Mosiah 24

WAYS in WHICH we are HELPED THROUGH TRIALS

When the people of Alma were burdened by the wicked priest, Amulon, the Lord didn't remove their burdens at first, but he lightened their burdens. And even for this "lightening" to occur, the people of Alma first asked through prayer. So it is with us--we must first pray for assistance, and then even after we pray--our trials may not be removed, but we will be better able to carry them.

There have been many times when I have wished I could pray my trials away, but this isn't the way of the Lord. These trials mold us, and form us into what our God wants us to become. Without them--we would not "become", we would not grow, our period of probation would be stagnant.

One trial I have often wished I could pray away is the trial that my little guy faces. He struggles with dyslexia, and it is so hard for me to see him struggle in school with reading. I wish our hard work could make it all go away--I'm sure it helps, but it is still a constant companion. I know that when we work at his reading, my concern for him and his struggles are manageable through prayer. When I forget to pray, I feel overwhelmed and very much alone.

I truly believe that when we are covenant keeping people, we can expect the Lord's hand in our lives. That doesn't mean that our trials will go away, but we can expect Him to carry us in the midst of our trials--just like the people of Alma. I like how verse 15 states, "And it came to pass the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord."

By the end of this experience, the Lord did deliver the people of Alma from their trials--from bondage. First, they endured, and then they were delivered.

There are other experiences in the scriptures in which the Lord does this. There was the time when Joseph was placed in prison because of the wicked maiden. The Lord didn't at first remove Joseph from prison, but he carried him through that trial (Genesis 39). As Joseph remained faithful, the Lord blessed him. He became a leader in the prison, he was trusted above all the other prisoners. The Lord "lightened" his burden; however, He didn't remove his trial...at least not in the beginning. We must be willing to endure, so that we can learn from our experience. And then, as we have endured we will be removed from our trial. We will come off conqueror.

Doctrine and Covenants 10:5 reads, "Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work."

As we seek the Lord, we will conquer!