Divine Intervention

We all face challenges in this life. No matter who you are, if you haven't already, you will have hardship. Sometimes they are caused by other people and sometimes they are caused by ourselves. Sometimes it is just because.. Hah, well, bad stuff just happens... In any case, our loving Father in Heaven will be there for us, and we can go to Him for help.

For me, when bad stuff happens, instead of face the problem, I sometimes try and wish it away. I'll pray and pray that God will take whatever it is I happen to be going through away, and spare me completely. I know none of you have ever done that, but just in case there happens to be a reader who finds themselves in the same sinking boat, I'll share with you something that helped me. In the October 2010, at General Conference, Elder Richard G Scott explained why we sometimes don't get immediate deliverance from our problems. He said,

"With even your strongest faith, God will not always reward you immediately according to your desires. Rather, God will respond with what in His eternal plan is best for you, when it will yield the greatest advantage. Be thankful that sometimes God lets you struggle for a long time before that answer comes. That causes your faith to increase and your character to grow."

"The Transforming Power of Faith and Character"

That is true. God loves each and every one of us, and because He loves us, He lets us struggle to grow. I have been through plenty of hard times, and when I look back I find that those times have been the biggest sources of growth in my life. Christ Himself, when faced with the greatest challenge any being that has ever existed could endure, cried out to His Father for relief. A powerful lesson can be learned from the account of His sufferings in Luke.

 "Saying, Father, if thou be willing, ^aremove this cup from me: nevertheless not my ^bwill, but thine, be done.

 And there appeared an ^aangel unto him from heaven, strengthening him."

Luke 22:42-43

Christ, the greatest of all, asked to have his trial removed. Heavenly Father knew that it was necessary for Him to suffer it so that he could save us all. He did not, however, cause His son to suffer it alone. In a divine outreach of love and support, our Heavenly Father sent an angel to help strengthen Christ through His most difficult time. It is the same with us. Though he may not remove our trials, our Father in Heaven will always send help and strength. When we rely on Him through those difficult times, and look forward with an eye of faith, we will make it through and be able to grow in the process. He will never leave you alone. I know that is true. Trust it, rely on it, and you will learn it for yourself. You will be amazed at the progress you have made through those rough and tumble times, and be thankful for the help your Father in Heaven has given.