Courageously Look To The Future

by: Marilynn

"It is my testimony that we are facing difficult times.  We must be courageously obedient.  My witness is that we will be called upon to prove our spiritual stamina, for the days ahead will be filled with affliction and difficulty.  But with the assuring comfort of a personal relationship with God, we will be given a calming courage.  Form the divine so near we will receive the quiet assurance:
"My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;
"And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes." (D&C 121:7-8)
(Elder James E. Faust, Ensign, Jan 1999)

It is true that the Lord does not give us "more than we can bear", but that knowledge does not lessen the pain we are feeling it only give us courage to move on.   As Elder Maxwell says,  He may not give us more than we can bear....but He will often bring us right to the edge.

There is a point and a purpose;  it is called 'refinement' and it can be so intense at times we feel 'unsteady' emotionally.  But if we 'hang-on' there will come a time that it will be a small thing to us.  Elder Maxwell
says that the time will come that it will all be just a 'distant memory' and one that we do not resent, but actually are thankful for because of the 'education' that it gave us.

Hold on in spite of what might come in to your lives.  Hold on no matter what.  For we have the most glorious promise that if we do hold on, when it is over, we will be 'acceptable' to Him.   We also have the wonderful promise noted in Elder Faust's article.  If we hold on,  He will give us "calming courage and quiet reassurance."

I have found in my own life, that at the times I have said (and there have been those times) that "I just can't do this."  What I was really saying was "I don't want to do this."  I was not being patient with the Lord and His
timing for me.   Truly,  He will rescue us when we need it most.  He is never far away, even when it seems the darkest.   His hand is in our lives at all times.   We must all 'hold' on so that some day we can all meet and
rejoice that no one was left behind. 

Pres. Kimball (one of my favorites) said that he knows he would have stopped the suffering of the Savior if he had had the power,  but He said he was so grateful for a loving, omnipotent Father who understood 'perfectly' the necessity of that suffering, and knew the celestial results were worth the price that was being paid.  In a smaller way, that is how it is for us, we will be grateful in the end, for whatever challenges we have had.  In the mean time,  the pain is real- its great and seems almost overwhelming.  It is ok to acknowledge that, that is not a sin.   Just hang on.  Do the best you know how in the circumstances you are in and God will give you strength.    

Regardless of what is going on in our lives,  we can 'look Courageously into the future".... for 'those that be with us, are more than those against us."