Another week in Visalia, and we're now on the last full week of this transfer. Its gone by pretty fast, and I've met some great people. I'll be finding out this Saturday whether I'll be staying or not. But I know that no matter where I end up, I'm where the lord wants me.
Its really become apparent to me this last week why the lord puts us through the trials that he does. Not neccisarily through my own, but from viewing others. We know that God tries those whom he loves. God loves everyone, and everyone goes through trials. Trials are not fair in this life among the people, nor will they ever be. Some people may be forced to ask why. Why do we go through the trials we do? Why are mine so much harder than others? Though I don't claim to know all of God's purposes in these things, I know that there are several reasons why God does send us trials. Some Impossibly harder than others. God wants to strengthen us. One of my favorite analogies of this, is to compare it to working out. When we work out, we are literately tearing our muscles, so that when they grow back, they grow back stronger, more resistant to breaking down. It is the same thing with trials in this life. To make us stronger, God allows us to go through things he knows will hurt, things that will break us down, things that will force us to our knees. He wants us to be humble, because once we are humble, we recognize our weaknesses and in turn, improve ourselves. We become harder to break down.
Another take on this, is sometimes God will allow us to go through trials, so that we will look to him, and turn our lives toward him. Thing of the instance in the New Testament when Jesus is walking on water. When Peter walks out to meet him, he quickly becomes distracted, and looses confidence in himself, and it wasn't until he was sinking that he turned towards the savior, and cried out for help. Sometimes in our day to day lives, we forget to focus on the Lord, to turn our lives toward him. Its human nature. When we do go through our trials, it forces us to recognize his hand in things, and to turn to him for support.
Trials are a necessity. As long as there appears any path to happiness that seems easier than turning to Christ, he will continue to send us trials that we will look to him. It may seem cruel, but in an eternal perspective, its one of the biggest acts of love that he's shown us.
My time is up, but I love you all!
Elder Keenan Monnett
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