Father He has also promised that we need not face the hardships of life
alone, that His help would be ready at hand to take our best efforts and
amplify them to be equal to the challenges, by which we are “glorified”.
. . . we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God,
and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be
also glorified together. For I reckon
that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the
glory which shall be revealed in us.
(Romans 8:16-18)
It is common to believe that some people, such as the wealthy,
have it easier, that perhaps they face fewer of the hard things of life. The Savior took on this assumption directly. He taught His disciples that such views have
it backwards:
. . . It is easier for a camel to go
through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God
No one escapes hard things.
Like opportunities for growth, they are for everyone, including the
rich. We can, however, overcome life’s
troubles, God working with us, making all good things possible.
How is it done?
Sometimes, surely more often than we know, God intervenes directly and
removes obstacles, provides tools, brings friends and allies, and otherwise lowers
barriers or lifts us over them. Perhaps
even more frequently He increases our power and ability.
The Holy Spirit in particular can give us the power to do hard
things as we qualify for that help.
Consider some of the gifts of the Spirit. The ancient American prophet, Moroni Moroni Corinth
It quickens all the intellectual
faculties, increases, enlarges, expands and purifies all the natural passions
and affections. . . It inspires, develops, cultivates and matures all the
fine-toned sympathies, joys, tastes, kindred feelings and affections of our
nature. It inspires virtue, kindness,
goodness, tenderness, gentleness and charity. . . . It invigorates all the
faculties of the physical and intellectual man. . . . In short, it is, as it
were, marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears,
and life to the whole being. (Parley P.
Pratt, Key to the Science of Theology,
p.101)
With such godly influence we can surmount every challenge
that we need to rise above and withstand the sorrows of life we are called upon
to endure. That is the secret, at least
in part, to the counsel and promise from God,
Therefore, let your hearts be
comforted; for all things shall work together for good to them that walk
uprightly. . . (Doctrine and Covenants 100:15)
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