Healing Blessings....

As Elder Dallin H. Oaks has taught: 

“Healing blessings come in many ways, each suited to our individual needs, as known to Him who loves us best. Sometimes a ‘healing’ cures our illness or lifts our burden. But sometimes we are ‘healed’ by being given strength or understanding or patience to bear the burdens placed upon us.” All that will come may be “clasped in the arms of Jesus.” All souls can be healed by His power. All pain can be soothed. In Him, we can “find rest unto [our] souls.” Our mortal circumstances may not immediately change, but our pain, worry, suffering, and fear can be swallowed up in His peace and healing balm.

Kent F. Richards Of the Seventy, Ensign, May, 2011

Adversity....

Given time, the Lord can extract the most good out of the most unfortunate of circumstances. Our love of God is more than matched by his love for us. That is why he will not allow negatives to remain negative. He will find a way to change the dynamics of our trials and turn them to blessings.

Perhaps we place too much emphasis on our present sufferings because we do not fully realize the promise of future rewards or the Lord’s ability to add the vertical line that makes our present negative into a godly positive.

“Be of good cheer, for I will lead you along….The riches of eternity are yours” (D&C 73:17-18).

Let us continue to pray for the removal of our thorns, but if our prayer seems unheeded, may we hear the whisper of the Lord, “Peace, child. I am at work.”

What the Scriptures Teach us about Adversity - S. Michael Wilcox

Healing Blessing......

 “Healing blessings come in many ways, each suited to our individual needs, as known to Him who loves us best. Sometimes a ‘healing’ cures our illness or lifts our burden. But sometimes we are ‘healed’ by being given strength or understanding or patience to bear the burdens placed upon us.” All that will come may be “clasped in the arms of Jesus.” All souls can be healed by His power. All pain can be soothed. In Him, we can “find rest unto [our] souls.” Our mortal circumstances may not immediately change, but our pain, worry, suffering, and fear can be swallowed up in His peace and healing balm.

Kent F. Richards Of the Seventy, Ensign, May, 2011

One More Day....

Generally it is good to try to anticipate what is coming and prepare to deal with it. At times, however, this captain’s counsel is wise: “Take it one day at a time. . . . Don’t look ahead to the pain. Just get through the day.” To worry about what is or may be coming can be debilitating. It can paralyze us and make us quit.

In the 1950s my mother survived radical cancer surgery, but difficult as that was, the surgery was followed with dozens of painful radiation treatments in what would now be considered rather primitive medical conditions. She recalls that her mother taught her something during that time that has helped her ever since:

I was so sick and weak, and I said to her one day, “Oh, Mother, I can’t stand having 16 more of those treatments.”

She said, “Can you go today?”

“Yes.”

“Well, honey, that’s all you have to do today.”

It has helped me many times when I remember to take one day or one thing at a time.

D. Todd Christofferson was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when this fireside address was given on 9 January 2011.

Enduring for Zion.....

“In addition to stimulating our repentance, the very experience of enduring chastening can refine us and prepare us for greater spiritual privileges. Said the Lord, “My people must be tried in all things, that they may be prepared to receive the glory that I have for them, even the glory of Zion; and he that will not bear chastisement is not worthy of my kingdom” (D&C 136:31). In another place He said, “For all those who will not endure chastening, but deny me, cannot be sanctified” (D&C 101:5; see also Hebrews 12:10). As Elder Paul V. Johnson said this morning, we should take care not to resent the very things that help us put on the divine nature.”

Rent Free.....

When we ask God for help, we must do so with absolute confidence. It is fruitless to take back into our own hands the problems which our powerlessness (not helplessness) forced us to turn over to Him. I have learned that complaining about our oppressions and indignities only makes them loom larger and more disturbing. I am learning to put the shortcomings of others out of my mind and think constructively about taking care of myself. I will turn to Father in Heaven and focus on His will for me. I will ask God to keep me from magnifying my troubles by harping on them continually. I will forgive others which means nothing more but that I will not longer let other people’s dumbs live rent free in my mind. I will accept freedom.

Refinement....

(When Ye Shall Receive These Things)

Behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. 1 Nephi 20:10

Followers of Christ in all dispensations are no strangers to sorrow. They know pain and are well acquainted with affliction. The crucible of life gives us opportunities to become better or bitter, refined or rebellious, submissive or stiff-necked. The tempered steel of faith is forged in the flames of suffering. Ease does not call forth greatness or strength of commitment. When the fires of sickness, failure, disappointment, and even tragedy engulf us, if we are spiritually prepared, God’s peace can carry us through safely. That doesn’t mean we try to ignore the heartache or deny the reality of the pain. Rather, we take an authentic look at it, enlarging our perspective by believing that some good can come from crucible experiences. When they come—as they surely will—we can rise above them by setting our hearts on everlasting things. Isaiah promised, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles: (Isaiah 40:31)