"Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."
-- 2 Corinthians 12: 10
Yesterday, I was racing through the radio channels in the car and heard the lyrics "What if your blessings come through raindrops? What if your healing comes through tears? What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know you're near?" and I kept listening and pondering. Today, I've decided that this is something "praiseworthy" and such a true concept. We need to remember that sometimes the trials and challenges in our lives are the mercies and blessings of life! Our Heavenly Father's love is greater than we can imagine and to help us grow and learn of this greater path to happiness He let's the rain fall so that we can grow.
We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things
'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights?
Are what it takes to know You're near?
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can't satisfy?
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?
Lyrics by Laura Story
Laura explains on her blog "Not that I choose the right thing every day, but I'm learning that every morning when I wake up to choose to trust God." Agreed!
Every morning...we wake up and have to accept the good and the bad. We can prepare and ready ourselves by reading the scriptures and praying and setting ourselves apart from the world by choosing the right and standing firm in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but until we let go of the fear and worry and evil in the world...we can't partake of the great blessings that Lord has to offer us.
I've heard it said that when you hold water tight in our fist, we loose it all. When you relax and hold water gently not fearing of all the potential for loss, you keep all the goodness. No matter the worries or trials or challenges or problems, you will be blessed for your good efforts by trusting in the Lord.
Our mortal experiences will mold us and prepare us for eternity. If we aren't preparing today for an eternal life, we're preparing for less. Elder Ballard says "We prepare each day, right now, for eternal life. If we are not preparing for eternal life, we are preparing for something less, perhaps something far less."
President Uchtdorf said at Relief Society General Session (Sept 2011) the following -- "Celebrate our good efforts ... Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. It’s wonderful that you have strengths. And it is part of your mortal experience that you do have weaknesses. God wants to help us to eventually turn all of our weaknesses into strengths, but He knows that this is a long-term goal. He wants us to become perfect, and if we stay on the path of discipleship, one day we will. It’s OK that you’re not quite there yet. Keep working on it..."
I also recommend the book "In Trying Times, Just Keep Trying!" by Merrilee Boyack published by DeseretBook. Buy it HERE! Seriously, its an inspiring and powerful book that will help you confront those obstacles you're facing and work towards overcoming them!
