Copyright © 1999
Dear Annette,
Sometimes it's also hard to believe with all the war, killing, rape, abuse, and stealing that there is a God. Why does He allow this to go on? I know they have their free agency, but everything is such a mess. I guess with the hurting I'm going through right now it's hard to see and feel His love and understanding. Sometimes I wonder if He is there at all. Can you shed some light on this subject?
Dear Hard to Believe,
You're right, they must have their free agency. But why? The Lord must let people do what they will, even though it hurts others, so they can be judged for their wickedness.
Alma said it more poignantly as he watched women and children being burned to death for believing in God...
"But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day." - Alma 14:11
Life is hard at times and it can hurt a lot, but tough times do have to happen. How would it be if you valiantly meet the challenges of this life and made it to the Celestial kingdom only to find the awful people doing the awful things in heaven, because they had not been allowed to do what they were thinking? Would it be heaven then? No!
Sometimes when our trials seem out of proportion to what we can handle or problems just keep coming one after another we begin to feel like nobody cares
God does care but He can't take all your problems away. If you were a baby and He always picked you up, would you learn to crawl or walk? He not only wants you to walk but to run free.
Taking away your challenges, whatever they are, will not help you. Everyone prays that everything will be well in this life. What we are actually asking for is heaven on earth. This is not good for us. We are here to grow and develop into strong capable people. We cannot do that having an easy life, because there would be no growth in that. We grow the most when we have hard times because we are forced out of our comfort zone to experience and overcome the hard things life throws at us.
We must be capable strong people to become gods and goddesses. We need to know how to handle the trials that our spirit children will be going through. We need that wisdom to help them through their trials.
Just as the Lord is there to walk with us through our trials. He helps us make good decisions in hard times, strengthen us when we are weak, and when we can't go on He carries us. He is there for us.
The Lord knows His resources. Often He uses our brothers and sisters to help do the work of supporting each other. In this way He allow others to serve and learn charity and to become more God-like. Remember to ask for help when you need it. Do what you can for yourself, pray for help, and when appropriate ask family, home teachers, visiting teachers, neighbors, and friends to be involved in the solution. We can't help if you don't tell us there's a problem and ask for help. If we slip up and are not there for you, give us another chance. Many of us are getting older and things slip our minds. Add to that all the racing around we do to keep up with family, church, and jobs and it is easy to space out things. Give us a call and remind us of what we are supposed to be doing! A friendly reminder is always welcome!
Our trials and attending to the trials of others helps us to gain strength and a belief in ourselves and in our God. Trials make us seek God out more diligently. Without trials we would be content in having a superficial relationship with Him.
To be ready to meet our God we must know Him and have a good working relationship with Him. Trials, though they are harsh, are really the best things that can happen to us. Our eternal growth and development depends upon them. That is why God allows the us to hurt. It is because He loves us.
James 1:2-4 "Count it all joy, brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect, that you may be complete and perfect, lacking in nothing."
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