~Doctrine and Covenants 121:7-8
About a week or so ago, a dear friend and I were talking. She mentioned that even our trials and afflictions are actually blessings. My immediate thought was... well, they certainly wear a great disguise! How can something horrible or painful be remotely considered a blessing?
The more I pondered on this statement, the more I saw truth in it. It is from the hard times that we learn our greatest insights and lessons. Trials and afflictions come with great intensity prior to great blessings. The resurrection of Christ came after the crucifixion. The atonement came after the suffering untold pain in Gethsemane.
This may be difficult to understand, but I am grateful for depression. Huh? What did she just say? How on earth can someone express gratitude for something so incredibly painful and devastating? What I wanted was to escape depression’s intense pain by pretty much any means possible... and instead God gave me friends to hold me close and anchor me to life. God gave me what I needed, when I needed it the most - not what I wanted in the moment - for this and the lessons learned I am grateful.
Does this mean I want to experience again these past years of darkness and indescribable anguish? Oh heck no!! Does this mean I have learned what is necessary to never travel again the path of depression? Sorry to say this is not my current reality (if yesterday was any indication). But what it does mean is that I am stronger today than I was before. I know more today about the devastation of depression than I ever thought possible - and methods to pull out of a downward spiral. I am more able to recognize depression in others, and perhaps have opportunities to share and encourage them when they need a friend to hold them close.
You’ve heard the phrase, "it takes a village". In reality, "it takes everyone"! Everyone reaching out to God - leaning on each other for necessary support - bearing one another’s burdens, that they may be made light. (Mosiah 18:8-10)
I asked for strength, and God gave me difficulties to make me strong
I asked for wisdom, and God gave me problems to solve
I asked for prosperity, and God gave me brawn and brains to work
I asked for courage, and God gave me dangers to overcome
I asked for patience, and God placed me in situations where I was forced to wait
I asked for love, and God gave me people to help
I asked for favors, and God gave me opportunities
I asked for everything so I could enjoy life, instead He gave me life so I could enjoy everything
I received nothing I wanted, I received everything I needed
~ author unknown
He knows JUST what we need and he answers our prayers accordingly.
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of the same feelings as you. I've expressed them in a post here:
http://melaniesmethodicalmusings.blogspot.com/2011/07/blessing-of-trials.html
but more importantly that what I had to say :) was a song I shared by Laura Story entitled Blessing. It's amazing and echo's your sentiments about God and his dealings with his children. It's beautiful. You should head over for a listen if you haven't heard it before.
I loved reading this post. You are an amazingly beautiful writer.